Sustain, delay or reverb?

Aaron Youngberg · Post by **Aaron Youngberg** » 5 Feb 2006 10:59 pm

I'm think about adding sustain or delay to my set-up and I wanted to hear peoples input about it. I'm going for the warm deep tone with sustain that'll last and sound natural. I play through a Fender Steel King amp and I've tried a Maxon AD900 analog delay pedal used with only a slight amount of delay and I thought it sounded pretty good. Any suggestions on other products? Thank you,
Aaron

Nic du Toit · Post by **Nic du Toit** » 5 Feb 2006 11:07 pm

Hi Aaron,
That 'deep, warm tone' you get only in your bedroom! True! For stage work, with a group, you need to cut some of the lows. Adding 'sustain' is not a good idea. Your technique is the answer there. Very little digital reverb, with an echo of about 400ms, (soft repeat) should do it. It's all trial and error.

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Rick Nicklas · Post by **Rick Nicklas** » 6 Feb 2006 4:09 am

Aaron... You should add 1/2 tsp of delay, just a pinch of reverb and slowly mix with your sustain. This makes a perfect side dish with anything the band has prepared for the audience. The younger crowd also seem to like a few shakes of distortion folded in and bring to a boil once in a while....Bam Bam Bam.

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Rick
Kline U-12, Session 500, Goodrich L-10k

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 6 Feb 2006 4:49 am

for certain playing at home ..without the band ..is a tru grit way have bringing the tone you have "HOME"..

Now, the bandstand ? Thats a whole new deal..Start with your home settings and work from there.

I use a tad or reverb, less lows as Nic mentions and 290 ms of slight delay , no repeats, mix at somewhere around 45 %...

for me this works...

I get my fullness ( not food ) from two amps, both fed from the Stereo out's of the Profex...Stereo Delay is sort of make believe Stereo..it sounds pretty good...Delay working across the two amps...kinda like a pair of HUGE Headphones !

I use two REAL amps, not two 112's..

Just kidding..thought I would just stir things up a bit...112's are great amps...

Session 400 and Nashville 400...

strength and clarity beyond expectations..

Add the Delay, you won't be sorry..

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TPrior
TPrior Steel Guitar Homesite

Andy Sandoval · Post by **Andy Sandoval** » 6 Feb 2006 5:07 am

To my ears a little reverb with just a tad of delay sounds pretty darn sweet.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 6 Feb 2006 5:49 am

As with the others, just a little reverb and delay (1 repeat) is all that's needed. I don't know of any local steeler that's using "sustain". Approach the steel different than a lead guitar with respect to effects.

A little reverb and delay with a 112 amp sounds great.

Emmett Clough · Post by **Emmett Clough** » 6 Feb 2006 5:56 am

I think the answers so far are quite right, and the sound that really works is a little reverb with a smidge of quick "once only" delay.

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 6 Feb 2006 6:32 am

Aaron - The Fender Steel King has a wonderful reverb unit and will give you as long a reverb tail as you would ever want. On the bandstand I set the reverb at about 9 o'clock and add just a touch of delay, in the 200ms to 300ms range. The delay is real subtle.

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Lee, from South Texas
Down On The Rio Grande

Mullen U-12, Evans FET-500, Fender Steel King

Aaron Youngberg · Post by **Aaron Youngberg** » 6 Feb 2006 7:39 am

What delay units do people use? As I've mentioned earlier I tried the Maxon AD900 analog delay pedal. Is analog delay better to use than digital?
Aaron

Michael Garnett · Post by **Michael Garnett** » 6 Feb 2006 8:36 am

Aaron, that's a very subjective "Ears" question. Analog _should_ sound warmer and more authentic than digital. However, I have been playing through the Line6 DD-4 Delay modeler, and I can't believe how well it reproduces some really high-end tube, tape, and analog delays. I'm with the other guys, quick delay setting, fast decay, and some spring reverb makes for a really nice tone. The delay, even if it is just a few hundred milliseconds, really makes your instrument jump out in the mix.

-MG

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 6 Feb 2006 9:13 am

Here is what I use. It's a very small unit and doesn't take up much space in my pac-a-seat.

Lee