Re: sustainer system

["Nic Roozeboom" <nic_roozeboom@msn.com>]

The Smokie works fairly well, with certain limitations - the frequency 
selectivity being the main one I think. With the one guitar I tried it 
with, 
it would 'respond' perhaps on 30-40% of the scale, centered around certain 
favored keys and their octaves / integer multiples. Pre-distorting is a 
good 
idea, think I'll try that.

Playing touch style seems to work best so that you can use the pick hand 
to 
position the Smokie at the most susceptible position over the string (or 
behind the string, as contact to the back of the neck gives the most 
gain/feedback).

All of this is just looping with the repetition frequency inside the 
audible 
spectrum of course ;-)

Nic


>From: Daryl <highhorse@mhorse.com>
>Reply-To: Loopers-Delight@loopers-delight.com
>To: Loopers-Delight@loopers-delight.com
>Subject: Re: sustainer system
>Date: Mon, 05 Jan 2004 12:26:13 -0800
>
>
>I've had a lot of fun with my own 'sustainer'...it's a tiny, cheap 
>plastic 
>amp that vibrates quite a bit when cranked up to its full miniscule 
>output. 
>  I face it towards me, or even point it into a pillow (it's not the 
>pickup/speaker interface I'm after), and set my headstock firmly against 
>it 
>when holding a note.  Even when playing clean, I can generate some 
>fantastic infinite sustain that lasts as long as I hold the guitar 
>against 
>it.  It works best with low notes, and resonates quite well with certain 
>notes and not so well with others.  Adding some distortion beforehand 
>(even 
>just in the line that goes out to the little amp) results in more 
>overtones 
>and responsiveness.
>
>I've never tried it with a Smokie or one of the other tiny practice amps, 
>but I'll bet it works well with them too.  Obviously it works with a 
>full-size amp or cabinet as well, but it's a bit more inconvenient (and 
>frightening) to get within touching distance.
>
>Daryl Shawn
>highhorse@mhorse.com
>

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