What's the best noise gate pedal nowadays?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Rex Rocker
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Rex Rocker

Rex Rocker

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I've got an old Decimator 1 (non-G-string) that's OK. Maybe it's just in my head, but I don't hear it being 100% transparent. It seems like it brightens/thins out the tone a little. Then again, it's very subtle, and I can live with it because it works great at clamping down noise fast. I run it after all my pedals and into my amp, and it cuts feedback and noise from the guitar and the pedalboard.

However, nowadays, the footswitch is kinda wonky, and it doesn't always turn on/off whenever I press it. So I'm looking for a replacement, and I'm taking this as an opportunity to upgrade.

I've tried the Boss NS-2, and it seemed to me like it's very slightly slower than the Decimator, but still workable. Not transparent either, though. It seemed as if it darkened/fattened the sound a little, opposite to what the Decimator does. I've also tried the Electro Harmonix Silencer, and I didn't like that one at all. It has a very slow attack compared to my Decimator and the NS-2.

So what's out there that's good? What's fast and transparent? TC Sentry? Fortin Zuul (I think the graphic is kinda silly, but if it's good, it's good)? Decimator 2? MXR Smart Gate/Noise Clamp? Anything else?

Preferably something with a loop. Seems like that'd work better at quieting down a whole pedalboard without having to run the threshold too high.
 
I have the TC Sentry and it seems good but like you I'm finding myself wondering if there is something out there better. It does the job though.
 
Decimator 2. I had the TC Sentry and it was difficult to dial in. Some tone suck also. Decimator 2 for me...
 
I’ve not tried them yet, but from what I’ve heard the best ones seem like they’d be the High Wind Larynx and Lonewolf Blockade. Unfortunately, never brand have one in stock right now, but maybe more will come later. They’re priced similarly to the Zuul I think and are supposed to be better
 
have the zuul coming from an NS-2. Its the only pedal that is constant on my pedal board besides the digitech drop. Im always looking for different pedals but as far as looking for noise gates Im done. But yeah its tacky looking cosmetically
 
I like the zuul as well. Made me sell my decimator g-string.
 
Phalanx Noisegate is what I am interested in. Supposedly base on the Marshall JCM 800 2203KK noise gate....same as the Zuul....but with more control.
 
I’ve had the Decimator, NS-2, and Zuul all at the same time.
They all do the job, but the Zuul is the most transparent and hi-fi.
 
Never tried the zuul but the gstring 2 was great other than needing 4 cables to do what i needed.

The tone was transparent but it added a bit of hair. Afaik its the only one that can gate the front and also eliminate the loop hiss.
 
Rex Rocker":2jdtiy7n said:
I've tried the Boss NS-2, and it seemed to me like it's very slightly slower than the Decimator, but still workable. Not transparent either, though. It seemed as if it darkened/fattened the sound a little,
Click to expand...

Same here. Bought the NS2 brand new about a year ago and don't feel like I can use it with my DSL. Maybe it will work better with the 6505+ I just landed.
 
the Fortin Zuul is a great option. Just don't expect to find any useful information on how to use it, their instructions are through Facebook and their page is run by monkeys
 
DeathbyButterslax":1oo29rjc said:
the Fortin Zuul is a great option. Just don't expect to find any useful information on how to use it, their instructions are through Facebook and their page is run by monkeys
Click to expand...
:lol: :LOL: tru that
 
Cool, dudes, thanks! It seems like the Zuul is wining so far, lol.
 
I have the Decimator mini. It's a Decimator 2 in a small factor, gets the job done. If I would do extreme metal I would use the Zuul, but I felt the decimator had a more organic expander for the hard rock stuff. Nothing beats the Zool for syncopated chugga-chugga. I tried the mini and it was cool, used the tuner's extra out for the key input.
The lack of manual can leave people puzzled. I have effects in the loop and it took a while to figure out if I should put it on the return or the send.
 
RaceU4her":xwmcohbq said:
the cockblocker seems interesting

Click to expand...
Now that the zuul has been cloned and the pcb readily available, even if this is custom boards I bet its nothing more then another zuul clone. Wait to find out id say before believing it is new/different/better in any way. That passthrough was devised/proven by jordan at highwind pedals for his zuul clone “phalanx” as well. Its easily tacked on to any build with a switching jack.

These were all ripped from the kerry king marshall amp gate anyway haha.

I have four different builds of them at the moment. ?
 
"Marshall’s engineers developed a special noise gate circuit with a threshold control.
Most noise gates completely kill the sound once it drops below a certain threshold,” Bowcott says. “This noise gate has an ultrafast expander circuit that’s similar to what you’ll find in a studio-quality noise reduction unit. It will work extremely fast during tight, precise staccato rhythms, giving you those desired ‘holes of silence.’
When it comes to sustained notes, though, the expander gradually attenuates the signal by following the dynamics of the note, giving you a much more natural-sounding gating that won’t prematurely cut off the end of a note or chord that you want to ring.”"

Kerry King signature amp, the 2203KK JCM800 has been around since 2007. It only took a decade for people to start cloning the noise gate.
 
If you want small and cheap look at the Mooer Noise Killer. I have a Decimator and the Mooer is just as good. I've heard it's a clone of it.
 
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