Noise Suppresion Pedals

[Walt-Dogg]

So I figured out the that the problem from my previous thread. It was just a ton of gain mixed with a single-coil pickup.

And so I'm asking you for your opinions on noise suppression pedals and high gain mixed with single-coils.

My rig is my Ampeg ADA6 (with the single-coil in), Ibanez TS9-DX , Marshall Mosfet Lead 100, Marshall JCM900 1960B cab

 

[ocnor]

Ibanez TS9-DX (set to HOT with the drive/gain and level dimed)

FAIL! That is exactly how NOT to set the controls of a TS9. Also Tubescreamers are made to overdrive a tube amp and they sound like extreme ass when used to overdrive a solidstate amp.

Marshall Mosfet Lead 100 (Boost channel with EQ pulled and dimed)

FAIL! That amp will sound horrible if you dime the EQ. A noise reduction pedal will not help you. The noise problem stems from your improper gain and EQ settings as well as your poorly designed guitar.

 

[Walt-Dogg]

Dude, I don't care what you think about my rig, I like how it sounds. I just want to know if a noise suppressor is a solid investment when using high gain though a single-coil.

But to clarify, what I meant by "EQ" in your second point was that the gain knob on the boost channel has a pull feature that engages the first channel's 3-band EQ so I'm not stuck using that stupid single tone knob in the boost channel. Bass is about 9, Mid is about 7, Treble is about 9 as well, the tone knob is set for about 4.

Once again, going for this sound:
myspace.com/annihilation time

Listen to the tracks Imaginary Mirror, Too High To Die, The Worm.

However, if you have a better suggestion to get the tone I'm going for, I'm open to it. I do know for a fact though that they use Sunn Concert Leads and TS9DX's.

 

[Outlaws]

Dude, I don't care what you think about my rig, I like how it sounds. I just want to know if a noise suppressor is a solid investment when using high gain though a single-coil.

But to clarify, what I meant by "EQ" in your second point was that the gain knob on the boost channel has a pull feature that engages the first channel's 3-band EQ so I'm not stuck using that stupid single tone knob in the boost channel. Bass is about 9, Mid is about 7, Treble is about 9 as well, the tone knob is set for about 4.

Once again, going for this sound:
myspace.com/annihilation time

Listen to the tracks Imaginary Mirror, Too High To Die, The Worm.

However, if you have a better suggestion to get the tone I'm going for, I'm open to it. I do know for a fact though that they use Sunn Concert Leads and TS9DX's.

Thats not too bad. I wasn't expecting to be impressed. I have heard a lot of punk bands and haven't been seeking them out anymore, but these guys have some good grooves. Wish they would use better equipment and production because it is catchy.

That said, they don't use anywhere near the gain levels you might think. I doubt their tubescreamers level knob is dimed. But do as you will.

 

[Walt-Dogg]

Well I'm trying to combine the tone and gain levels of their second and third LPs.

But so I know, IS A NOISE SUPPRESSOR A SOUND INVESTMENT WHEN USING HIGH GAIN AND SINGLE COILS???

 

[soundchaser59]

But so I know, IS A NOISE SUPPRESSOR A SOUND INVESTMENT WHEN USING HIGH GAIN AND SINGLE COILS???

Imo, a noise suppressor is a good investment just about any time. But it will work much better if you reduce the amount of noise coming from your signal source in the first place. Best way to do that is start modding those pedals. Monte Allums has a kit for the TS9DX, all of his kits reduce noise in addition to improving tone. And much much more affordable than the booteek modders.

I usually am not sure about how some replies are delivered, but in this case I have to agree with ocnor......if you have to max out and dime everything on your pedal to get a sound you like, then you are doing something wrong. At the very least you should use a different pedal that will give you what you want without every knob and switch being dimed to the max. I also think outlaws is right, most of those sounds in the recordings are not using nearly as much gain or distortion as you might think. In my experiences, which are admittedly limited to only a short 37 years of guitar dinking around, using more gain and more distortion with the pedals is almost always something done by people who cannot use adequate volume. Never underestimate the power and effect of sheer volume. Something happens and changes when the amp is up loud enough to allow the guitar to acoustically couple with the speakers, and when that happens the need for trick pedals and gimmicks quickly goes way down!

 

[Walt-Dogg]

Thank you!

I'm gonna look into that mod for the TS9DX.

Do you have any suggestions for a specific noise suppressor pedal?

And I did tone down the gain and up the volume, the noise isn't so bad anymore, but I'm definitely gonna need a noise suppressor as I turn the volume up as I plan on getting a second 1960B cab soon.

 

[Walt-Dogg]

Went to the Monte Allums site, $21.99 + shipping isn't a bad price and it's a much simpler mod than the last one I ordered from there, however upon opening my TS9DX, it may prove to be harder to do because of how much is packed in on such a small board. I'm gonna go ahead and get it and see what it does for me.

