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· Make Your Own Expression Pedal ·

Note: While the instructions below to create a replacement for the Zoom Expression Pedal
have not been known to cause any damage to the Zoom 505, amplifiers, or other equipment connected
to your system, Zoom 505 Central will not take any responsibility for any such harm that occurs.

Introduction

Yes, you can easily rig up your own replacement for the Zoom Expression Pedal! The Expression Pedal replacement can be used on many of Zoom's effects pedals - not just the Zoom 505. It can be used on the Zoom 505 for pedal wah-wah as well as for pitch bending (up and down). It's not necessary to drop $50 or $60 US to buy the "official" Zoom Expression Pedal. You can make your own by purchasing a simple guitar volume pedal along with some other plugs and cables which are available at your local electronics store (such as Radio Shack). In total, this setup will cost you about $35 ($25 for a cheap volume pedal and $10 for everything else).

Step 1: Obtain a basic volume pedal.

For the pedal to work properly as a wah-wah and/or pitch bend pedal on the Zoom, you will need a volume pedal with two 1/4" female jacks. 1/4" jacks are the same size that are found on the back of your Zoom 505. When the pedal is actually used as a volume pedal, one jack is the input (from a guitar or other instrument) and one jack is the output (i.e., to an amplifier).

Step 2: Obtain the cords & plugs needed to connect the pedal to the Zoom.

Ultimately, you need a cable that goes from (1) 1/4" male stereo plug to (2) 1/4" male mono plugs. The stereo plug goes into the "CONTROL IN" jack on the Zoom (the one in the middle), and each of the two mono plugs go into the input/output jacks of the volume pedal.

I was unable to find a single cord with plugs on it to suit this purpose, so I had to buy four total parts to make the system work (click the links for images):
   • 1 x 1/4" male stereo plug --> (2) female phono jacks (RCA)
   • 2 x 1/4" male mono plug --> female phono jack (RCA)
   • 1 x 1 set of phono (RCA) plugs (i.e., left/right --> left/right)

A quick way to tell if a plug is stereo or mono is to look for the rings near the tip of the plug. Stereo plugs have two rings, whereas mono plugs only have one ring.

Step 3: Connect the cords, plugs, Zoom, & volume pedal together properly.

Follow the figure below to connect everything together properly. Note that the right (usually red in color) mono plug should go into the output of the volume pedal, and the left (usually white in color) should go into the input of the volume pedal. The pedal will work either way, but works noticeably better if this is done correctly. In either case, try switching the order on your own to test out which way sounds better for you.

Click for a larger image

Step 4: Start using the pedal!

Your newly constructed substitution for the Expression Pedal can be used as a wah-wah pedal (in the COMP section, P1-P9), and can also be used as a pitch bender (in the MOD section, Pu/Pd). If you are using a patch which has both the pedal wah and pitch bending on, both will work at the same time when the pedal is moved. Have fun!