Noise Gate Questions

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Monsta-Tone

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Hey guys,
I have been looking at the ISP Decimator for a long time.
I know a lot of guys really like it, according to reviews, but I wanted to get real opinions.

I use a DC-3 or DC-5, which are not that noisy, but I use a few FX and a boost or distortion pedal in front of the amp's lead tone for liquid sustain type leads.
Problem is, when we go into some kind of sustained part or end with some delayed guitar part, there is a lot of terrible hiss.

So....here are my questions:
1. What is the best pedal sized noise gate? It has to be small enough to fit on my pedalboard.
2. Is there a noise gate that will not kill my sustain? Think, Flying in a Blue Dream or Europa type sustain.
3. If you were to get the ISP, would you get the G-String or the Decimator?

I am leaning toward the G-String so that I can block out all distortion pedal noise before it even hits the amp.
Years ago, I had a Hush unit that I just couldn't get along with. It always killed my sustain or squashed my tone.
I basically want to be able to forget it's even plugged in and just enjoy the music!

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
Monsta-Tone,

I assume you have the OD or boost (I wouldn't recommend an outright distortion pedal in front of a tube amp) up front of the amp's preamp and the delay in the effects loop where it will provide the delayed echoes to the combined boost/preamp/poweramp signal. There are two types of noise reduction in question. The first is noise from the guitar's electronics and/or the boost. You don't want this noise to be further multiplied and distorted by the amp's preamp and power amp sections, so a noise gate just after the boost and right before the preamp will take care of it.

The other type of noise reduction is the total noise of the entire rig. For instance, when you are playing loud in a live environment, when you mute the strings of your guitar completely, you may want the rig to be as quiet as possible so it's not still buzzing, humming or hissing at your audience when the guitar part is supposed to be quiet. If this is the case, then a noise gate can be put in the effects loop just prior to the delay pedal and it will quiet the whole rig when you're not playing. Don't put it after the delay or it will give a really unnatural cutoff to the delays that can make you sound cheap, fake and distracting.

If only one or the other of these problems is relevant to your situation, then the ISP Decimator will handle it by putting it in whichever location is relevant (either after your boost in front of the preamp or in the loop just prior to the delay). If both are problems, then the G String gives you the ability to handle both simultaneously.
 
Chris McKinley said:
Monsta-Tone,

I assume you have the OD or boost (I wouldn't recommend an outright distortion pedal in front of a tube amp) up front of the amp's preamp and the delay in the effects loop where it will provide the delayed echoes to the combined boost/preamp/poweramp signal. There are two types of noise reduction in question. The first is noise from the guitar's electronics and/or the boost. You don't want this noise to be further multiplied and distorted by the amp's preamp and power amp sections, so a noise gate just after the boost and right before the preamp will take care of it.

The other type of noise reduction is the total noise of the entire rig. For instance, when you are playing loud in a live environment, when you mute the strings of your guitar completely, you may want the rig to be as quiet as possible so it's not still buzzing, humming or hissing at your audience when the guitar part is supposed to be quiet. If this is the case, then a noise gate can be put in the effects loop just prior to the delay pedal and it will quiet the whole rig when you're not playing. Don't put it after the delay or it will give a really unnatural cutoff to the delays that can make you sound cheap, fake and distracting.

If only one or the other of these problems is relevant to your situation, then the ISP Decimator will handle it by putting it in whichever location is relevant (either after your boost in front of the preamp or in the loop just prior to the delay). If both are problems, then the G String gives you the ability to handle both simultaneously.

Thanks Chris!
I didn't think about putting it before the delay, great advice!
As for the distortion pedal.....well.....it sounds freaking phenomenal with the lead channel's gain maxed and the Distortion + gain maxed!
I only use it for liquid lead tones. The amp has enough gain for the rhythm parts.

After looking at what I have spent in cables, pedals, looper/controller, etc. I am not willing to add another $200 for the G-String, although I really think that is what I need.
For the last few months, I have been having that old debate in my head....pedals vs. processor.
I sold my G-Major to get the pedals. The G-Major was too unwieldy and I don't want a rack, amp, pedal board, guitar, cable bag, etc.

Truth is, I am the only guitar player in our band and we cover a lot of territory. Even with a pedal looper, I am stuck only having 1 chorus (phaser, delay, etc.) setting without having way more pedals that I really want to carry around.

I'm really leaning toward selling the pedals and just biting the bullet and getting the G-System. It will do everything I want and way more than I can think of right now. Plus, I can still use my OD/Distortion pedals in front of the amp and control my amp's channels and graphic EQ.
I could go with a Boss or Line 6, but I don't want to. Neither one of those has the functionality of the G-System. Both are easier to program, but I design and program smart homes, I can handle it.

Anyway....
Thanks for the advice. I think I have already talked myself out of getting a noise gate though. It would be the straw that broke the camel's back. I would then be way over what I want to spend on pedals, and my board would officially be too small for everything.
 

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