
The potential sources of noise are both maddening and manyālying in wait along every step of the signal chain, and beyond.
In the real world, noise happens.
After being a player, tech, and āindustry observer" for 30 years, one of the things I've come to grips with is the cyclical nature of trends. Shredding is in, then very much out, then back in but with an ironic smirk, then out again in purported service of the song or ideals of good taste, then back in again. The same back and forth could be said for big amps, skinny jeans, floating tremolos, offset guitars, dotted eighth-note delays, and a host of other aesthetic and sonic considerations.
Lately the trend on the upswing is concern about noise. With all those Jazzmasters and fuzz pedals on social media gear pages, I thought this was on the downslope, but the most prominent worry or concern we hear from customers is noise. Is this pedal supposed to be this noisy? Am I using this incorrectly? Why is this noisy with my rig?
For a designer and builder, noise is a curious thing. I can breadboard things to the ends of the Earth and it will be quiet. We can test it with every guitar we can acquire through every amp we can find. We get prototypes completed, tweak some values because of the differences in shielding and parts placement on a PCB, and then we get a final version.
We run it into every amp we have, give it the go-ahead, and begin spending money we hope to recoup. Then we release it, somebody calls and tells me it's kind of hissy through their specific amp, and lo and behold, it isāeven with everything else accounted for. I then find another amp just like what the user has, try our pedal thereāand it is noisy. Hmmm. Then I find another like that, and it's quiet.
It's enough to make designers want to pull their hair out and/or light themselves on fire. Like most men of my age, I just grit my teeth, bury my emotions, and probably eat or drink more than I should and give myself an ulcer. Anyone else?
We follow the RFI/EMI noise reduction practices I have in my notes and textbooks. Sometimes certain discrete components or integrated circuit designs are kinda noisy. So are my record player and my '70s hi-fi. But I think they all can sound terrific. At some point, some things are beyond my control. The amps people play, the wiring in their homes, their proximity to a weird dimmer or gospel radio station, their ability to assemble a DIY patch cable, the authentic single-coils in their guitars, the vintage blackface Fender amp or Vox top-boost with a two-prong power cable ... there's only so much you can work around. We make something we think sounds really beautiful and fun and imperfect, and hopefully inspiring and great. We hustle to make it a good pedalboard citizen, and then, we kind of have to live with it. We do a lot more to fight noise than most pedals I've opened up and studied, and I've seen a lot. I'm always game to do more, but if endlessly chasing that dragon means we never get around to releasing something that we're excited about, that's just no fun for anyone.
I also wonder whenever there is a stacked single-coil pickup or a noise gate that really ājust" eliminates noiseācould it really be doing nothing but that? Something else had to be changed in that design or signal path for it to work. Is that change positive? Does that single-coil hum that comes from my Strat when I'm running into a drive somehow make me feel like everything is a bit more ... alive? Am I the only one who feels that? I also once had a very expensive tube amp steadily increase hum to where it just broadcast a loud ground hum that eventually overpowered whatever I was playing into it. As it happened, I wanted to fill it with dog poop and light it on fire and leave it on the manufacturer's doorstep. So does this make me a hypocrite, a flip-flopper, or just a guy like most of us who have drawn a line in the sand that works for them?
Someone once told me: āNobody ever returned an album or demanded a refund because of single-coil hum." While that sounds dismissive of what can be a genuine concern, I hope you consider that idea as a player or user. Most pedals are audio amplifiers to some degree, and whatever you feed themāgood, noisy, or badāwill be altered by some order of magnitude. Find your acceptable threshold and learn to work around it. Some venues or studios will simply remove guitars, pedals, or amps you've been dead set on using. In the end, what matters is the performance.
Create, layer, and jam with the BOSS RC-1 Loop Station and BIC cable! Enter the I Love Pedals giveaway now and come back daily to increase your odds!
Boss RC-1 Loop Station Looper Pedal
The RC-1 Loop Station is the most intuitive looper pedal from BOSS. Its compact layout provides all the essential functionsārecord, playback, overdub, and undo/redoāencouraging instant creativity right out of the box.
The BIC 10-A cable from BOSS delivers uncompromising performance that faithfully transfers every nuance of tone and adds a vibrant touch with color options inspired by the brand's most iconic compact pedals.
