DOD Mini Expression and Mini Volume: Good buy or overpriced?
Two new mini utility pedals for your pedalboard
DOD Utility Pedals Mini Expression and Mini Volume Pedal · Source: DOD/SoundTechnology
DOD Utility Pedals Mini Expression pedal · Source: DOD/SoundTechnology
DOD has been making pedals since 1973, a few of which have become very popular. The company was closed in 2008 before re-emerging back in 2013 with a partly new, partly old product range under the auspices of Harman International. With these two new Utility Pedals – Mini Expression and Mini Volume – DOD has unveiled two previously unseen pedals.
Mini Expression and Mini Volume
Basically, these are two versions of one pedal that looks like a mini wah. Visually, the difference is quite marginal: Expression is dark grey and has an E on top of the rocker, Volume is silver and has a V.
Gear Drive
Both use what their maker calls Gear Drive, and DOD promises reliable performance. It’s probably just a nice name for the rocking mechanism, but if it’s robust and works well, I won’t complain.
DOD Mini Volume and Mini Expression controls and I/O · Source: DOD/SoundTechnology
Mini Volume has a Treble Bleed circuit, so will maintain the treble when in use, and not lose highs as you would normally expect to happen on most guitars when you turn down the volume pot.
Mini Expression also has a switch that can toggle between TRS, TS and RTS, allowing pretty much any expression-input pedal to be remotely controlled.
Both pedals are described by DOD as being rugged, with steel construction. Neither looks like it will break easily. I do quite like mini-pedals for controlling stuff, as they take up little space on my pedalboard and allow me to enhance my more ‘interesting’ pedals easily, so I could see me using both of these in my own rig.
Utility Pedals
They aren’t exactly cheap. I think they may be a little overpriced for their place on the market. For example, I could easily buy something like an AMT WH-1 Japanese Girl Wah-Wah on Thomann for about £99, which is a wah pedal and so a more complex circuit. The AMT EX-50 Expression pedal is around £90 and can control more than one effect at a time, due to its dual output. In comparison, these DOD pedals seem a bit too expensive for what they offer.
RRP – GBP 85
More Information
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2 responses to “DOD Mini Expression and Mini Volume: Good buy or overpriced?”
Kinda curious as to your thinking of these being overpriced? You mention two pedals: one is a wah, which neither of these DOD pedals are. And both pedals you mentioned cost more than these? Lol these are $99 USD. There aren’t any other mini expression or volume pedals in that price range. A better comparison for the volume would be the mini dunlop which costs $20 more. Or the Boss expression pedal which is a lot less but full size. I would agree that the expression pedal might be a little over but not by much. Seems like a moot point to me. To each their own I suppose
I mention the AMT stuff as they do an expression with more options for similar money and a wah pedal, which is a more complex and therefore expensive pedal to manufacture, for only £5 more than one of these DOD pedals.
My thinking is that DOD has overpriced these for what they offer, just my opinion.