General Gear and Tab Season IV: Can it play barre chords?

[nerd herd]

So I've got a question regarding Whammy: Should I get the IV, V or DT?

 

I don't think I'll use drop tuning much, so I'm more leaning towards IV or V. How different are these two?

 

They're not massively different, but the IV is a bit glitchy, so if you play chords it can sound pretty dodgy. The V is polyphonic so it's much better for playing more than one note at once, and it has a switch that lets you get all glitchy like the IV. I wish the DT had that switch as well so I wouldn't need to get the old whammy out to play My Iron Lung properly.

 

With the DT, the drop tuning is pretty handy, for stuff like having an octave down harmoniser on, and being able to use the whammy at the same time. Or hearing what something sounds like in a different tuning.

[Flump]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsDgUpD58UM

 

what is that effect at the beginning? doesn't even sound like the usual harmonizer (listen to when he hits the strings before the bass starts)

 

It's a harmonizer/pitch shifter. It's just freaking/glitching out because when he barely touches the string the signal level is too low and its struggling to harmonize with it.

[james90]

It's a harmonizer/pitch shifter. It's just freaking/glitching out because when he barely touches the string the signal level is too low and its struggling to harmonize with it.

 

Yeah that makes sense. Doesn't really sound unusual during the actual song.

 

So I've got a question regarding Whammy: Should I get the IV, V or DT?

 

I don't think I'll use drop tuning much, so I'm more leaning towards IV or V. How different are these two?

 

the 5. You can still jack white with the 5 in classic mode, so there isn't really a reason to get the 4 instead

 

Unless you have an MB-1 or similar.

[james90]

biffy clyro announced a north american tour They're coming to NY too. I hope Simon Niel brings his mettle zone

[Cider]

They're not massively different, but the IV is a bit glitchy, so if you play chords it can sound pretty dodgy. The V is polyphonic so it's much better for playing more than one note at once, and it has a switch that lets you get all glitchy like the IV. I wish the DT had that switch as well so I wouldn't need to get the old whammy out to play My Iron Lung properly.

 

With the DT, the drop tuning is pretty handy, for stuff like having an octave down harmoniser on, and being able to use the whammy at the same time. Or hearing what something sounds like in a different tuning.

 

the 5. You can still jack white with the 5 in classic mode, so there isn't really a reason to get the 4 instead

 

Gotcha. So between the DT and V, which is more practical for Muse stuff? I think drop tuning could be useful (not sure what octave down harmoniser is but it sounds fun :3) or do I want the glitchy stuff more?

[heyjackk]

Gotcha. So between the DT and V, which is more practical for Muse stuff? I think drop tuning could be useful (not sure what octave down harmoniser is but it sounds fun :3) or do I want the glitchy stuff more?

 

I have a DT and don't use the DT side of it for more than like 2 songs.

[james90]

You can play unsustainable with the DT.

 

 

 

Also, has anyone got experience with putting any type of plating on brass? I'm guessing it's possible, as the bridge I have is chrome over brass... I just need black saddles, and they don't sell replacements in anything but raw.

[Jaicen]

You need black brass, or would string savers work?

[james90]

Is there a way to turn the existing raw saddles into that? And nope, they don't make them in the right size.

[Jaicen]

You can nickel plate brass directly, even using a home plating kit. So you could conceivably plate your existing saddles in black nickel, which is sort of Matt Black.

[Cider]

I have a DT and don't use the DT side of it for more than like 2 songs.

 

You can play unsustainable with the DT.

 

Haha, thanks guys. I'll just get the V then. Alright, only need a phaser and compressor now. Where does a compressor go in a pedal chain?

[haze015]

Haha, thanks guys. I'll just get the V then. Alright, only need a phaser and compressor now. Where does a compressor go in a pedal chain?

 

If you have to ask, then why are you getting a compressor?

[Bs]

I have a DT and don't use the DT side of it for more than like 2 songs.

 

I probably use the DT side more than the Whammy side!

 

It's pretty useful when I can't be bothered to tune 6-7 strings down a semi-tone/tone for just one song or something, and it still sounds really good. It's actually much clearer than the Whammy side, if you compare them, so if I want an octave shift without the flexibility of the Whammy pedal, the DT side is much better in terms of sound quality too.

[Cider]

If you have to ask, then why are you getting a compressor?

 

Because I know what a compressor is supposed to do, but I don't know where it should be in a pedal chain.

[haze015]

Because I know what a compressor is supposed to do, but I don't know where it should be in a pedal chain.

 

It has no specific place in the chain, it goes where you need it to do what it does. So if you're not sure where you're putting it in your chain, then its worth asking what are you buying one for exactly?

[eh-D]

Because I know what a compressor is supposed to do, but I don't know where it should be in a pedal chain.

