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Topic: Tone help needed |
Dave Stroud
From:
Texas
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Posted 14 May 2015 9:57 am |
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Here's the newbie question of the day!
I'm playing a Zum Steel Encore and Hilton pedal through a Peavey Renown 115. Assume I have almost no idea what I'm doing. How do you begin to get the best tone out of this rig?
I'm not sure what Pull Bright, Post, Paramid, and Shift is. I assume I should be using the "High Gain" input for pedal steel, right?
Some people say "Just play around with it until it sounds good to you.", which I know is very true, but could anyone at least point me in the right direction? |
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Dick Wood
From:
Springtown Texas, USA
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Posted 14 May 2015 11:00 am
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I'd start with the following and tweak for a sweet spot.
Low +8-9
Paramid -6-3
Shift 800
High +6-9
Those settings are with a humbucker and would have to be played with if it was a single coil.
Use the High gain input.
_________________
Cops aren't paid much so I steel at night. |
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Dave Stroud
From:
Texas
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Posted 14 May 2015 11:07 am
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| Thanks, I'll have to give that a try. There doesn't seem to be a mid on my amp. Or is that what the paramid and shift is? |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 14 May 2015 11:28 am
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Paramid is a portmanteau word (meaning one word made up of two words smushed together) made up of "parametric" and "midrange". That means that you can control the frequency on which the midrange centers. Pedal steel wants either a boost to the low mids I or a cut to the upper mids. Generally steel will sound best if paramid and shift are opposite each other (either paramid at 10 o'clock and shift around 2 or vice versa).
Steel pickups are hot enough that the low gain MIGHT have more headroom.
I second the suggested values.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects
Last edited by Lane Gray on 14 May 2015 11:32 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Dick Wood
From:
Springtown Texas, USA
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Posted 14 May 2015 11:28 am
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The paramid is a mid control to either cut or boost mid frequencies. Proper use of this control will give a nice rounded tone in the cut position or a harsh hollow tone if boosted too much so proper setting of this control is critical probably more so than all the others in my opinion.
_________________
Cops aren't paid much so I steel at night. |
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Stephen Cowell
From:
Round Rock, Texas, USA
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Dave Stroud
From:
Texas
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Posted 14 May 2015 11:53 am
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| Well I'll be darned, I've got a new steel!! Sounds very very nice now! |
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 14 May 2015 12:18 pm
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| Stephen Cowell wrote: |
| Try the low gain input. |
What is the reasoning behind this. I keep seeing people suggest it, but I am not clear as to why.
_________________
Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 54 years and still counting. |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 14 May 2015 12:26 pm
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Steel pickups are so hot that they can overload the input. If the input is excessively hot, it clips easily.
Run the lower input and it starts lower and stays below the threshold...
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 14 May 2015 12:36 pm
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Seems that any manufacturer that builds an amp geared for the PSG would take that into account and have the high gain input set up so it doesn't get overdriven by the pickup. I'll probably never play live again, or I would give the low gain input a try. But, I don't hear the amp being overdriven.
_________________
Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 54 years and still counting. |
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Keith Hilton
From:
248 Laurel Road Ozark, Missouri 65721
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Posted 14 May 2015 1:07 pm
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| Lane, you gave "professional" excellent answers. Good work. |
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Bill Moran
From:
Virginia, USA
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Posted 14 May 2015 1:12 pm
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Some of the older steels , maybe newer one's also, have 11,000 - 15,000 ohm pickups. Newer guitars have 20,000 - 28,000 ohm pickup's. The high ohm pickup can overdrive the preamp in the amp. When that happens you would use the low gain.
On my Evans with my HWP Mullen and 22,000 ohm pickups I have to use the low gain input. 
_________________
Bill |
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Jamie Mitchell
From:
Nashville, TN
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Posted 14 May 2015 2:44 pm
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| Richard Sinkler wrote: |
| Seems that any manufacturer that builds an amp geared for the PSG would take that into account and have the high gain input set up so it doesn't get overdriven by the pickup. I'll probably never play live again, or I would give the low gain input a try. But, I don't hear the amp being overdriven. |
uh, it's on a knob.... |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 14 May 2015 3:28 pm
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| Keith Hilton wrote: |
| Lane, you gave "professional" excellent answers. Good work. |
Thanks, Keith. Being trapped in a semi, I don't get to pick much, but I dig absorbing knowledge about anything musical or related, and sharing it.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Richard Wilhelm
From:
Ventura County, California
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Posted 14 May 2015 7:09 pm
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May I butt in, there seems to be some confusion of where and what the high gain input is. Many amps have 2 inputs where you plug your cord in. One gives a lower gain then the other for the exact reason mentioned. Just my input, pun intended.
_________________
"Be Kind to Animals, don't eat Them"
"If you know music, you°ll know most everything you°ll need to know" Edgar Cayce
"You're only young forever" Harpo Marx
Fender 400, Fender FM212, G&L ASAT.
Was part of a hippie-Christian store in Cotati, California (circa 1976) called THE EYE OF THE RAINBOW. May God love you. |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 14 May 2015 7:31 pm
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Indeed. The high gain input is generally the left jack if side by side, and on top if over/under.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Richard Wilhelm
From:
Ventura County, California
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Posted 14 May 2015 7:44 pm
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David, if you don't already. Try using GeorgeL cords, the clarity of tone is noticeably different than most cords. All my cords are GeorgeLs except the one coming out of my steel. But it is a very high quality cable that gives me a fuller sound in the end, so experiment. But what do I know, I'm just a deadhead. Peace 
_________________
"Be Kind to Animals, don't eat Them"
"If you know music, you°ll know most everything you°ll need to know" Edgar Cayce
"You're only young forever" Harpo Marx
Fender 400, Fender FM212, G&L ASAT.
Was part of a hippie-Christian store in Cotati, California (circa 1976) called THE EYE OF THE RAINBOW. May God love you. |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 16 May 2015 3:17 am
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| Richard Sinkler wrote: |
| Seems that any manufacturer that builds an amp geared for the PSG would take that into account and have the high gain input set up so it doesn't get overdriven by the pickup. |
No, the manufacturer doesn't know if you're using single-coils or humbuckers, and they have no idea what kind of music you're playing. Having a high input gives the player the option of having maximum output, but with a possibility of distortion. Having a low input simply eliminates (or greatly reduces) that possibility. |
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Billy McCombs
From:
Bakersfield California, USA
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Posted 16 May 2015 4:40 am Nashvilleâ„¢ 112 Operation Manual
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(1) High Gain Input
High Gain Input used for most electric guitars. It is 10 dB louder than the Low Gain input.
(2) Low Gain
Low Gain is provided for instruments that have extremely high outputs, which can result in overdriving (distorting)
the High Gain input. If both inputs are used simultaneously, the output levels are the same (Both are low gain.).
(3) Pre Gain
Pre Gain controls the input level of the Nashville 112. Adjusting this control clockwise will increase the input level
resulting in a hotter, more responsive signal.
_________________
78 Emmons PP,Great tone.82 Emmons SKH #56 |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 16 May 2015 5:57 am
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Richard, if you knock input 1 back to allow for hyperhot steel pickups, the amp will be less useful for the jazz guitarists and fiddlers, who also like steel amps.
A pedal steel is damn near the only instrument level device that can exceed a volt.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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