Donner 'Vowel' Vol Wah Pedal

[PaulThePlug]

From some recent advertising from Donner, saw the Vowel and enquierd if it could also took a battery, It was a 'NO' to the battery, but Donner kindly sent one for me to give a try

 

Form-Factor is great, love the smaller size, would take up loads less space on a pedal board, no issue in using it, might get lost under the platform boots of a 70’S Glam Rock Revival Band!

 

Twin LED’s glow Green Vol / Red Wah but are mainly unseen under ya foot when using it at home. Might get an nice glow on a darkened stage, but might need to move ya foot to check the switch state.

 

Housing is plastic but feels quite substantial, thick around all the edges and where the M6 allen bolt for the hinge goes, Rubbery Non Slip pads on the top, rather than just textured plastic.

 

I’m not a great fan of the Super Small style pedals that need external 9v connection. Fine if you have a full pedal board and quality power supply, not so good if you run with just one or two pedals.

 

There was a bit of noise from the pedal when at Max Vol, and Pedal Forward in Wah Mode. Not being metal may result in a lack of screening  I suspect that it was more likely Mains Interference from my own cheapy 9v wall-wart that was plugged in to a Double wall socket along with my Combo, and another reason I like batteries, (I’ve got a pack of PP3 9v Batt Snap to 9v Center Negative Plugs on order via Ali Express.) Not really an issue in a vibrant Pub n Club Band, but might prove an issue if you were recording.

 

Wah did 'all the usual' on guitar and favourable in the frequancy range for bass, All-Good clean, and not too muddy with some drive for the Black Sabbath / Geezer Butler or Metallica / Cliff Burton stand out moments. I loved using the Wah setting as more a Vocaliser for that Spacey Feel in Progressing and repetitive bass lines, I'm a Hawkwind fan... kind of like a Manual Phaser, used in a more random manor, or left as fixed filter rather than in the traditional Rhythmic Style of a Foot Pump, when pumping up a car tyre!

 

Using the pedal in Vol mode, nice to be able to easily moderate volume without having to go for the on board vol pot, while the amps compressor keeps the playing dynamic in check, rather than just trying to lighten the load with fingers and pick to reduce the volume.

 

Don't often play my Acoustic Bowlback Bass plugged in, it is wearing Flatwound Strings, rather than squeaky phosphor bronze, to look to get a warmer upright bass tone. Using the Vol setting was able to just fall off and vary the attack for a warm bowed bass sound… Other effects have attack/release settings but these will give the same effect on every note, sounding artificial, controlling an element of Vol rise and fall gives an almost analogue emulation of bow pressure, Nice slow playing using the instruments sustain, also if holding back on the volume, leaving yourself a bit of head-room you can give the sense of increased sustain by pulling back up the dying volume with the pedal....

I also tried this with a cheapy Chorus pedal to try and achieve a more fretless sound. Nice...

 

Although pluggin in the Acoustic has highlighted an inbalance in string volume, the E beign a bit quieter... prolly down to when i had the bridge saddle blade out to remove a shim and for a bit of fine sanding to change the string action... so it will have to come out again

 

So, nice and usable Vol 'n Wah in One... Great Price (even better when Donner messaged to say i could keep it!) Quality Item without breaking the bank, and you would be able to pick up 3 Donner pedals for the price of a JD Cry Baby.

 

https://idonner.eu/collections/wah-volume-expression-pedal/products/donner-vowel-mini-active-wah-volume-effect-guitar-pedal-2-in-1

 

Especialy after reading recent posts about getting too bogged down in what ya got, v's what the punter hears down the Dog 'n Duck... They might not win out in a direct comparison to boutique at 3 (or 4 times the price) but get you a fair amount of the 'Sound' and maybe less likely to sprout legs when ya turn ya back.

 

Shame Donner no longer make the Alpha Bass Comp/Drive/Chorus 3-in-1 with XLR out... looks like it was a tool.

 

[Note, in the interest of transparancy - If any issues with this post let me know, This is an Open and Honest review, Unpaid, but i was allowed to keep it as a 'gift']

Edited May 25, 2022 by PaulThePlug