Gated? What exactly does that mean?

[Jerry J]

It's typically means on-off, open-close or something with several inputs but only one output.

But when referring to a fuzz...well I'm kinda fuzzy. Examples of a gated fuzz would be the Assmaster and the Brown Dog. What would be good examples of a "non-gated" fuzz?

[OriginalCrash]

A vintage fuzz like the Tone Bender or Big Muff would be an example of a non-gated fuzz... When you stop playing a note, all those harmonics are still present and may ring out for a moment. On a gated fuzz, you stop a note, the sound stops immediately.

Brian

P.S. There are plenty here more qualified to answer this, but I though I'd go ahead and give a basic answer to your question.

[Jared Lash]

I wouldn't consider the Assmaster to be gated but the Brown Dog can be. The Mammoth, the Big Cheese (on setting four), the Zoom Ultra Fuzz, Flying Tomato, are a couple others.

My understanding (flawed though it may be) was that it was simply a noise gate set relatively high so that anything after the initial note is choked off.

This "cleans up" a fuzz by limiting the time it rings out. It can also give it a sputtery, synthy sound.

As far as "non-gated" fuzzes, most of them fit into that category.

[Joe Gress]

Yeah I wouldn't consider the assmaster to be gated either. The notes won't sustain forever, ie: big muff, but it's not a sputtery quick blast of fuzz like gated fuzzes are.

[Nikoubis]

The Blowtorch is an example of gated-synthy as well, no?

[Jared Lash]

Originally Posted by Nikoubis

The Blowtorch is an example of gated-synthy as well, no?

Synthy yes. Gated no.

[Nikoubis]

Originally Posted by TheBigO

Synthy yes. Gated no.

OK then. I just lost interest.

[rcubed]

The sensitivity knob on the Brassmaster controls how much signal flows from the pre-amp stage to the modulator driver stage. I could be wrong, but the modulator driver stage is like a partial ring modulator so by changing the sensitivity you control how much of it will ring out when it hits the twin filter drive stage.

[Projectile]

A gate is simply a circuit that doesn't pass a signal that falls below a certain threshold. They can be used for anything from a noise gate that just blocks hiss and noise when you aren't playing, to a sputtery quick blast of an effect that happens when the signal is high enough, and anywhere in between. The transition from 'on' to 'off' can be smooth and enveloped or harsh and sudden. Gates can also be rhythmically triggered by an external voltage source. The particular way in which a gate is implemented, and how to use the term "gated" is up to the particular manufacturer of the effect. It can mean a lot of things. With fuzz pedals it will typically mean that the fuzz cuts out abruptly when your guitar signal falls below a certain perceivable level, usually while a note is still sustaining. This can be useful for sputtery 'broken circuit' type effects among other things.

[Jared Lash]

Originally Posted by Nikoubis

OK then. I just lost interest.

To be fair, even though it isn't gated, the Blowtorch is very controllable. With good right hand technique it can sound somewhat gated, mostly because it is a tight, focused fuzz rather than a big, hairy fuzz.

Of course, I should also point out that while a lot of people seem to really dig it, I hated it. Just not my style.

[Nikoubis]

Originally Posted by TheBigO

To be fair, even though it isn't gated, the Blowtorch is very controllable. With good right hand technique it can sound somewhat gated, mostly because it is a tight, focused fuzz rather than a big, hairy fuzz.

Of course, I should also point out that while a lot of people seem to really dig it, I hated it. Just not my style.

I am currently looking for something other than the muff-like "Wall of Fuzz". Synthy is actually more of a requirement than gated TBH. I might still check it out though.

[kevteop]

Originally Posted by TheBigO

To be fair, even though it isn't gated, the Blowtorch is very controllable. With good right hand technique it can sound somewhat gated, mostly because it is a tight, focused fuzz rather than a big, hairy fuzz.

Of course, I should also point out that while a lot of people seem to really dig it, I hated it. Just not my style.

+1

The Blowtorch is very well-behaved, it doesn't really need a gate. But I didn't like it either. Or rather I couldn't find enough of a use for it, and I prefer a more extreme fuzz.

[jufros]

Anyone have flying tomato sound clips? I've always been curious about this pedal.

[jufros]

Also on the topic of synthy, gated, whatever synth/fuzz bass, anyone think they could take a crack at this bass tone:
http://www.myspace.com/dredg
First song. I'm pretty down.

[sonic assassin]

perhaps on top of keeping the signal pretty clean, a gate makes it sound more like a keyboard-synth with a fast release and no sustain?

i mean, it DOES do that, but i wasnt sure if that was the intent

[icarussmicarus]

Originally Posted by jufros

Also on the topic of synthy, gated, whatever synth/fuzz bass, anyone think they could take a crack at this bass tone:
http://www.myspace.com/dredg
First song. I'm pretty down.

I might be wrong but that octave sounds smells like an OC-2 to me. Sounds like a light fuzz added too. Not that to nail really, but a cool sound! Took em long enough to write this album :P

[jufros]

Truly! I sold my muff because it just wasn't articulate enough, but that is basically what I would like to do as far as synth in concerned. The Brown Dog seems like a decent candidate, but its a little on the pricy side as well. I was wondering if maybe the best solution wouldn't be to use an octave, fuzz, gate, and looper, and put the gate and fuzz in the octave's loop. What do you think?

[mattq]

i'm looking at the devi ever stuff for the more gated extreme fuzzes. particularly the bass fuzz and cherry pop. not over the top like the bit, but still a step further than a muff

[jufros]

The Cherry Pop and the BIT look pretty awesome to me. I want to try running my Micro POG with no clean signal and both octaves into both of those pedals.