Anywho, really wondering what a good noise suppressor to get would be.

 

[Outlaws]

Went to the Monte Allums site, $21.99 + shipping isn't a bad price and it's a much simpler mod than the last one I ordered from there, however upon opening my TS9DX, it may prove to be harder to do because of how much is packed in on such a small board. I'm gonna go ahead and get it and see what it does for me.

Anywho, really wondering what a good noise suppressor to get would be.

99% of pedal modifications are overrated. If you ask me, people only like the mods because it changes the sound from what they are used to, so it ends up feeling new for a little while, just long enough to think it did something magical that it didn't really do. But then again many of the same people will scoff at an amp or effect with enough controls to actually shape the sound the way you want it at that moment because the signal isn't "pure" enough.
Don't get me wrong...its probably just that rock n roll mentality of being different since 10k+ other people have the same pedal....and imo that alone is reason enough to fuck with it...but that doesn't change the fact that the mods are mostly superficial once you toss it in the mix.

 

[Walt-Dogg]

99% of pedal modifications are overrated. If you ask me, people only like the mods because it changes the sound from what they are used to, so it ends up feeling new for a little while, just long enough to think it did something magical that it didn't really do. But then again many of the same people will scoff at an amp or effect with enough controls to actually shape the sound the way you want it at that moment because the signal isn't "pure" enough.
Don't get me wrong...its probably just that rock n roll mentality of being different since 10k+ other people have the same pedal....and imo that alone is reason enough to fuck with it...but that doesn't change the fact that the mods are mostly superficial once you toss it in the mix.

Thanks dude.
I want the mod for the noise reduction that Monte Allums mods add to pedals and I'd like a bit of a tonal change, superficial or not.

Anyways, you got a noise suppressor pedal you like?

 

[slowmotion]

I use and like my Boss NS2, keeps things nice and neat imo.

 

[Walt-Dogg]

I use and like my Boss NS2, keeps things nice and neat imo.

Cool, no major altering of the tone if it wasn't in your rig?

 

[slowmotion]

Cool, no major altering of the tone if it wasn't in your rig?

Not that I notice. I'm running it after my tuner pedal, straight into the front of the amp. Doesn't cut down on amp noise, but really tightens things up from the guitar. If it is altering my tone any, I'd be re-adjusting through the amp anyway, so it's not a big deal for me.

If you've got particularly noisy pedals, you can put them in the loop of the NS2 and it'll distinguish the pure signal from the pedal noise, pretty neat. Some people use them in the effects loop by my amp's send/return levels don't like it.

I use it every time I play (except practicing at home) and I hate being without it. The other guitarist in my band has one too, using gates really helps the overall band clarity too. We still use feedback etc but the extraneous noise is gone.

 

[Walt-Dogg]

Thanks.

I'll look into it, a used one is relatively cheap. I can start rebuilding my pedal board with it then.

 

[TelePaul]

Boss NS2 would by my choice.

 

[soundchaser59]

NS2 is what I use. Better than a noise gate, it wont chop off the decay of the notes. I have not notcied any tone change.

I mod my pedals to get rid of noise. The tone changes are not necessarily better, more like Allums mods make the pedal capable of a wider range of tones than it was before the mod.

I did mod a TS9, but not a DX which has more knobs in the same pedal space. But I have found that Allums has the best instructions and the easiest mods to perform. I've tried a few mod sellers, and Allums mods seem to make the most difference in the sound and seem to cut out the most noise. I bought some of the boutique stuff after I got the tone bug from the Allums mods, but over the last year or two I have gradually drifted back to using the Allums pedals and selling the others. I've installed probably 15 Allums kits, the Ibanez TS7 was by far the worst one to work on.

 

[ggunn]

Well I'm trying to combine the tone and gain levels of their second and third LPs.

But so I know, IS A NOISE SUPPRESSOR A SOUND INVESTMENT WHEN USING HIGH GAIN AND SINGLE COILS???

I don't mean to talk down to you, but do you know how noise suppressors work? If you do, skip this post and forgive any impression of condescending tone I might be unintentionally conveying.

Noise suppressors are just off-on switches that cut your signal off when it falls below a certain (usually adjustable) threshold and turn it back on when you play another note; they don't do anything about noise that is present in your sound while you are playing. If you play a note and let it ring out, as the note decays the signal to noise ratio will drop and you'll hear (relatively) increasing amounts of noise. At some point in the decay of the note the gate will close and your amp will go abruptly silent. This annoys me and I'd rather have the noise, but I play mostly clean. YMMV.

 

[Walt-Dogg]

Didn't know that.

I really was just kinda hoping it would be a buzz-reducer. It doesn't really matter anymore, I tried out a couple at Guitar Center last week, didn't really seem to do what I wanted them to do.