Reply With QuotePicked up a MXR Noise Clamp a couple months ago an have been really impressed with it. http://www.jimdunlop.com/product/m195-noise-clamp
Hopeless Noodler
A good noise gate?
So now that my pedal count is above ten, and I have several dirt pedals, I think it's well past time for me to be looking for a noise gate. Being a frugal type guy, I'd prefer one of those "hidden gems" that aren't expensive, but I'll listen to everything that noise gate users have to say, good or bad. Thanks!
Now fire away!
-Sean
Guitars: Lots.
Amphs: More than last year.
Pedals: Many, although I go straight from guitar to amp more often lately.
Regular Fretter
Picked up a MXR Noise Clamp a couple months ago an have been really impressed with it. http://www.jimdunlop.com/product/m195-noise-clamp
Electrics: Hagstrom Ultra Swede (Gold Eagle Burst) Gretsch 5120 Electromatic (Orange) Custom Nashville Blackout Telecaster (Black, Stat mid/neck p'ups; Lil Puncher (Modern Vintage) bridge p'up; Wilkinson Compensated Bridge w/ 3 brass saddles, Warmoth Vintage Modern Birdseye Maple Neck) Fender MIM Stratocaster (Blue Agave, Rosewood Fretboard, Fender Tex-Mex p'ups; GFS Trem/Block Kit) Highland Spitfire (semi-hollow, flame maple top w/ bubinga inlay)Acoustics:Washburn D10CEQSB, Yamaha FG160E
Bass: Westone Spectrum ST, Warwick Rockbass Corvette Basic Active
Amps: Vox NT15H/V112NT Night Train, Peavey Bandit 112, Hartke HyDrive 210C Bass Amp, Vox DA5
Valar Morghulis
$79 is not bad. PG gave it a good review.
Buy if...
you like to stack drive and fuzz pedals, but can’t deal with wild feedback problems.
Skip if...
you need a traditional noise gate to cut out background hiss from a noisy amp.
Rating...
Also found this explaining the difference between their Smartgate and Noise Clamp:
1- Smartgate - you put this after your noisy pedals. The volume of your noisy pedal outputs have to cross a threshold for the Smartgate to open and let the sound through. This means that if your pedal noise changes (like turning boosts on and off) you'll need to set the threshold of the Smartgate pretty high to block the worst-case (highest) noise. This means small signals (all your boosts or distortions before the Smartgate are off) won't pass through the Smartgate and you won't hear those low volume signals (a bad thing).
2- Noise Clamp - you put your noisy pedals in the loop of this pedal. You use your raw guitar signal at the Noise Clamp trigger (threshold) input. This way you can have any combination of noisy effects on or off in the Noise Clamp loop but the volume of your playing level that triggers the Noise Clamp threshold to let the sound out to go to your amp is consistent. You'll be able to pass both quiet and loud notes from your guitar to your amp.
Regular Fretter
Try a Rocktron Hush pedal. Up to 65db cleanup vs. the MXR's 26db. I've used them for years, very reliable.
"Always go heavy on the effects and try to blind the audience with expensive gear." - hubberjub
I mean, no offense, but I don't really see why, like guitar players from Creed, or something like that, are on the cover of guitar magazines. Almost anybody can sit down and learn to play those songs.
Dweezil Zappa
Regular Fretter
+1 on the Rocktron
Hopeless Noodler
That sounds similar the the Boss NS-2, which I've also heard good things about.Originally Posted by Tig
$79 is not bad. PG gave it a good review.
Buy if...
you like to stack drive and fuzz pedals, but can’t deal with wild feedback problems.
Skip if...
you need a traditional noise gate to cut out background hiss from a noisy amp.
Rating...
Also found this explaining the difference between their Smartgate and Noise Clamp:
1- Smartgate - you put this after your noisy pedals. The volume of your noisy pedal outputs have to cross a threshold for the Smartgate to open and let the sound through. This means that if your pedal noise changes (like turning boosts on and off) you'll need to set the threshold of the Smartgate pretty high to block the worst-case (highest) noise. This means small signals (all your boosts or distortions before the Smartgate are off) won't pass through the Smartgate and you won't hear those low volume signals (a bad thing).
2- Noise Clamp - you put your noisy pedals in the loop of this pedal. You use your raw guitar signal at the Noise Clamp trigger (threshold) input. This way you can have any combination of noisy effects on or off in the Noise Clamp loop but the volume of your playing level that triggers the Noise Clamp threshold to let the sound out to go to your amp is consistent. You'll be able to pass both quiet and loud notes from your guitar to your amp.
