# Is it necessary to use noise gates for high-gain amps?



## jin (Sep 14, 2011)

As the title says how come some people use noise gates and others dont?? When would you need the noise gate? I have seen quite a few videos on youtube for high-gain amps demos and for some of them i dont see any noise gates but their playing is very clean without any fizz noises .


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## Stealthdjentstic (Sep 14, 2011)

Noise gates get rid of feedback. Not buzz notes. I believe they are 110% neccessary if you intend on playing at a decent volume.


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## Alekke (Sep 14, 2011)

if you use a lot of gain it will squeal on higher volumes. for example, in live situations.

other than that it is a matter of personal preference, like someone uses boost and some dont


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## black_anther (Sep 14, 2011)

Definitely worth it, my new amp has a built in noise gate and its so useful, just cuts out exactly when you need it to- no unwanted feedback, keeps your sound nice and tidy.


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## Harry (Sep 14, 2011)

If you're playing live, yes. In the studio, less likely as you want to keep things simple as possible


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## petereanima (Sep 14, 2011)

jin said:


> As the title says how come some people use noise gates and others dont?? When would you need the noise gate? I have seen quite a few videos on youtube for high-gain amps demos and for some of them i dont see any noise gates but their playing is very clean without any fizz noises .



Most demo-videos are recorded with bedroom volume. An amp which would need a Noisegate already at the lowest of volumes would be a designfail.

But stage-volumes are a completely different story.


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## Rook (Sep 14, 2011)

I don't believe so, but it depends on the situation.

If you get insane amounts of feedback, before buying a noise gate I'd be looking for a reason why the amp's feeding back so much. I have fairly extensive experience with a wide range of very high gain amps, Peavey 6505/+, JSX, ENGL Powerball, Invader, SE, Diezels, Mesas, Blackstar, Hughes And Kettner, and none of them have ever just mindlessly and relentlessly fed back unless you're using a hollow guitar or the gain completely dimed which is daft anyway. 95% of decent amps won't feed back under usual (even very high gain) use.

If it's because your amp makes hissing or humming noises when you stop playing like pretty much all Peaveys do (copiously I might add), all your noise gate is point is stopping that and when you're playing a gig most people won't notice that hiss when you stop playing because of the whole atmosphere and other things making noise.

However, that being said, noise gates are good for getting very clean cut 'stop-start' effects with chuggy riffs, and for if you have o play in very small confined spaces where you can't really get away from your amp. I find that keeping feedback and noise down in between songs is better done with a tuner pedal, just mute the thing.

The was 'is it necessary', my answer is no, far from, but is it a bad idea? Probably not


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## jin (Sep 14, 2011)

k thx for the replies


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## 7 Dying Trees (Sep 14, 2011)

If you are retardedly quick with the volume knob then you can just about get away with not having a noise gate, however, anything at stage volume is a pain so to be honest a good noise gate is really a staple part of a good rig to avoid squeals and to sound night and tight if you do syncopated stuff.

I'd highly recommend the ISP ProrackG, honestly, wipes the floor with everything else i've tried, i can't live without it now.


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## BrianUV777BK (Sep 14, 2011)

Pretty much agreeing with everyone else here. I use an ISP Decimator with my Tripkle Rec and it's invaluable.


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## Floppystrings (Sep 14, 2011)

The ISP Decimator is a fantastic pedal.

It will makes things silent between notes, like the amp is on standby.

It doesn't seem to do anything for feedback though, I think that has more to do with gain, presence and treble settings.


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## vanhendrix (Sep 14, 2011)

I'm not a big fan of noise gates, as the nutjob in me doesn't want some _machine_ to be able to decide when my guitar can be heard or not, but they are often necessary. 

When I got my engl, the first thing I did was decide that I needed an awesome noisegate - in comes the decimator G. For reasons stated above (and for not being able to set the clamp speed) I got rid of it after maybe 1 or 2 shows. Out goes the decimator G.

Since then, I've made it my mission to stop noise at the source, instead of letting mr. Robotron sort it out. I foamed my Floyd springs, underneath and around pickups, and also behind the nut. I then upgraded all my cables, backed off my gain a little bit and finally got a goddamn power conditioner. I now use my amp's built in noise gate to simply chop out the noise floor for when I'm not playing, which is hardly any gating at all. Easy peasy


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## Inazone (Sep 14, 2011)

I use a Boss ME-50 in my Peavey XXL's effects loop, with the noise gate set to kill preamp noise. As far as actual feedback, well, I'm very quick with my guitar volume knob and have the ME-50 expression set to act as a volume pedal in the event of feedback, but I really don't have many issues with that. Our other guitarist, on the other hand, runs a Boss NS-2 in front of his amp because he somehow manages to have feedback issues.


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## chronocide (Sep 14, 2011)

Necessary? No. Sometimes they may well help at high volumes. Sometimes they will be detrimental, depending on the type of music and playing.


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## Grand Moff Tim (Sep 14, 2011)

I _like_ fuzz and feeback .


