Looking for a furman pq3 or pq4 alternative

  • Thread starter Thread starter Basementcat
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braintheory said:
Agreed. The Empress one honestly sounds awful and like a toy if you have in next to the Furman. Not only is it cold and clinical sounding, but also has these ugly tonal artifacts around the notes. All the empress pedals I’ve tried have these qualities. Not a fan of Empress. 1140 was very good, but not as warm or as good mids as Furman. My fave PQ I’ve had has been my Intersound PRV-1. Rare and expensive though. Doesn’t have as much gain or output as the other PQ’s mentioned or as much eq flexibility, but imo better actual tone than the others I’ve had. Doesn’t quite have the mids of the Furman, but still sounded better overall to me and the great spring reverb it has is a nice bonus

Audioarts 4100 is another good one. Tightest of the ones I’ve had, but compressed and again doesn’t have the mids of the Furman
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Well damn. Lol. Not the news I truly wanted to hear but kind of what I figured already. I may still check out that loft 401 if I can. Trying to put together a budget 80s/dime rig is journey all its own.
 
VESmedic said:
The empress paraEQ is the best parametric I’ve ever used for a guitar amp. Not made anymore and going up in price, but it is phenomenal.
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Shit. This has been on my list for a few years, but I was always just lazy to get it since I have a ton of EQ's. I missed the boat. Grrr.
 
Basementcat said:
Well damn. Lol. Not the news I truly wanted to hear but kind of what I figured already. I may still check out that loft 401 if I can. Trying to put together a budget 80s/dime rig is journey all its own.
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Yeah honestly it’s just hard imo to get a modern made pedal with tone that’ll compete with a good vintage unit like the Furman. They also made the best spring reverb I’ve tried (their ‘70’s rack reverb). I’ve not tried a Loft. Maybe that could be a good option, not sure honestly. One post said it was less noisy, which is good, but the real question is how good is its actual tone vs a Furman or 1140
 
psychodave said:
Shit. This has been on my list for a few years, but I was always just lazy to get it since I have a ton of EQ's. I missed the boat. Grrr.
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You’re not really missing anything with it imo given at least a few of the other things I know you have
 
braintheory said:
Yeah honestly it’s just hard imo to get a modern made pedal with tone that’ll compete with a good vintage unit like the Furman. They also made the best spring reverb I’ve tried (their ‘70’s rack reverb). I’ve not tried a Loft. Maybe that could be a good option, not sure honestly. One post said it was less noisy, which is good, but the real question is how good is its actual tone vs a Furman or 1140
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That’s the entire dilemma. Finding a furman is hard and pricey but may be the road I have to take sadly. Guess it’s like I’ve always said though. Buy once cry once.
 
Gotta disagree completely with you guys about the empress, big time. The fact that’s so clinical and clean is exactly why I love it. You get your “ color” from your mics, preamps, amplifier etc. when I want to eq going In, I don’t want anything added to my tone, I want something to be clean and accurate…. Arguably the most revered mastering EQ of all time is the GML 8200. Why everyone loves it is because it’s so incredibly clean and accurate in doing what you want it to. I don’t think anyone is saying that is cold or lifeless. Of course, they are not at all the same thing I agree, however the clarity and clinical precision they offer, is very much in the same boat.
 
Is there a particular way people generally like to set up their Furmans? How many of the bands do you typically use for guitar applications?

There are a couple parametric pedals I am interested in trying out someday. Way back TC made two different parametric EQ's, sort of like the big rack unit but more limited. Steve Morse used to use one into a Jubilee for his lead sound (please ignore these prices):

https://reverb.com/item/49481403-tc-electronic-dual-parametric-equalizer-and-power-supply-24800
https://reverb.com/item/45959321-tc-electronic-sustain-parametric-equalizer-power-supply
More recently API is making a semi-parametric targeted towards guitar players. It has a transformer, but fixed frequencies at 200, 1.5 and 5k:

https://reverb.com/item/44672954-api-tranzformer-gtr-eq-boost-pedal
 
psychodave said:
FWIW, I remember Gainfreak slapping a PQ3 in front of a Mesa Mark III. The tone was insane (along with the hiss). Instant Stryper tone.
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Wonder how Ralph is doing. Haven't seen him around in a long time.
 
danielraible said:
Is there a particular way people generally like to set up their Furmans? How many of the bands do you typically use for guitar applications?

