ISP Decimator Pedal w/ Mark amps.

[Neptical]

Anyone around here using the ISP Decimator Pedal with their Mark amps?

After all the rave reviews, I bought one the other day @ GC.

I bought it specifically to cancel out any feedback. Amp is pretty quiet otherwise. I run it straight throught the front of the amp with no other pedals.

I find that when using it,once you start pushing the amp Master 3-4 (I know--loud :twisted: ), I have to crank the threshold to be -35db for the sweet spot. I can't get any higher because 1.) it will still give me feedback 2.) I can't go any lower because at that point it starts cutting off notes. My sweet spot at -35db takes away from some of the 'musicality' of the amp-- 'cuz once I turn it off, the full on Mark goodness is back.

I dunno. Am I doing something wrong? Are these pedals overrated? Or, are they just unfit for these older Mark amps?

Any help or suggestions is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

 

[droptrd]

If I put my Mark III past 2 Im pissing off the world. I cant remember the db's but I put my decimator somewhere around 11:00. Works great at stage volume.

 

[bste328]

try putting it in the fx loop, i think this is the way they should work the best

 

[gonzo]

i have one on my pedalboard, last in line before hitting the amp, works great.

 

[SonicProvocateur]

I use the ISP decimator in my FX loop right around the noon-ish position to help cancel tube hiss for live and studio. Works like a charm and helps reduce feedback. In ultra-high gain, you're still going to get the natural musical feedback from pure soundwaves coming back into the pickups, but the decimator takes care of bad noises and shrieking, but also works killer for stage volumes (master 2-4, I used it amp cranked and sounded tight as all get out). Yes, it will sorta "cut off" notes if the gate is too high, but it will tighten your sound up too. On certain settings it will gate the clean channel if not set properly, or if Vol 1 is not set properly but is easily tweakable. Putting it in the FX loop is the way to go, though since its V5 tube buffered.

 

[Neptical]

Thanks for the help fellas.

Sonic, I'll have to try it in my loop then. Cool.

I run my tremolo--->chorus--->TC delay in my effects loop. So, basically I should put it before those I assume? Othewise ( from what I've read), that it may chop off some of the delay repeats?

Thanks again in advance!

~Nep~

 

[SonicProvocateur]

Since in the loop, it's functioning to reduce more gain noise and less pedal noise, try it before and after the effects and see which works better. I've got mine running after my EQ pedal. By increasing the gate you might have to increase the delay to keep it from gating hard or cutting off repeats. I guess I had the luxury of running a carbon copy in front of the amp. You might just have to make some subtle tweaks one way or the other.

 

[espexp]

Make sure you have a fresh 9V battery in it, or use and appropriate AC adapter. I've always run my ISP between 11:00 and 12:00 which is -40db to -30db and it has always worked fine. I've never noticed any coloring of the tone and I always ran it out front. It never worked for me in the loop. I now use an ISP Gstring which is made to run in the loop.
You should try giving ISP a call directly, they are very helpful.

 

[screamingdaisy]

Consider other sources of feedback, such as a microphonic pickup.

 

[Fronzil]

I highly recommend it in the loop as well..

 

[JOEY B.]

I highly recommend it in the loop as well..

The standard decimator pedal will choke off the reverb decay when used in the loop of a Mark II or III. I have not tried one with a Mark IV or V, but the Electradyne does not lose reverb decay with the Decimator. It must be a different placement of the reverb in relation to the loop. The best solution is the G-string or Pro Rack G. With these you can one threshold control for the guitar input and another for the preamp noise floor.

 

[mreeve25]

Hey, I was considering getting one of the G-string pedals. I heard something about the G-string not working on the mesa amps due to them being wired parallel. Supposedly, it has to be wired in series to work properly. Correct me if I am wrong. I don't remember where I read that, and I might have it backwards. If it will in fact work properly, I will snatch one right away. Please let me know.

Michael

 

[Neptical]

Update:

Ok, had practice tonight and put the ISP in the effects loop like this:

ISP--->Chorus--->Tremolo--->TC Delay

It seemed to work WAY better then out front of the amp with little to no tonal degradation. My settings are best as others mentioned above...around 11-12' o clock. I was still getting a little bit of feedback, but we jam in a small space and I have to play kind of close to the amp at high volumes anyways. I also recently raised my pups because they were a tad too low, so I'll give them a check next pratice to make sure their not too high. Overall, I'm way happier tonight about it then I was the other night.

I will pin point this as I'll have more time Friday night at practice over a few beers.

~Nep~

 

[Facelift]

i have mine in front about 11 oclock. never had a problem with it. only reason to put it in the loop is if there is a noisy preamp. mute all the strings and then turn the knob to the point that the noise stops. this shouldnt take any tonal qualities away from the amp, only if you have it turned up too high, even then it should only cut off notes way early, not strip thier character.

 

[Fronzil]

I highly recommend it in the loop as well..

The standard decimator pedal will choke off the reverb decay when used in the loop of a Mark II or III. I have not tried one with a Mark IV or V, but the Electradyne does not lose reverb decay with the Decimator. It must be a different placement of the reverb in relation to the loop. The best solution is the G-string or Pro Rack G. With these you can one threshold control for the guitar input and another for the preamp noise floor.

I took out the reverb in my IV so I haven't tried it, but I've never heard of that problem with the amp...I'd go the G-string way as well. (that is if I even used a noise gate..I don't run ridiculously high gain).

 

[Neptical]

i have mine in front about 11 oclock. never had a problem with it. only reason to put it in the loop is if there is a noisy preamp. mute all the strings and then turn the knob to the point that the noise stops. this shouldnt take any tonal qualities away from the amp, only if you have it turned up too high, even then it should only cut off notes way early, not strip thier character.

As I mentioned above, something about running it in the front of the amp just sounded really weird and unnatural to me. It just added different character to the amp that wasn't pleasing to my ears. I'm going to keep experimenting and see what works best, though.

~Nep~

 

[Neptical]

Another question for you folks.

Do any of you run the ISP with a power supply ( Voodoo Lab or T-Rex)? Or any other ways? Is it fine? I'm probably not gonna want to keep using 9Vs for as much as this unit is going to be on.

I'm looking into getting one of those boxes. The only thing that might stop me is being able to properly power my TC Repeater with one..which is a whole 'nother thread I guess. :|

~Nep~

 

[SonicProvocateur]

Yep. I have it on my One Spot along with my EQ going from my Furman in el-racko. Sounds just fine.

 

[gonzo]

i think they make more sense, to have them in front of the preamp.

that way, you DECIMATE (LOL) the noise BEFORE it gets amplified by a factor of a thousand.


most of the noise is coming from the front anyway, right?

i mean, the preamp is quiet, the power amps, if your gain staging is done correctly, everything that's in your effects loop should be quiet...

so the place to kill noise is BEFORE the preamp!

 

[Neptical]

Yeah, Gonz....that does make sense. And it made sense to me originally, too. :lol:

I really have to make sure now that the feedback isn't coming from just being too close to the amp in the small room we jam in now. If that's the case, well I guess I have a cool ISP Decimator I purchased. Haha! But, it would be useful anyways. It's a LOUD band so we are cranked.

~Nep~