So I recently traded for a Gibson Les Paul Faded DC. I'm likeing the P-90 tone, but there's the obvious drawback of the noise when I kick on the distortion (in my case a Radial Tonebone Hot British). I've never used a noisegate for anything so I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions. Thanks.
Noise Gate
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...noise gates are bandaid solutions. its like taking tylenol for chronic headaches - find out what's causing the headaches, and you won't need the tylenol.
as well, noise gates can really mess with your tone and dynamics.
p90s are, apparently, even noisier than traditional single coils.
there are a number of options open to you:
1. use a guitar equipped with humbucking or noiseless single coils for songs where you use a lot of gain.
2. have a guitar tech install professional shielding. this won't get rid of the noise, but it should at least reduce it.
3. install noiseless p90s. the downside is that the noiseless p90s WILL NOT sound as good as your noisy p90s. the only saving grace here is that if you ONLY use the guitar for high gain setting, you won't be able to hear the difference.
4. people like john suhr are working on a system that will defeat single coil hum without affecting your tone. they have a created such a system for strat-style guitars with a trem cavity in the back:
(http://www.suhrguitars.com/pickups.aspx#bpssc)
but as yet not for guitars that don't.
-dh
(also a fan of both p90s AND the tonebone hot british)
as well, noise gates can really mess with your tone and dynamics.
p90s are, apparently, even noisier than traditional single coils.
there are a number of options open to you:
1. use a guitar equipped with humbucking or noiseless single coils for songs where you use a lot of gain.
2. have a guitar tech install professional shielding. this won't get rid of the noise, but it should at least reduce it.
3. install noiseless p90s. the downside is that the noiseless p90s WILL NOT sound as good as your noisy p90s. the only saving grace here is that if you ONLY use the guitar for high gain setting, you won't be able to hear the difference.
4. people like john suhr are working on a system that will defeat single coil hum without affecting your tone. they have a created such a system for strat-style guitars with a trem cavity in the back:
(http://www.suhrguitars.com/pickups.aspx#bpssc)
but as yet not for guitars that don't.
-dh
(also a fan of both p90s AND the tonebone hot british)
I agree with David, find your problem, shielding the guitars will help reduce the noise a bit. For the P90's I have the Wolfetone pups and they are rwrp so most of the time I use the middle for rythm amd switch to bridge or neck for solo's and gain situations... works fine.
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Has anyone seen the bpssc?
It looks like it might me a transducer with a low pass filter that that is wired out of phase with your pickups.
Here is my take on the noise gate:
An analog noise gate will only remove noise below a set threshold, once you go above that threshold (ie play you're guitar) the gate opens and does nothing to defeat the noise. They are only good for shutting off or attenuating the noise (by turning down your signal) when you stop playing.
You can get noise gates with a side chain or trigger input. What that allows you to do is alter the signal that triggers the gate, so you could put an EQ in the side chain and pump up the problem frequencies and turn down the frequencies that you do not want to trigger the gate. The EQ does not directly effect your tone, it just allows you to be more selective with the gate. But again the gate still has either an on or off effect, and as David has noted will not allow you to pass quiter passages as they may fall below the noise floor.
There are more complicated noise gates that can attenuate a selected frequency range, which can turn down the low end of your signal when the gate is engaged, but again you are sacrificing your tone and dynamic range.
Generally speaking (ie wierd effects aside) gates, like compressors should be used in a manner that has the least effect on the signal that you want to pass and only process the part of the signal that is causing issues. Dynamic processing can quite easily be over done and it generally requires periodic attention and is all about compromise.
It looks like it might me a transducer with a low pass filter that that is wired out of phase with your pickups.
Here is my take on the noise gate:
An analog noise gate will only remove noise below a set threshold, once you go above that threshold (ie play you're guitar) the gate opens and does nothing to defeat the noise. They are only good for shutting off or attenuating the noise (by turning down your signal) when you stop playing.
You can get noise gates with a side chain or trigger input. What that allows you to do is alter the signal that triggers the gate, so you could put an EQ in the side chain and pump up the problem frequencies and turn down the frequencies that you do not want to trigger the gate. The EQ does not directly effect your tone, it just allows you to be more selective with the gate. But again the gate still has either an on or off effect, and as David has noted will not allow you to pass quiter passages as they may fall below the noise floor.
There are more complicated noise gates that can attenuate a selected frequency range, which can turn down the low end of your signal when the gate is engaged, but again you are sacrificing your tone and dynamic range.
Generally speaking (ie wierd effects aside) gates, like compressors should be used in a manner that has the least effect on the signal that you want to pass and only process the part of the signal that is causing issues. Dynamic processing can quite easily be over done and it generally requires periodic attention and is all about compromise.
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I have used a Rockman Smart Gate for many years on select applications and it works great. Granted, I agree with what everyone is saying in terms of reducing any kind of noise source first.
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The isp decimator is a pretty popular noise gate . It comes in both pedal and rackmount , and it does its job well , unless you have really a lot of noise .
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+1, I really like mine as well, seems to have a pretty good buffer inside, I can't hear any coloration of the original signal, with the Boss NS-2 there was a slight difference.davetcan said:
But, like with any noise gate, if you set it too high, it will cut off sustain on clean notes. Just the nature of the beast I guess.
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