There are a couple parametric pedals I am interested in trying out someday. Way back TC made two different parametric EQ's, sort of like the big rack unit but more limited. Steve Morse used to use one into a Jubilee for his lead sound (please ignore these prices:)

https://reverb.com/item/49481403-tc-electronic-dual-parametric-equalizer-and-power-supply-24800
https://reverb.com/item/45959321-tc-electronic-sustain-parametric-equalizer-power-supply
More recently API is making a semi-parametric targeted towards guitar players. It has a transformer, but fixed frequencies at 200, 1.5 and 5k:

https://reverb.com/item/44672954-api-tranzformer-gtr-eq-boost-pedal
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I’ve seen that sustain plus para pedal before. It definitely looked interesting. Not sure it’s exactly what I’m looking for but it may work.
 
psychodave said:
FWIW, I remember Gainfreak slapping a PQ3 in front of a Mesa Mark III. The tone was insane (along with the hiss). Instant Stryper tone.
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I used to the same thing when I had my PQ3, but in front of my IIC+ HRG. Was exactly like you said. Insane tone. Juicy, crazy saturated, but also super noisy. I’ve moved on to other boosts and PQ’s
 
Basementcat said:
That’s the entire dilemma. Finding a furman is hard and pricey but may be the road I have to take sadly. Guess it’s like I’ve always said though. Buy once cry once.
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IMO the Furman has a particular flavor that’s unique to that unit. May or not be one’s thing. I loved it, but had other stuff I liked better, so sold the 2 I had
 
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braintheory said:
I used to the same thing when I had my PQ3, but in front of my IIC+ HRG. Was exactly like you said. Insane tone. Juicy, crazy saturated, but also super noisy. I’ve moved on to other boosts and PQ’s
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Pretty sure a noise gate is pretty much required with a pq3 at high gain. Not sure how much different the pq4 is with the noise level. Guessing pretty much the same.
 
VESmedic said:
Gotta disagree completely with you guys about the empress, big time. The fact that’s so clinical and clean is exactly why I love it. You get your “ color” from your mics, preamps, amplifier etc. when I want to eq going In, I don’t want anything added to my tone, I want something to be clean and accurate…. Arguably the most revered mastering EQ of all time is the GML 8200. Why everyone loves it is because it’s so incredibly clean and accurate in doing what you want it to. I don’t think anyone is saying that is cold or lifeless. Of course, they are not at all the same thing I agree, however the clarity and clinical precision they offer, is very much in the same boat.
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A few things. First, the OP wants to use the PQ out front as a boost like an overdrive pedal rather than something to really shape the amp EQ-wise (at least that’s what I think he’s looking for. Correct me if I’m wrong OP). For that purpose I felt my Furman smoked it, but didn’t at all like the Furman as an actual eq shaper in the loop. As a PQ in the loop I remember the Empress’s inherent undesirable qualities being more subdued (still audible though imo). I feel the clinical quality and ugly tonal artifacts it has is the “color” it imposes onto the amps I used with it (not exactly what I think of as transparent). Maybe some guys may like that, but I feel it’s a bad quality. Without it engaged, the tone imo is warmer and more pleasant. IME it’s hard to find stuff (in guitar gear at least) that’s truly transparent. I don’t bother going for that anymore. Some of the GEQ pedals I’ve had were quite transparent I guess, but even their if I really listen they all add some color