In our third installment with Santa Cruz Guitar Company founder Richard Hoover, the master luthier shows PG's John Bohlinger how his team of builders assemble and construct guitars like a chef preparing food pairings. Hoover explains that the finer details like binding, headstock size and shape, internal bracing, and adhesives are critical players in shaping an instrument's sound. Finally, Richard explains how SCGC uses every inch of wood for making acoustic guitars or outside ventures like surfboards and art.
Featuring torrefied solid Sitka Spruce tops, mahogany neck, back, and sides, and Fishman Presys VT EQ System, these guitars are designed to deliver quality tone and playability at an affordable price point.
Cort Guitars, acclaimed for creating instruments that exceed in value and quality, introduces the Essence Series. This stunning set of acoustic guitars is designed for musicians looking for the quintessential classic acoustic guitar with fabulous tone all at an exceptional price point. The Essence Series features two distinct body shapes: The Grand Auditorium and the OM Cutaway. Whatever the flavor, the Essence Series has the style to suit.
The Essence-GA-4 is the perfect Grand Auditorium acoustic. Wider than a dreadnought, the Essence-GA-4 features a deep body with a narrower waist and a width of 1 Ā¾ā (45mm) at the nut. The result is an instrument that is ideal for any number of playing styles: Pickingā¦ strummingā¦ the Essence GA-4 is completely up for the task.
The Essence-OM-4 features a shallower body creating a closer connection to the player allowing for ease of use on stage. With its 1 11/16āth (43mm) nut width, this Orchestra Model is great for fingerpickers or singer/guitarists looking for better body contact for an overall better playing experience.
Both acoustics are topped with a torrefied solid Sitka Spruce top using Cortās ATV process. The ATV process or āAged to Vintageā, āagesā the Spruce top to give it the big and open tone of older, highly-sought-after acoustics. To further enhance those vintage tones, the tops bracing is also made of torrefied spruce. The mahogany neck, back, and sides create a warm, robust midrange and bright highs. A rosewood fingerboard and bridge add for a more balanced sound and sustain. The result is amazing tone at first strum. 18:1 Vintage Open Gear Tuners on the mahogany headstock offer precise tuning with vintage styling. The herringbone rosette & purfling accentuates the aesthetics of these instruments adding to their appeal. Both acoustics come in two choices of finish. Natural Semi-Gloss allows the Sitka spruceās natural beauty to shine through and classic Black Top Semi-Gloss.
A FishmanĀ® Presys VT EQ System is installed inside the body versus other systems that cut into the body to be installed. This means the instrument keeps its natural resonance and acoustic flair. The Presys VT EQ System keeps it simple with only Volume and Tone controls resulting in a true, crisp acoustic sound. Lastly, ElixirĀ® Nanoweb Phosphor Bronze Light .012-.053 Acoustic Strings round out these acoustics. This Number 1 acoustic guitar string delivers consistent performance and extended tone life with phosphor bronze sparkle and warmth. The Essence Series takes all these elements, combines them, and exceeds in playability, looks, and affordability.
Street Price: $449.00
For more information, please visit cortguitars.com.
Cort Essence-GA4 Demo - YouTube
Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.Moth Electric's C. regalis overdrive pedal offers massive boost, natural overdrive, and searing distortion for guitar and bass. With active treble and bass controls, clean blend, Smooth/Crunch modes, and true-bypass switching, this USA-made pedal is a versatile addition to any pedalboard.
Adding a new model to their line of overdrives, Moth Electric has released the C. regalis. Equally suited for guitar and bass, the meticulously designed C.regalis is capable of massive boost, natural, singing overdrive, and searing mid-gain distortion. Its six op-amps power a dynamic, crunchy overdrive circuit with a suite of features including:
- Active treble and bass controls that allow for +/- 15db boost and cut. Perfect for tailoring the C. regalis to your instrument and amp.
- A powerful clean blend for introducing either your ampās natural character or another effect into the equation. Allows the C. regalis to become a more transparent overdrive.
- Smooth/Crunch modes, provide a subtle change in feel with āSmoothā increasing sustain and āCrunchā introducing high-order harmonics for additional texture.
The C. regalis offers the following features:
- Bass, Treble, Blend, Volume, Drive controls
- Smooth/Crunch modesā More volume than youāll ever need
- True-bypass switching, top-mounted jacks for easy placement on crowded pedalboards
- 9-volt DC operation with external power supply ā no battery compartment
- Designed and hand-built in the USA using through-hole components
The C. regalis carries a $179.99 price and is available for purchase at mothelectric.com.
For more information, please visit mothelectric.com.