Sansamp GT2 noise

[emjazz]

I just got a used GT2 and tried to use it at a gig. The thing had crazy amounts of noise on the gig. When it was turned off the noise was gone. Anyone else have this issue? Is there a way to alleviate it? Thanks.

[JanusZarate]

Less gain or less volume or less treble will all equal less noise.

The only way to alleviate it other than the above options would be with a noise suppressor/gate, but if your bass is naturally noisy, there are things you can do to reduce that, too - better pickups, shielding, etc.

[pickles]

Those boxes suck tone when bypassed, so put it in a bypass loop when it is off. I've been doing a lot of A/Bing of distortions and the GT2 is becoming a favorite quickly ... especially when blended with the clean signal.

[emjazz]

Originally Posted by MysticBoo

Less gain or less volume or less treble will all equal less noise.

The only way to alleviate it other than the above options would be with a noise suppressor/gate, but if your bass is naturally noisy, there are things you can do to reduce that, too - better pickups, shielding, etc.

It's not my bass....there's no noise when the GT2 is off.

...as for less gain, volume or treble....that defeats the tone that I'm looking for from the box.

[emjazz]

Originally Posted by pickles

Those boxes suck tone when bypassed, so put it in a bypass loop when it is off. I've been doing a lot of A/Bing of distortions and the GT2 is becoming a favorite quickly ... especially when blended with the clean signal.

I think it's a great sounding box....I've got it through a true bypass box (analogman) right now. It's just when I switched it on the noise was very obvious. I'll take it to a tech genius that I know to see what he can do. I would eventually like to get a bypass box with a channel that blends my original signal in. I think that would give me what I'm looking for for sure.

[JanusZarate]

Originally Posted by emjazz

It's not my bass....there's no noise when the GT2 is off.

I figured as much, but thought I'd throw it out there in case your pickups hum.

Reducing the noise beyond what I suggested would require modifying the circuit. It's just not a "quiet" pedal when cranked, IME.

[emjazz]

Originally Posted by MysticBoo

Reducing the noise beyond what I suggested would require modifying the circuit. It's just not a "quiet" pedal when cranked, IME.

Yeah, that's what I thought. I'll get it checked out to see if I can have some of the noise alleviated.

[emjazz]

Any other suggestions as to a great overdrive pedal that can get a similar sound without the noise? Don't say a Blueberry overdrive...too hard to find and very expensive.

[JanusZarate]

Dude, I've never even used a Blueberry.

Hmm... a similar sound to the GT2, minus the noise? I'd look into the GK Diesel Dawg, ProCo Turbo RAT and RAT II - those are the ones that come to mind that are closer than most other overdrive/distortion pedals would be. Basically... hunt for pedals that can achieve defined, heavy, metal-style grit.

[emjazz]

Originally Posted by MysticBoo

Dude, I've never even used a Blueberry.

Hmm... a similar sound to the GT2, minus the noise? I'd look into the GK Diesel Dawg, ProCo Turbo RAT and RAT II - those are the ones that come to mind that are closer than most other overdrive/distortion pedals would be. Basically... hunt for pedals that can achieve defined, heavy, metal-style grit.

Yeah, I'm trying not to even try a Blueberry...I don't want to know...

I'm really looking for something that can do a good similated overdriven SVT.

[JanusZarate]

Originally Posted by emjazz

I'm really looking for something that can do a good similated overdriven SVT.

The GT2 doesn't do that. Its cousin - the BDDI - does.

Heck, none of the pedals I mentioned above are meant for that.

And "overdriven SVT" means a lot of things. What do you mean, exactly?

I've heard bassists coax all kinds of overdriven tones from an all-tube SVT...

[emjazz]

Originally Posted by MysticBoo

The GT2 doesn't do that. Its cousin - the BDDI - does.

Heck, none of the pedals I mentioned above are meant for that.

And "overdriven SVT" means a lot of things. What do you mean, exactly?

I've heard bassists coax all kinds of overdriven tones from an all-tube SVT...

Good points.....I do like the GT2 for what it does though.

I just went into the studio and recorded through a '74 SVT....there was a section where I pushed the thing into overdrive and it sounded incredeble. Now, I know I can't get that exact sound out of a pedal but I'd love to find something close.

I have a Bad(der) Monkey and it's nice...but next to the GT2 it sounds boxy and weak. It did sound good live though and I'm trying to determine which sounds better in that situation. I'm open to other overdrives but I do like the GT2...minus the noise.

[Mark Olson]

There is the Tech 21 VT Bass, which is capable of a good amount of distortion and emulates the ampeg sound, but I haven't heard anything about it regarding noise. I did find the Sansamps to be quite noisy... just thought it worth a mention.

[emjazz]

Originally Posted by Mark Olson

There is the Tech 21 VT Bass, which is capable of a good amount of distortion and emulates the ampeg sound, but I haven't heard anything about it regarding noise. I did find the Sansamps to be quite noisy... just thought it worth a mention.

Thanks.

[bassman1185]

If you like the general sound that you're getting with the GT2 but you want to get rid of the noise, your best bet is to get a noise gate.

[emjazz]

Originally Posted by bassman1185

If you like the general sound that you're getting with the GT2 but you want to get rid of the noise, your best bet is to get a noise gate.

Nah...if it ends up being something that I like but it's unfixable as far as the noise than it goes. I don't need another piece of equipment on my board to alleviate the noise from one pedal.

[bassman1185]

Originally Posted by emjazz

Nah...if it ends up being something that I like but it's unfixable as far as the noise than it goes. I don't need another piece of equipment on my board to alleviate the noise from one pedal.

True, but a gate is a nice piece to put on a board. I use a Boss NS-2, and I love it. I am, however, running a Jazz with single coils into a couple of different dirt boxes, so if I don't use it, my sound is pretty messy.

[JanusZarate]

Originally Posted by bassman1185

True, but a gate is a nice piece to put on a board. I use a Boss NS-2, and I love it. I am, however, running a Jazz with single coils into a couple of different dirt boxes, so if I don't use it, my sound is pretty messy.

Try an EHX Hum Debugger instead. It's designed not to gate hiss, but to eliminate hum - specifically, single coil pickup hum.

The NS-2 is just a "bandage" in this case (like any noise gate), although certainly one of the best ones out there. While the Hum Debugger won't do anything about the noise those pedals naturally generate, it will prevent hum from making it worse.

[pickles]

Originally Posted by emjazz

Any other suggestions as to a great overdrive pedal that can get a similar sound without the noise? Don't say a Blueberry overdrive...too hard to find and very expensive.

The AGRO is the only other distortion I know of that sounds really good through a hi-fi bass amp.

[pickles]

Originally Posted by emjazz

I just went into the studio and recorded through a '74 SVT....there was a section where I pushed the thing into overdrive and it sounded incredeble. Now, I know I can't get that exact sound out of a pedal but I'd love to find something close.

You could always get a 410HE and an SVT head

Basically its really really really tough to nail that sound. The SansAmps do it reasonably well, but not all the way. The AGRO and GT2 are great sounding distortions as well, but there is nothing quite like the real thing. Check out my "fun with dirt" thread ... I've got some sound clips up there you may want to check out.

An SVP-Pro is great for getting the preamp part of that sound, but the sealed speaker cab has so much to do with it as well ...