-Sean
Guitars: Lots.
Amphs: More than last year.
Pedals: Many, although I go straight from guitar to amp more often lately.
Contributing Member
I have liked my Boss NS-2.
Steve Thompson
Sun Valley, Idaho
Guitars: Fender 60th Anniversary Std. Strat, Squier CVC Tele Hagstrom Viking Semi-hollow, Joshua beach guitar, Martin SPD-16TR Dreadnought
Amphs: Peavey Classic 30, '61 Fender Concert
Effects and such: Boss: DS-1, CE-5, NS-2 and RC20XL looper, Digitech Bad Monkey, Korg AX1G Multi-effects, Berhinger: TU100 tuner, PB100 Clean Boost, Line 6 Toneport UX2, Electro Harmonix Little Big Muff Pi, DuhVoodooMan's Rabid Rodent Rat Clone, Zonkin Yellow Screamer Mk. II, MXR Carbon Copy Delay
love is the answer, at least for most of the questions in my heart. . .
- j. johnson
Regular Fretter
+1 on the rocktron. Have useed it for awhile now with excellent results. I set the threshhold pretty low (about 9 o'clock) and only use it with my fuzz or single coil guitars.
Addicted to solder....
+1. Effective and built like a tank, like most Boss pedals.
DVM's Ever-Expanding Gear List:
Guitars - W-A-A-A-Y-Y too many to list. Check 'em all out HERE
Amps & Cabs - "Kap'n Kerrang-aroo" BYOC 18W TMB kit amp head; Mojave Coyote head; Fender Hot Rod Deluxe Lacquered Tweed Ltd. Ed.; Allen Sweet Spot kit amp; BYOC Tweed Royal kit amp; Epiphone Valve Jr. combo + mods; Drive 2x12 cab / Celestion G12M Greenback + G12H30; AB Custom Audio 1x12 cab / Celestion Alnico Blue
Pedals/Effects - ZILLIONS, including DVM's Home-built Pedals - See some HERE and HERE, TOO!
DVM's Gear Photos
Visit MY WEBSITE!
Hopeless Noodler
The Boss seems to be a popular choice. I guess I'll start cruising EvilBay and CL for a used one.
Btw, love your new avatar, DVM!
-Sean
Guitars: Lots.
Amphs: More than last year.
Pedals: Many, although I go straight from guitar to amp more often lately.
Addicted to solder....
And it's true! Notables bands I saw in my youth:
Jimi Hendrix Experience (4/19/68, Troy NY)
Led Zeppelin (summer '69, between their 1st & 2nd albums)
Jeff Beck Group w/ Rod Stewart (also summer '69)
Chicago (original lineup including Terry Kath, Peter Cetera and Danny Seraphine; they were still calling themselves C.T.A.)
Santana (original lineup + Neal Schon)
Jefferson Airplane (summer '70)
The Who (summer '70, "Tommy" days)
Frank Zappa & the Mothers ('71, as I recall)
J. Geils Band ('72, well before the "Freeze Frame" & "Centerfold" pop sellout)
The Grateful Dead ('74, twice)
Sly & the Family Stone ('71, they took me higher....)
Allman Bros. Band (Ramblin' Man vintage)
Eric Clapton (a couple years after 461 Ocean Blvd. came out)
....and on & on & on....
DVM's Ever-Expanding Gear List:
Guitars - W-A-A-A-Y-Y too many to list. Check 'em all out HERE
Amps & Cabs - "Kap'n Kerrang-aroo" BYOC 18W TMB kit amp head; Mojave Coyote head; Fender Hot Rod Deluxe Lacquered Tweed Ltd. Ed.; Allen Sweet Spot kit amp; BYOC Tweed Royal kit amp; Epiphone Valve Jr. combo + mods; Drive 2x12 cab / Celestion G12M Greenback + G12H30; AB Custom Audio 1x12 cab / Celestion Alnico Blue
Pedals/Effects - ZILLIONS, including DVM's Home-built Pedals - See some HERE and HERE, TOO!
DVM's Gear Photos
Visit MY WEBSITE!
Regular Fretter
I'll put in a vote for a Rocktron unit, if it's not too late.
I had what is now an old Hush II CX in my rack, and it worked great! My rig was dead quiet when I wasn't playing. There was a Gawd awful noise coming from it when I was playing, but, I assure you, it had nothing to do with the noise gate.
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