Moon Cat
102 posts
Sep 11, 2012
5:58 PM
|
Hey everyone as some of you know Randy from The Lone Wolf Blues Company has made a new Anti Feed Back pedal. The Pedal is simple in design with one knob and extremely effective at fighting feed back. I would go as far to say that it eliminates feedback better than any existing devices I have tried wether they were aimed at amplified harmonica playing or other wise. The Pedal is small and a nice gold color, it's cheap too (Like around 100.00 I think maybe a bit more) but hundreds cheaper than comparable box's. Randy is a great dude has a fantastic return policy and sincerely and truly cares what we all think of his stuff. The Harp Sheild is True Bypass (No signal loss) and the same size as the other LW pedals (Except the Harp Attack). It can also be powered with a 9v converter or a battery! THE PEDAL WILL BE OUT IN TWO WEEKS! A few have been made (mine) and some sold instantly at SPAH but there here.
For those of you who enjoyed the extra distortion/compression that came with the other blue AFB made, the "Harp Shield" coupled/ in conjunction with the "harp break" or "Harp Attack" by L.W. CO will produce the same results with more user managability and control. For those who disliked the old AFB designs and it's tone changing properties the "Harp Shield" DOES NOT CHANGE TONE! Meow meow to the meow meows!
Jason Ricci
Last Edited by on Sep 11, 2012 6:25 PM
|
toxic_tone
317 posts
Sep 11, 2012
7:32 PM
|
hell to the ya thx for the info brotha
|
timeistight
837 posts
Sep 11, 2012
8:58 PM
|
I'd love to hear more. Is it just a noise gate or is there some filtering as well? Is the control a gate threshold or something else. Are there any user adjustable internal settings?
|
Johncn
24 posts
Sep 11, 2012
9:34 PM
|
Hello,
Randy posted some details about his planned design, as well as how to utilize the device, in this thread:
Lone Wolf Blues Harp Forum: New Anti-feedback Pedal Info
I love the other pedals of Randy's that I have tried, and hope that Jason's guess on a price point is in the ballpark. If so, I know what I am asking Santa for this Christmas.
Johncn
Last Edited by on Sep 11, 2012 9:35 PM
|
barbequebob
2023 posts
Sep 12, 2012
8:05 AM
|
Very cool!! Most of the time, whenever I play, I usually don't encounter too many volume problems because I make damned sure I'm surounded by musicians who don't have those problems for me to deal with, but there are always gonna be times where one of the these will be quite handy.
Many years ago, I had used a graphic EQ to try to deal with feedback when I had used a pre-CBS Twin Reverb playing with a very loud band, but it really didn't give me results I wanted plus what it did to the overall tone, I despised as much as I do master volume controls.
The one pedal I'd be looking for is a better spring reverb pedal out there that, wheras nearly all of the ones on the market tend to emulate the mid 60's Fender outboard tube reverb units, I want one that emulates the very first and DEEPEST reverb unit of them all, the Premier 90, which even at 1/3 of the way up, was far deeper than the Fender units cranked and was the only outboard reverb unit (or ANY reverb unit for that matter) that I could get the reverb sound used on the Little Walter session that produced Sad Hours/Mean Old World/Boogie/Blue Midnight, which is insanely deep under the Pacific Ocean kind of deep reverb.
----------
Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
|
dougharps
271 posts
Sep 12, 2012
8:12 AM
|
@Johncn
The design changed considerably since that Lone Wold Forum post. There is only one control on the pedal, which I believe is the threshold control. The button resets it.
If you go to the Lone Wolf Forum link above and scroll down to March 22 from the initial post you can see the problems he had getting it designed.
Moon Cat was able to get his sound at Bean Blossom without the Kinder by combining Lone Wolf pedals, as he notes in the OP.
I would be interested in knowing if this pedal is just a noise gate, like the guitar pedals sold by several manufacturers, or if there are harp specific features that make it better for use with a mic and harmonica. I do know that it worked for Moon Cat during his demo and later on stage.
