It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 6:25 pm

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 14 posts ] 
Author Message
Post subject: EXP-1 control method analog or digital?
Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2014 3:52 pm
Offline
Amateur
Amateur

Joined: Sat Jan 08, 2011 5:48 pm
Posts: 183
Is the EXP-1 a standard analog expression pedal (whether mono or stereo) or is it some custom digital control?


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: EXP-1 control method analog or digital?
Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2014 4:59 pm
Offline
Fender Staff
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2010 1:12 pm
Posts: 4396
Hi mpr,

Thanks for your inquiry. The Fender® EXP-1 pedal is designed to work specifically with the Fender® Mustang™ series amps (Mustang III-V and Mustang Floor). So, it is not able to be used as a standard analog volume pedal. I hope this information is helpful. Please let us know if we can assist further.

Best Regards,

Alan

_________________
Fender Technology Support Lab
Fender Musical Instruments Corporation
TSL@Fender.com
(800) 856-9801


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: EXP-1 control method analog or digital?
Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2014 5:45 pm
Offline
Amateur
Amateur

Joined: Sat Jan 08, 2011 5:48 pm
Posts: 183
Thanks Alan.

I actually wonder about using standard expression pedals (or the mono style, like Line 6). I'm also curious in general about how the EXP-1 works.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: EXP-1 control method analog or digital?
Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2014 12:29 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2012 11:37 am
Posts: 1315
Location: England
Quote:
I actually wonder about using standard expression pedals

You can use a normal (analogue) expression pedal with the Mustang amps. You'd put it in-line with the audio signal exactly the same as any other amplifier. That is, you can put it between the guitar and the amp input, or put it in the amp's fx-loop. You can do this as well as using the EXP-1.

Quote:
how the EXP-1 works

The EXP-1 doesn't go in the audio signal chain, it connects to the footswitch socket on the amp (and you can daisy-chain the MS-4 footswitch with the EXP-1 if you have both). The EXP-1 sends control signals to the amp, that change a parameter of one of the effects in the DSP. You can set which parameter the EXP-1 controls, and it can be a different parameter for each preset on the amp.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: EXP-1 control method analog or digital?
Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2014 3:40 am
Offline
Amateur
Amateur

Joined: Sat Jan 08, 2011 5:48 pm
Posts: 183
I don't mean volume pedals, but expression pedals to control arbitrary parameters on the amp. The question is the nature of the control. In standard expression pedals the "position" is expressed as the ratio between the input and output voltage.

Does the EXP-1 use a stereo cable?


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: EXP-1 control method analog or digital?
Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2014 3:33 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2012 11:37 am
Posts: 1315
Location: England
Quote:
I don't mean volume pedals

Neither did I, I was referring to any sort of expression pedal that you might put inline with the audio signal. I just mentioned this possibility for completeness.

Quote:
expression pedals to control arbitrary parameters on the amp

The only pedal that can do this is the EXP-1. You can only connect one of these to the amp at a time. And it can only control one parameter at a time (although as I mentioned before, you can change what parameter that is, per preset).

Quote:
The question is the nature of the control

The question back to you is: why do you care or need to know this? The EXP-1 uses some proprietary (specific to Fender) control signal to communicate with the amp. Whether that's analogue (eg variable voltage/resistance), or digital (eg pulses) doesn't matter; you can't use the EXP-1 with anything except the Mustang amp, and you can't plug-in any other pedal to the control socket on the amp.

If you're asking because you want to see if another manufacturer's pedal behaves the same as the EXP-1 (so that you can use such a pedal; eg if you already have one), the answer is almost certainly no. Plus as far as I know, Fender don't publish the specs for the pedal interface so it's going to be hard to find out.

Quote:
In standard expression pedals the "position" is expressed as the ratio between the input and output voltage

We can say for certain that the EXP-1 is more complex than this.

Quote:
Does the EXP-1 use a stereo cable?

No, but again, that's not really relevant (as in, it doesn't change anything). FWIW, it's a mono cable with a standard 1/4" jack at each end. It carries power (from amp to MS-4 and EXP-1) and bi-directional control signals. All on the same cable (which is a perfectly reasonable thing do to).


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: EXP-1 control method analog or digital?
Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2014 3:41 pm
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician

Joined: Tue Sep 18, 2012 3:15 am
Posts: 300
Scott - I'm also interested to know what it uses.
Seems odd that you seem to be criticising mpr for wanting to know.
No law against taking it to bits whether that's mechanically or hacking the interface.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: EXP-1 control method analog or digital?
Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 1:42 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2012 11:37 am
Posts: 1315
Location: England
Quote:
Seems odd that you seem to be criticising mpr for wanting to know

No, not criticising - just asking a further question, while also answering the original question with (afaik) as much info as is publicly available on this.

I'm all for curiosity on how things work - after all, I'm the one who analysed the MS-2 pedal and posted details of its inner workings when other people were asking what it did and if it was Mustang-specific, etc.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: EXP-1 control method analog or digital?
Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 6:27 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star

Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2012 7:37 am
Posts: 4099
Location: New York
Just to look at it from Fender's point of view ....

Fender designed the EXP-1 for these Fender amps. They designed the pedal so it ONLY works with these Fender amps (as far as we know) and other companies won't be able to easily produce a 'knock off' version of the EXP-1. Because if they did, a lot of people would but them instead of the Fender product. Fender would sell less pedals that way. They would make less money. You see where I'm going with this? :wink:

_________________
Please subscribe to my Image Channel!
https://www.youtube.com/user/b7567


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: EXP-1 control method analog or digital?
Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 6:44 am
Offline
Amateur
Amateur

Joined: Sat Jan 08, 2011 5:48 pm
Posts: 183
Thanks for the info, Scott. Where did you post the MS-2 details?

My guess would be that Fender doesn't care that much. They wanted bidirectional communication and chaining so had to design a custom protocol. Perhaps at that point they thought a nice extra would be not being compatible with existing pedals. Or maybe it was just the simpler solution given the design goals.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: EXP-1 control method analog or digital?
Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 6:53 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star

Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2012 7:37 am
Posts: 4099
Location: New York
what I'm trying to say is it's kind of like asking Mr. Krabs for the Krabby Patty secret formula. And since Mr. Krabs doesn't give that info out, nobody on the Krusty Krab forums has that info either.

Image

_________________
Please subscribe to my Image Channel!
https://www.youtube.com/user/b7567


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: EXP-1 control method analog or digital?
Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 9:14 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2012 11:37 am
Posts: 1315
Location: England
Quote:
Where did you post the MS-2 details?

See my second reply to this topic:
viewtopic.php?f=27&t=85821


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: EXP-1 control method analog or digital?
Posted: Thu May 01, 2014 7:54 am
Offline
Amateur
Amateur

Joined: Sat Jan 08, 2011 5:48 pm
Posts: 183
strings: I don't think they'd consider it such a big deal. It's not the source code to their sound algorithms. :)

Thanks Scott. And I just realized, I do have the MS2. ;)


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: EXP-1 control method analog or digital?
Posted: Thu May 01, 2014 8:37 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star

Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2012 7:37 am
Posts: 4099
Location: New York
mpr wrote:
strings: I don't think they'd consider it such a big deal. It's not the source code to their sound algorithms. :)
do let us know when you get an answer on that directly from Fender.

Image

_________________
Please subscribe to my Image Channel!
https://www.youtube.com/user/b7567


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 14 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: