Auto volume???

[Twitch]

Does anyone know if there is a product out there that will automatically attenuate the output signal from a guitar before it goes into the amp, sort of like a gate, but not totally killing the signal?

Im using a gate in the loop of my fireball right now, but in order to kill the signal in the lead channel, the gate has to be set pretty high which is waaay to high for the clean, it cuts it out prematurely. With the gate in front of the amp, it sounds un-natural when opening the gate but is useful at the the same setting for clean and lead.

Ive noticed that I can roll back the volume on my guitar and eliminate the feedback, but loose a little saturation. Being that this amps gain knob is usable from 0 to 10, Id really not like to have the volume attenuated at the guitar while Im playing, but only while stopped. I can do this manually with the pot, but for quick attacks between playing and stops, its rather impractical having to reach for the knob before and after a chord or note.

An auto volume attenuation would be the perfect solution here, but Im not aware of one that exists.

[Desensitized_J]

Can't you just use a volume pedal?

[Twitch]

Can't you just use a volume pedal?

Im considering it if, 1. an auto volume isnt available, and 2. It wont fuck with my tone, thats another problem this gate Im using has, it muddies up my tone a little, not much, but enough where I can tell a difference.

[Twitch]

Hmmm, just swapped the power tubes. Upon inspection of the OEM tubes, I found browning of the glass and mica around the top of the bottle. Threw in some new Mesas I had laying around, and now most of the feedback is gone. Still a little, but if I change the angle at which the guitar is in relation to the amp, I can kill it unlike before. Practice is in an hour, well see.

[Hellbat]

ISP Decimator G-string. Gates the front end and the loop based off of the signal coming from the guitar, so it isn't really affected by the signal level going through the loop.

[Twitch]

Yup, back from practice, going to need a gate or volume pedal.

[Hellbat]

http://www.isptechnologies.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=45&Itemid=99

Or go with the pro rack G if you would prefer a rack based solution. I use the regular Decimator right after my guitar (technically after my tuner) and it's perfect there because you just twist the one knob until all the background noise is gone. It also has no discernible effect on my tone.

The G versions gate the loop as well. My only wish is for them to make a version with hum/hiss filtering as well.

[Trem]

Twitch,
I'll simply say, shield your guitar (with the copper tape) and make sure everything is grounded and soldered well.
I had a pro rack G for my Ultra Plus, great unit, does what it does well.
After i shielded my guitar, i sold it.

You may still need something for the loop on a high gain amp to quiet the preamp at high volumes, but you can get by just fine with a cheap hush or gate or whatever if you need. I had one already so it was a bunch of cash back with better results.
I say better because the noise reduction unit (the pro rack) has to constantly be working on your input signal and preamp signal. It's pretty good as i said, but not better than being able to have a natural input signal with no noise vs a somewhat gated choppy choked input signal (even if it's just a little). As i'm sure we'd all rather just plug in and have nothing in the way of our glorious wide open tone.

All i'm saying is if i had shielded my guitar successfully and right the way i did before i plunked down the cash for the pro rack, i wouldn't have bought one.
It's worth it to try it first to me. Anyway, that's the way it went down for me.
People that use pedals and such may have different results, i never really did use any effects pedals so.

[Twitch]

So, line all the cavities and solder them to the rest of the grounds??

[Nightbat]

Nah, just using the anchoring screw with the ground is (usually) enough

[Endrik]

Gate and an expression pedal to control the gate's threshold level.

[jgcable]

MXR makes a unit called a Smart Gate that auto adjusts.

[Twitch]

MXR makes a unit called a Smart Gate that auto adjusts.

Definitely considering the MXR Smartgate and the G String, Ill probably go with the smart gate as its a little cheaper and smaller.