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Author Topic:  Matchboxes?
Jim Strawser


From:
Montana, USA
Post  Posted 15 Aug 2008 1:04 pm    
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Embarassed Okay, I give up, seems pedal steel players use what is called a matchbox. I assume this is for matching impedance? Will i need or can i use one for a lap steel or even need one. Dad always told me "the only stupid question is the one you didnt ask"!
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Jim Bob Sedgwick

 

From:
Clinton, Missouri USA
Post  Posted 15 Aug 2008 2:30 pm    
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Matchboxes were basically designed to defeat the tonal change caused by pot type volume pedals. If you use a pot pedal, it would help. (You won't hear tonal change as you open up the volume pedal).

Or if you go with a Hilton pedal, this is already built in.

If you don't use a foot pedal at all, you don't need one. Does this help? Smile
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Marc Jenkins


From:
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Post  Posted 15 Aug 2008 3:30 pm    
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Jim, I like the Matchbox with my pedal steel through effects pedals, and into a vintage tube amp. It keeps the effects from being overloaded by the pickups' high impedance, plus the tone out of the amp is rounder and sweeter. I plugged into a Peavey solid-state steel amp once, and the Matchbox just made the steel sound cloudy and muffled.

My lap steel doesn't need the Matchbox through any amp I've tried it through.
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Ken Metcalf


From:
San Antonio Texas USA
Post  Posted 19 Aug 2008 8:15 am    
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Seems to give the Guya G Tone a much cleaner sound.
I like it better with a matchbox.
I don't want much distortion.
Ken
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Mike Christensen

 

From:
Cook Minnesota
Post  Posted 24 Aug 2008 5:08 am    
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Jim: To me playing with a matchbox gives a richer sound and better note seperation. That is my opinion. I have come to like it so much I don't care to play without one and have even bought a second one for a spare just in case. On my LDG and Ken Fox NV 400 I run both controls in the 5-6 area. Happy Trails
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J Hollenberg


From:
Vlaardingen, The Netherlands
Post  Posted 24 Aug 2008 7:23 am    
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I am with Mike Christensen, I use the Super Sustain Matchbox in combination with a Hilton Volume Pedal and I don't want to play without it.
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Donny Hinson

 

From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
Post  Posted 24 Aug 2008 7:49 am    
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I don't feel they're necessary. (Too much good stuff was played for too long when matchboxes weren't even around.) Now, I don't mind at all if someone uses one, but it irritates me when someone says you need to use one to get a good sound with a pot-pedal. That's just bullhockey, IMHO.
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J Hollenberg


From:
Vlaardingen, The Netherlands
Post  Posted 24 Aug 2008 9:49 am    
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You don't need a Matchbox to get a good sound but in combination with my Hilton I like my sound more with the Matchbox than whitout.It really enhance the sound.( In my case ).
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Lee Baucum


From:
McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
Post  Posted 24 Aug 2008 2:13 pm    
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On my Mullen 12-string guitar, I get a much better tone using a matchbox with the stock single-coil pickup.

I recently installed a Lawrence 712 (12-string version of the 710) pickup in my guitar and I have found that it sounds much, much better without a matchbox. I've tried using both my Hilton Digital Sustain and my Goodrich boxes.

Lee, from South Texas
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Jim Strawser


From:
Montana, USA
Post  Posted 24 Aug 2008 10:44 pm     Matchox reply
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Okay, now if i decide to use one, where might i find one at a decent price? I use a De Armand volume pedal, and experimenting with an older ART Proverb vs Digitech Reverb stomp box and a Behringer analog Delay to find that magic 350 MS delay zone. Thanks folks, only in thr steel guitar forum can a newbie like myself get such valued and humble guidance and opinions!!!! Very Happy
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Dave Flanagan

 

From:
Mt. Vernon,Il.
Post  Posted 25 Aug 2008 12:20 pm     machbox 60
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Jim: I have a machbox 60 in good working order and looks good that I would take $65 for and ship it to you in Montana,But I will haft to say if you are using a Hilton vol. peddal I don't think you will notice much of a change, Let me know Thanks Dave
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Dave Flanagan

 

From:
Mt. Vernon,Il.
Post  Posted 25 Aug 2008 12:21 pm     machbox 60
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Jim: I have a machbox 60 in good working order and looks good that I would take $65 for and ship it to you in Montana,But I will haft to say if you are using a Hilton vol. peddal I don't think you will notice much of a change, Let me know Thanks Dave
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