noise gate issues

[liquidsmoke]

I recently tuned down to G from A with my 6 string guitar and I like the tone I'm getting. My noise gates however do not. Less string tension now means certain notes aren't cutting through loud enough to get through the noise gates. If the gates are adjusted so that all the notes come through clean and sustain properly they are useless because the guitar feeds back.



Anyone been down this road before? I raised my action a bit today and it didn't help at all.

[bitter]

Where is the gate located in your chain?

[Discö Rice]

Edit: heh. Misread that. Anyway, here's a picture of something unrelated.

[liquidsmoke]

Where is the gate located in your chain?

Last but there ain't all that much in my chains.

[VOLVO)))]

Heavier gauge strings, and raise the pickups closer to them.



You need to make up for the output you've lost by lessening the tension on the strings. Bigger strings = more tension in the same tuning, closer pickups = more general output.

To put it in perspective... I play 58-12 in Eb...  68-14 in B Standard. All of my shit has TONS of tension to it, because I like a strong/loud acoustic tone.

[bitter]

Last but there ain't all that much in my chains.

Nor do I, but lately placing the gate first allows me to control the feedback easier. It doesn't affect my fuzz and still cancels the squeals. I normally go Gate -> Dirt -> Amp.

See if placing it first makes a difference. the key being dirt after the gate will boost the signal.

[liquidsmoke]

Heavier gauge strings, and raise the pickups closer to them.



You need to make up for the output you've lost by lessening the tension on the strings. Bigger strings = more tension in the same tuning, closer pickups = more general output.

To put it in perspective... I play 58-12 in Eb...  68-14 in B Standard. All of my shit has TONS of tension to it, because I like a strong/loud acoustic tone.

I hear you on the strings. The problem is that I like how they sound a bit floppy now and getting thicker ones will kill that.

I didn't think about raising up the pickup(LP junior) closer to the strings though. I will try that tomorrow for sure.

[liquidsmoke]

Last but there ain't all that much in my chains.

Nor do I, but lately placing the gate first allows me to control the feedback easier. It doesn't affect my fuzz and still cancels the squeals. I normally go Gate -> Dirt -> Amp.

See if placing it first makes a difference. the key being dirt after the gate will boost the signal.

I split my signal to a guitar amp and a bass amp. For gain on the guitar side I only use what the amp has and if I remember correctly there are no problem there, it's the bass side where I use a muff clone into a Sansamp that gives me grief. I will try moving that gate in front of the pedals and if they are quiet enough hopefully it will work.

[VOLVO)))]

Eh, you're just not going to get the same signal then, bud.

[bitter]

^
It's been working for me as of late. I tried it in the loop and it didn't remove any of the squeal, even when cranking the threshold. Then, I tried it last in the chain but the gate couldn't handle the unpotted pups + boost or fuzz. Now I figured first in chain would fuck the signal, but the sound is fine. no deterioration or anything. If anything it sound a little tighter and ever so slightly processed but that's to be expected from a gate in general.   

[VOLVO)))]

You guys must be using a shitload more gain than I am, I don't need a gate at all...

[liquidsmoke]

You guys must be using a shitload more gain than I am, I don't need a gate at all...

I play very heavy heavy metal so I need a ton of gain. I use all of my Laney's gain on the guitar side and on the bass amp side all of the muff's gain and most of the Sansamp's gain. If this gate thing doesn't work out and I just ditch it I'll probably start using all of the Sansamp's gain too.

When I play heavy psych rock stuff I also use a ton of gain in the form of an Analog Man Dark Peppermint Fuzz(which I highly recommend) and some of the Laney's gain on top of that but I would never use a noise gate for that stuff.

[VOLVO)))]

I mean... I run more gain than a stock Laney, and my feedback issues aren't even close to gate-worthy...

[liquidsmoke]

I mean... I run more gain than a stock Laney, and my feedback issues aren't even close to gate-worthy...

As in when everything is on you can silence your guitar just by laying a hand over the strings? That's where I was at before I tuned down a step recently. I'm thinking I just need to get a cut off switch(like a pup selector) installed on my junior and be done with it. That volume knob is more of a pain to turn from 10 to 0 and back over and over. My tuner works as well of course.

[VOLVO)))]

Yeah, man. I can silence everything save for my nosiy compressor that may be going the way of the dodo...

[liquidsmoke]

Is your guitar like mega shielded in some high tech way or something? I've always had feedback issues when playing through a lot of gain at practice volume or higher.

[VOLVO)))]

Peavey T-60, a strat, and a tele... all of them are the same story...

[justinhedrick]

pickups/eq have a lot to do with it.

also, how close are you standing to your amp, liquid?

[liquidsmoke]

Dudes, dudes, dudes! I rewired my board so just one of my gates is right after my tuner and before my ABY box AND HOLY FUCK THIS WORKS BETTER THAN EVER!!!!! I can just let the guitar hang with the volume knob on 10 and I don't even have to hold my hand on the strings and it's quiet! WTF?!!!! AND the signal sounds HOTTER than ever!!! I did move the PUP up a tad so it's even closer to the strings too. While playing I do not notice any tone difference if I turn the gate off where as I used to! And I have the gate set LOWER than before.

I love this forum. You guys are fucking geniuses!

Now I only need one noise gate! More room on my pedalboard.

Anyone want to buy a ISP Decimator that has never been gigged with? The only downside is that it has the Furman pedalboard velcro on the bottom but I can scrape that off. New these are about $130, I'll sell it for $70 shipped because of the velcro. You'll get the box too.

[Lumpy]

Those ISP Decimators are nice, they do not change your tone, or chop off your sustain (at least not for me). ^^^ Good price, too.

[Metal and Beer]

I can just let the guitar hang with the volume knob on 10 and I don't even have to hold my hand on the strings and it's quiet! WTF?!!!!

You'll never join Eyehategod that way man      (I don't like the out-of-control "squealy" feedback either)

[liquidsmoke]

I can just let the guitar hang with the volume knob on 10 and I don't even have to hold my hand on the strings and it's quiet! WTF?!!!!

You'll never join Eyehategod that way man      (I don't like the out-of-control "squealy" feedback either)

It works for some bands but not for what I'm doing now. Were I playing in a heavy psych band though I'd want the feedback to jam on with whammy magic and trippy effects 

[Metal and Beer]

Warm "harmonic" feedback = MMM MMM Good

Harsh squealy "microphonic" feedback = "Ow, my ears!!! Nooooo!"

Eyehategod is pretty much the only band that gets away with it in my opinion.

( Two descriptive words in quotes in case I'm using them incorrectly; I'm unsure of the exact terms there...)

[bitter]

Warm "harmonic" feedback = MMM MMM Good

Harsh squealy "microphonic" feedback = "Ow, my ears!!! Nooooo!"

Eyehategod is pretty much the only band that gets away with it in my opinion.

( Two descriptive words in quotes in case I'm using them incorrectly; I'm unsure of the exact terms there...)

EHG has that shit down to a science though. I kept having an issue where the feedback was way harsh and happened underneath my playing (not just when I stopped). It was like playing a hollowbody. The decimator is dialed in now to produce controlled feedback but will clamp down if I need it.