----------
Doug S.
|
MN
178 posts
Sep 12, 2012
11:58 AM
|
barbequebob, have you heard tell of the new tank reverb units by Vintage47Amps? (See http://www.vintage47amps.com/files/index.php?id=61)
Wondering if that might fit the bill for you. The price seems right.
|
Johncn
25 posts
Sep 19, 2012
4:10 PM
|
Hi,
Well, I bought a Harp Sheild pedal and will report back with some feedback on the feedback with it...lol...in a couple weeks. Until October 1 they are $125, and $135 thereafter.
Also, you are correct @dougharps about what it says in the forum posts and the challenges Randy had making the pedal. Just repeating what it says on the product page, but here is the description of how it works, and how it differs from guitar noise gates:
http://www.lonewolfblues.com/store/index.php?crn=207&rn=405&action=show_detail
Audio signals from the amplifier’s speaker are picked up by the microphone and fed back into the amplifier where it is amplified again resulting in what we know as feedback; the Harp Shield will prevent this process from ever starting by using noise gate technology. The Harp Shield is designed to mute the microphone when you are not playing by decoupling the microphone from the amplifier, thus preventing feedback. With the Harp Shield your microphone is muted when not playing and as you begin to play, the Harp Shield will unmute and allow your signal to pass through to the amp; when you stop playing, the pedal automatically mutes the microphone to prevent feedback. The pedal has a sensitivity control to prevent background noises from opening the audio path and inducing feedback. In the event that feedback does occur, just press the footswitch (a momentary switch) to reset the pedal and stop the feedback. When using this pedal, it is still necessary to use proper microphone handling techniques to help prevent feedback while playing. The Harp Shield differs from guitar noise gates in that the gate range is set for microphone levels and the fact that you will not lose any tone.
Regards,
Johncn
Last Edited by on Sep 19, 2012 4:21 PM
|
garry
272 posts
Sep 19, 2012
6:48 PM
|
so if i'm reading this correctly, the harp shield only prevents feedback when not playing? the problem i have is feedback when i am playing, or not being to turn up loud enough to be heard in order to prevent feedback. that doesn't seem like it would help me much. i don't generally have a problem when not playing, and if i do, my volume control handles that nicely.
what am i missing?
----------
|
SuperBee
602 posts
Sep 19, 2012
7:41 PM
|
dunno Garry. i understand what you're saying. i have this issue where i have set my levels and its all good and then the band fires up and suddenly my rig is screaming. i figure the sound level has come up and the noise is coming from too many directions for me to avoid. true the volume control deals with it some of the time. but i'm hoping the shield will be able to be set to cut a lot of these feedback inducing extraneous frequencies.
i just ordered one so i guess i'll find out in a couple weeks
----------
|
Rick Davis
718 posts
Sep 19, 2012
8:03 PM
|
I'd really like to test the LW feedback pedal. I've tried noise gates before and did not really like the results, but I think this might be more suited to harp than the others I tried. I suspect it has it's compromises, as does the Kinder AFB+ pedal.
----------
-Rick Davis
|
Johncn
26 posts
Sep 19, 2012
9:25 PM
|
Hi,
I'm not an expert, heaven knows, but I think the concept is that much of the source of feedback is the looping of certain sounds....which is why volume, a tight cup and location of the mic all matter for feedback.
So, I guess the device blocks non-qualifying tones (those not likely to have emanated from the player). Therefore, it must shut the mic off unless tones from the expected tonal range from a harp are detected...acting as a "gate". The "reset" button probably triggers a sound sample to recalibrate on ambient sounds as feedback is observed from unexpected sources, or as conditions change.
I could be way off...but would also like to know how it operates. I will try to figure it out if it comes in time for next Wednesday's open mic.
Johncn
Last Edited by on Sep 19, 2012 9:31 PM
|
SuperBee
603 posts
Sep 19, 2012
10:13 PM
|
yeah ok, that makes sense i think...
----------
|
Greg Heumann
1792 posts
Sep 20, 2012
12:27 AM
|
" the problem i have is feedback when i am playing"
An anti-feedback pedal won't help you then. Your problem is that the amp isn't big enough to be heard on stage and probably out front. The front of house problem can be solved by turning the amp down so it does not feedback and mic'ing it or using a line out. Hearing it on stage will be more difficult. The sound guy can add you to the monitors but that generally causes feedback though the PA, which everyone hears through the main speakers and is Really Bad. You Need A Bigger Amp.