 

Start with it first, if you have a wah-wah or a fuzz that like the fuzz factory then run it after those. I run it as early as I can. The two knob Keeley has been in my chain since before I realized MB had one. I think the compressor is such an underrated part of peoples rigs.

 

My Fuzzhead loves having the comp into it as a boost on the other hand so you can play with it to taste.

[nerd herd]

I think drop tuning could be useful (not sure what octave down harmoniser is but it sounds fun :3) or do I want the glitchy stuff more?

 

It's just a harmony one octave lower than what's being played. The thing an oc-3 does perfectly.

 

I probably use the DT side more than the Whammy side!

 

It's pretty useful when I can't be bothered to tune 6-7 strings down a semi-tone/tone for just one song or something, and it still sounds really good. It's actually much clearer than the Whammy side, if you compare them, so if I want an octave shift without the flexibility of the Whammy pedal, the DT side is much better in terms of sound quality too.

 

Yeah, it's great for being too lazy to change tuning properly. Plus the momentary switch is perfect for the tapping part in Reapers hammer ons etc.

[james90]

Start with it first, if you have a wah-wah or a fuzz that like the fuzz factory then run it after those. I run it as early as I can. The two knob Keeley has been in my chain since before I realized MB had one. I think the compressor is such an underrated part of peoples rigs.

 

My Fuzzhead loves having the comp into it as a boost on the other hand so you can play with it to taste.

 

yeah that. pretty much

 

You can nickel plate brass directly, even using a home plating kit. So you could conceivably plate your existing saddles in black nickel, which is sort of Matt Black.

 

I'll see what I can come up with. It's just a minor detail for this "build" - the bridge itself is much more important, which is why I haven't gone for the standard hardtail that can accept string saver saddles. This one has some extra narrow ones

 

It's just a harmony one octave lower than what's being played. The thing an oc-3 does perfectly.

 

I didn't know the OC-3 actually did anything at all.

[matthijs]

If you have to ask, then why are you getting a compressor?

 

If you think you know how to communicate, but come across as a snob everywhere, why do you post?

[haze015]

If you think you know how to communicate, but come across as a snob everywhere, why do you post?

 

Nothing 'snobbish' about it. I use compression every day and its a legit point, if you ask to where to use it, probably best to not use it.

[Cider]

Start with it first, if you have a wah-wah or a fuzz that like the fuzz factory then run it after those. I run it as early as I can. The two knob Keeley has been in my chain since before I realized MB had one. I think the compressor is such an underrated part of peoples rigs.

 

My Fuzzhead loves having the comp into it as a boost on the other hand so you can play with it to taste.

 

Thanks for the explanation! Which version of the Fuzzhead do you have? I've been watching some stuff about it and it sounds pretty cool

 

It's just a harmony one octave lower than what's being played. The thing an oc-3 does perfectly.

 

Gotcha. Hm, decisions decisions

[eh-D]

It's a red one, dated 2010 inside.

[james90]

Jaicen

 

That parts build I'm doing next will have two humbuckers, a 3 way switch (tele style) and two volumes (one for each pickup) but I can't find much information on how to wire it.

 

Closest was this, but it has an added tone control

 

http://www.guitarelectronics.com/product/WD2HH3L21_00/Guitar-Wiring-Diagam-w-2-Humbuckers3-Way-Lever-Switch2-Volumes1-Tone.html

 

Do I just omit the tone control from the connection between the switch and the output jack? In other words, just wire the output of the switch directly to the output jack tip

[Jaicen]

That's how I'd do it.

[haze015]

Thanks for the explanation! Which version of the Fuzzhead do you have? I've been watching some stuff about it and it sounds pretty cool

 

You don't need to have it as early as possible, could use it last if you're looking to keep an unruly pedalboard under control for example, like after distortion if you're using different pedals and its bit of a pain to match them in volume or just after any pedals that boost/lower volume (Phase90 & Small Stones for example).

Using it first is useful if you're changing guitars during sets or just want to improve a guitar sound a bit before effects. Though this will cause issues with a Fuzz Factory, which really does need to be first. Putting it after might limit how far you can push the comp, which might not be a problem, but worth being aware of.

 

Having it before fuzz/distortion is cool though as it can offer something something a bit different to boost/overdrive pedals.

 

With bass I use compression in parallel with distortion, although worth trying it before (I tend to find it gets too noisy, so stick with the parallel thing).

 

Can also be cool on the wet signal on old analogue delays to get more repeats without oscillation.

 

Some comps do alter the tone, like the MXR Dyna Comp, which limits you to where it works best. Just need to be clear about what it is you want a compressor to do as they can be used anywhere and no reason not to have more than one either.

Edited January 12, 2017 by haze015