question about noise gate pedals

[duhpunk]

okay, i have a few distortion pedals that i use on certain songs, but for the most part, i strongly prefer the distortion channel on my amp. the only problem is the amount of fuzz coming through the amp when i'm not playing, when i have that channel selected. if i were to run a noise gate pedal between my head and cab, would it help the problem at all...or is that just a stupid idea?

[Yontsey]

I've noticed a fair amount of times when you're getting fuzz, it's from the cables. Might be something to look at.

[splitsecond]

okay, i have a few distortion pedals that i use on certain songs, but for the most part, i strongly prefer the distortion channel on my amp. the only problem is the amount of fuzz coming through the amp when i'm not playing, when i have that channel selected. if i were to run a noise gate pedal between my head and cab, would it help the problem at all...or is that just a stupid idea?

You can royally fuck your head doing that. If your head has an effects loop, the noise gate MIGHT be effective there. But yeah make sure you have quality cables all around first, then go from there.

What kind of head is it?

[PerfectChaos337]

If your amp doesnt make thaqt much noice without the pedals on that channel, maybe try running it: Guitar -> pedals -> noise gate -> amp ???

[duhpunk]

The fuzz only occurs when the distortion channel is on. It's a static type of noise. I hear it on tons of amps, so I don't think it's anything abnormal. I'm just looking for a solution to decrease it

it makes no difference whether or not I am using pedals with it

[-Mike-]

definitely do not put anything between your cab and head, speaker cables(which connect your head to your cab) are designed to carry a higher current needed to drive the speakers, and therefore have thicker conductors. A guitar cable that is only designed to carry a low signal current could melt or definitely damage your rig if you placed it, which i assume you would if you were trying to connect a pedal to the back of the rig's signal chain. Like others have said before, check your guitar cables. Guitar cables are shielded, balanced connectors that have a shield to block out RF fq's and other noise, if any part of that is damaged it could cause unwanted noise. A noise gate pedal could help but from what ive seen they're more effective in eliminating noise from other pedals(I have the NS-2 pedal) than actually cleaning up fuzz from the amp's natural gain feedback. Hope that helps and wasnt too wordy!

[duhpunk]

no, that makes perfect sense. was just a random idea. glad i asked now though

[MaydayU]

Just get a Noise Suppressor and have it be the first pedal in your chain. (First after the amp) The Decimator is the best IMO.

[patrickhowell]

Is your amp a tube amp? If so, you might have a bad preamp tube. If that's not it, then I doubt the problem has anything to do with the amp. Chances are that there is something adding noise before the amp, and that the extra gain in the overdrive channel is making it more apparent.

A noise gate pedal will never solve the problem, it will just cover it up. If your guitar or instrument cables are not properly shielded (or grounded), then they will pick up RF frequencies from random things like cell phones, wireless routers, fluorescent lights, etc. Also, poorly wired electrical outlets can add a lot of noise in an amp.

[Jimtendo64]

Have you tried different guitars, because I seem to find some guitars seem to cause more hum through my amp than others.

[ibmx08]

i have a major buzz problem with my fender strat. a person i trust that knows guitars tells me it could be everything said above here, but he also mentioned that it could be the pickups. theres a big difference in noise between single-coil and humbucker pickups. and if your single-coil pickups (if thats what you have) are damaged, or lose or something the noise would be increased even more.

[Jimtendo64]

i have a major buzz problem with my fender strat. a person i trust that knows guitars tells me it could be everything said above here, but he also mentioned that it could be the pickups. theres a big difference in noise between single-coil and humbucker pickups. and if your single-coil pickups (if thats what you have) are damaged, or lose or something the noise would be increased even more.

Yeah pickups play a roll, Humbuckers, well they "buck" the hum, which in therory should decrease the amount of buzz compared to single coils, but if the pickups are damaged they can still buzz quite a bit :/

[x togepi x]

i know this is an old thread but have you considered trying a bbe sonic maximizer?

At any given time I have about 15 pedals on my board and at least five or six of them are fuzz/od/distortion. I get the same noise you're referring to but I've been using a sonic maximizer and it cuts a lot of that shit out.

[patrickhowell]

i know this is an old thread but have you considered trying a bbe sonic maximizer?

At any given time I have about 15 pedals on my board and at least five or six of them are fuzz/od/distortion. I get the same noise you're referring to but I've been using a sonic maximizer and it cuts a lot of that shit out.

But... that's not even what a Sonic Maximizer does...