----------
/Greg
|
timeistight
854 posts
Sep 20, 2012
8:25 AM
|
'So, I guess the device blocks non-qualifying tones (those not likely to have emanated from the player). Therefore, it must shut the mic off unless tones from the expected tonal range from a harp are detected...acting as a "gate". The "reset" button probably triggers a sound sample to recalibrate on ambient sounds as feedback is observed from unexpected sources, or as conditions change.'
It's nowhere near that complicated. A noise gate is just a kind of signal-triggered volume control. In the presence of low signals, the volume control stays at zero. Once a signal reaches or exceeds the level set by the sensitivity control, the volume instantly goes from zero to maximum. When the the signal stops or the reset switch is pressed, the volume returns to zero. Ideally, this action should reduce the incidence of feedback (and other noise) when you're not playing without cutting off your quietest notes.
The device has no way of knowing whether the signal is coming from the player or somewhere else; it's only checking the level.
Last Edited by on Sep 20, 2012 1:41 PM
|
timeistight
855 posts
Sep 20, 2012
1:46 PM
|
I think the reset switch might just be the Harp Shield's killer feature. It's brilliantly simple (or maybe simply brilliant) idea: no matter what else is happening you can step on the reset to squelch the squeal.
|
Rick Davis
722 posts
Sep 20, 2012
3:54 PM
|
A noise gate will chop off your delay tails. I'll be interested to see how the LW pedal handles this.
----------
-Rick Davis
|
Rick Davis
723 posts
Sep 20, 2012
3:55 PM
|
Timeistight - you can turn down the volume on your mic to squelch the squeal.
----------
-Rick Davis
|
SuperBee
607 posts
Sep 20, 2012
4:00 PM
|
Rick, if I put the noise gate before the delay would it still have an impact on that aspect?
----------
|
Rick Davis
724 posts
Sep 20, 2012
4:23 PM
|
Superbee, a gate will mute any soft playing that falls below the gate threshold. What I noticed first was the delay tails as they decayed on soft playing. I could hear it if I had the gate before the delay of after it. But as I said, I'm thinking LW has figured this all out. I'm eager to try it.
----------
-Rick Davis
|
Willspear
198 posts
Sep 20, 2012
4:19 PM
|
Threshold just on plus a loud enough repeat and I'd wager it will leave it intact
I figure most harp players use 1-3 repeats at 75% volume of the note on the first repeat
Idk for sure I haven't bought one or tried one
Last Edited by on Sep 20, 2012 4:21 PM
|
Rick Davis
725 posts
Sep 20, 2012
4:31 PM
|
Willspear, you may be right.
I also tried fast notch filtering devices like the Sabine Solo feedback exterminator and was disappointed with the tone.
I am a little skeptical about feedback killers. I like the Kinder AFB+ a lot, but it works in a way that goes right to the tone I like (only on my Bassman). Other people hate it, and I don't like it on my other amps.
----------
-Rick Davis
Last Edited by on Sep 20, 2012 4:45 PM
|
Rick Davis
726 posts
Sep 20, 2012
4:36 PM
|
I've tried the Rocktron Hush and several noise gate pedals. The MXR gate pedal was pretty good. But none were keepers.
----------
-Rick Davis
Last Edited by on Sep 20, 2012 4:42 PM
|
Rick Davis
727 posts
Sep 20, 2012
4:41 PM
|
BTW, there are players I know who manually gate their mics: They flick a micro-switch to turn the mic off when they pause in their playing. One guy I'm thinking of has a mini toggle switch sticking out of the butt end of his bullet mic for this purpose. It works for him.
----------
-Rick Davis
Last Edited by on Sep 20, 2012 4:47 PM
|
Willspear
199 posts
Sep 20, 2012
6:22 PM
|
I like the stick Mics from shure that have those.
I'd actually prefer inline amphenol switches as opposed to a potentiometer. I know they exist. I don't use a volume control much if ever these days. Been playing without a vc to play dynamically with the the harp and technique as opposed to turning a knob. Harps take less of a beating because it forces soft playing to reduce volume.
|