Also, very important, the OP specified he wants an ‘80’s and Dimebag-esque tone. This is the Furman’s real bread and butter. The Empress has that inherent modern flavor that just isn’t capable of the same warmth and juiciness of the Furman. I’ve AB’ed them extensively when I owned the 2
 
braintheory said:
A few things. First, the OP wants to use the PQ out front as a boost like an overdrive pedal rather than something to really shape the amp EQ-wise (at least that’s what I think he’s looking for. Correct me if I’m wrong OP). For that purpose I felt my Furman smoked it, but didn’t at all like the Furman as an actual eq shaper in the loop. As a PQ in the loop I remember the Empress’s inherent undesirable qualities being more subdued (still audible though imo). I feel the clinical quality and ugly tonal artifacts it has is the “color” it imposes onto the amps I used with it (not exactly what I think of as transparent). Maybe some guys may like that, but I feel it’s a bad quality. Without it engaged, the tone imo is warmer and more pleasant. IME it’s hard to find stuff (in guitar gear at least) that’s truly transparent. I don’t bother going for that anymore. Some of the GEQ pedals I’ve had were quite transparent I guess, but even their if I really listen they all add some color
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Yes I want to use it out front to boost the amp over all and to boost certain frequencies ala dimebag from the late 80s early 90s and a few others.
 
Basementcat said:
Pretty sure a noise gate is pretty much required with a pq3 at high gain. Not sure how much different the pq4 is with the noise level. Guessing pretty much the same.
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Definitely! Haven’t tried a PQ4 myself
 
The Source Audio EQ2 can do multiple bands of PEQ boost at whatever frequencies you want. Looks pretty bad ass.
 
Basementcat said:
Yes I want to use it out front to boost the amp over all and to boost certain frequencies ala dimebag from the late 80s early 90s and a few others.
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Honestly the Furman is probably the ideal tool for what you’re asking. I personally would use actually my Klon or Fortin Maxon if I was doing the same, but I’m particular with how I set things up and I don’t ever try to copy exactly other’s tones
 
Racerxrated said:
Unless any of these ‘color’ the tone like the Furman does, you won’t get what you are wanting out of it. I’ve owned the Empress(cold, clinical but does the job), the TC 1140(warmer, better sounding but still not the Furman color) and the Furman PQ3. If you can handle the hiss the Furman is unmatched really; for that tone.
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I usually agree with you, but not this time. I have a Rane, Audio Arts, the 2 Lofts and a Furman, the Furman is noisy as shit but all the others give the same tone, no secret sauce with the Fishfry Furman.
 
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cardinal said:
The Source Audio EQ2 can do multiple bands of PEQ boost at whatever frequencies you want. Looks pretty bad ass.
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If I recall correctly Psychodave had it and didn’t like it (chime in if I’m mistaken). The bigger problem is though pedals of that nature typically sound artificial and cold/clinical. Vintage units like the Furman have this inherent warmth and juiciness that’s independent of how you dial in the eq. If you want that kinda sound you gotta imo get that unit or others from that era like the 1140, Audioarts or Intersound’s
 
paulyc said:
I usually agree with you, but not this time. I have a Rane, Audio Arts, the 2 Lofts and a Furman, the Furman is noisy as shit but all the others give the sane tone, so secret sauce with the Fishfry Furman
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Haven’t tried the Rane or Loft, but I’ve owned simultaneously the Furman PQ3, TC 1140 and Audioarts 4100. They can be dialed in “similarly” (depending how picky you are I guess), but they all had their own inherent qualities/colors and textures the notes regardless of how dialed in. Furman was very noisy, no argument there, but it was the warmest and juiciest of those 3 with the most pleasing mids of the 3. I’ve sold my Furman and don’t miss it all, so I’ve got no skin in the game, but definitely can’t say they sounded the same. Each of those brands has their own unique flavor. I’ve kept just the Audioarts and Intersound’s FWIW. IMO the differences were more pronounced than the usual differences I hear I with pre-tube swaps, but to each their own
 
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