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## Pedrojoca (Sep 14, 2011)

vanhendrix said:


> I'm not a big fan of noise gates, as the nutjob in me doesn't want some _machine_ to be able to decide when my guitar can be heard or not, but they are often necessary.
> 
> When I got my engl, the first thing I did was decide that I needed an awesome noisegate - in comes the decimator G. For reasons stated above (and for not being able to set the clamp speed) I got rid of it after maybe 1 or 2 shows. Out goes the decimator G.
> 
> Since then, I've made it my mission to stop noise at the source, instead of letting mr. Robotron sort it out. I foamed my Floyd springs, underneath and around pickups, and also behind the nut. I then upgraded all my cables, backed off my gain a little bit and finally got a goddamn power conditioner. I now use my amp's built in noise gate to simply chop out the noise floor for when I'm not playing, which is hardly any gating at all. Easy peasy



I actually think the noise gate on the Powerball is really damn nice, accurate and fast... 

EDIT: whooops... PB II here


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## wlfers (Sep 14, 2011)

The combination of a decimator pedal and engl's onboard noise gate will give you the most glorious and instant silence provided your power amp has no hum =D. For me at least, the SE's onboard gate wasn't sensitive or fast enough but shuts down preamp noise.


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## vanhendrix (Sep 14, 2011)

Pedrojoca said:


> I actually think the noise gate on the Powerball is really damn nice, accurate and fast...
> 
> EDIT: whooops... PB II here



We actually have the same gate. Remember, there were two versions of the powerball 1. Since I have the mk 2, that could explain why the CTFD mod worked for both of our amps.


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## Double A (Sep 14, 2011)

To the OP: No, a noise gate is not necessary to run a high gain amp. That said, I run a Decimator out front and a Decimator G-String in the loop of my 6505+ and it is as tight as a clenched anoos.


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## Dead Undead (Sep 15, 2011)

Grand Moff Tim said:


> I _like_ fuzz and feedback .



Glad I'm not the only one. 
Really depends on what you're playing and your personal taste. If you're playing tighter shit then you'll probably want one. If you're playing sludgy, doomy stuff, then it's exactly what you don't want.
ISP makes some of the best, IMO.
ISP Technologies Decimator ProRack G Noise Reduction System: Shop Guitars & Other Musical Instruments | Musician&#39;s Friend


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## col (Sep 15, 2011)

With decent pickups, cables and amps settings there's no need for a noise gate. If you need one, you're probably using too much gain. I play death metal btw.


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## Albionic (Sep 15, 2011)

i played in a death metal band for years without one so no its not essential.But now i have one i always use it


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## Pedrojoca (Sep 15, 2011)

vanhendrix said:


> We actually have the same gate. Remember, there were two versions of the powerball 1. Since I have the mk 2, that could explain why the CTFD mod worked for both of our amps.



i think it worked on both amps because the preamp section didn't change. i can't quite remember the differences between the Powerball Mk II and Powerball II but the gate is one of them, mine is tight as hell


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## Sephael (Sep 15, 2011)

not so much a high gain use, but I'm now a devoted user of a noise gate when I play through headphones.


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## TomParenteau (Sep 15, 2011)

I've used noise gates and a Rocktron "noise suppression system." The Rocktron robbed tone, and the gates would chop off when I turned down for cleans. I stopped using them long ago, insane live volumes or not. Just gotta be quick on the guitar's volume knob. Most guys are using them with good results, though.


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## markgov (Sep 15, 2011)

Get a gate if you play at high vOlumes, the only exception I've seen was this one guitarist who used the feedback to his advantage but after a while it just got annoying


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## jam3v (Sep 15, 2011)

Depends, on the amp, settings, pedals, room you're playing in, volume, pickups, etc...

When I used to play a boosted Recto with treble and gain cranked using a guitar with EMG's I absolutely HAD to use a noise gate.

Now I play an unboosted Mark V with a JPX and I've never had to use a gate, even at live volumes / rehearsal volumes.

If you hear feedback, get a gate. That simple


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## rug (Sep 15, 2011)

Turn the gain down and you'll likely not need it. I have an Engl Powerball with the gain anywhere between 9 and 12 using BKP Warpigs and have never needed it. However, my singer has a JCM 800 and needs a gate, otherwise he feeds back like a motherfucker. So I guess I'll just echo what everyone else is saying and say "it depends".


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## Pedrojoca (Sep 15, 2011)

rug said:


> Turn the gain down and you'll likely not need it. I have an Engl Powerball with the gain anywhere between 9 and 12 using BKP Warpigs and have never needed it. However, my singer has a JCM 800 and needs a gate, otherwise he feeds back like a motherfucker. So I guess I'll just echo what everyone else is saying and say "it depends".



OFF TOPIC: You have a powerball? You should this: http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/gear-equipment/154355-engl-powerball-tubing-mods-thread.html (the whole thing)
thank me later


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## rug (Sep 18, 2011)

I'll check it out, but I've always been extremely happy with how my Powerball sounds. I put some JJs in it and haven't thought twice about it. 

I will check it out though...thanks dude!


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