Switch that makes guitar squeal!!

AlexLakis · 23rd January 2007

I recorded this rock band once where the lead guitar player had this one guitar...the sound was okay, forget what brand it was...Anyways, he had a switch on there, and whenever he'd switch it on, it would sound like every note he played was a pinched harmonic. Ya know, that squealy shit.

It was really handy, and the tracks turned out great! I was wondering what that was called, and how I can get one in one of my guitars. I think he said the switch came with the guitar when he bought it...wish I could remember what kinda guitar it was...

scrubs · 23rd January 2007

Fernandes Sustainer, possibly.

eligit · 23rd January 2007

check some of those zvex pedals....i have tried a few that if set extremely will make your guitar squeal like nobody's biz. not really my taste in pedals...but they will squeal almost like a messy analog synth.

GravityRobert · 23rd January 2007

Yeah I think I've seen that before with a touch sensitive knob on the body of the guitar close to the switch Les Paul's have, that position.

AlexLakis · 23rd January 2007

Yeah, the Sustainer sounds like it might be it, although I don't recall a 9V battery being involved...I can't listen to the sample files on their site because I refuse to install Quicktime on a PC.

Thanks! I'll research the Fernandes some more and scope out the zvex pedals (although I'm not really a pedal man.)

EDIT: Which Zvex pedal are you referring to, eligit? There's quite a few, and their descriptions are kinda cryptic.

analogtodd · 23rd January 2007

Yeah
Sustainer!!!!!

I always thought that was a really cool gimmic

Haven't seen one in years.

Wasn't it a 3 position switch
off/fundamental/octave

It was always neat to turn it on and feel the whole
guitar start to take off!!!!!

-Noodles- · 24th January 2007

It'll probs be a Whammy-effect style switch..

Matt from Muse uses one, built in. So if it that's style effect, that's what it is.

eligit · 25th January 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlexLakis

Yeah, the Sustainer sounds like it might be it, although I don't recall a 9V battery being involved...I can't listen to the sample files on their site because I refuse to install Quicktime on a PC.

Thanks! I'll research the Fernandes some more and scope out the zvex pedals (although I'm not really a pedal man.)

EDIT: Which Zvex pedal are you referring to, eligit? There's quite a few, and their descriptions are kinda cryptic.

well, that is because they have all these weird nobs you would not normally find on a given type of pedal. recently i tried the octave (above) pedal and one of the fuzz pedals. if you start tweaking the extreme settings you end up with all kinds of squealing type/feedback tones. find a store that carries a bunch of them, line them up one after the other, and start turning knobs....many varieties of squeal.

**Blast9** · 25th January 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by -Noodles-

It'll probs be a Whammy-effect style switch..

Matt from Muse uses one, built in. So if it that's style effect, that's what it is.

He gets that sound with a zvex fuzz factory built into his guitar (Check out intro to plug-in baby! Go check out the very cool demo on the zvex website. Its done with the "stab" control ---- mucho noise!

AlexLakis · 25th January 2007

Sweet guys, sounds like a winner! I'm gonna scope out who has the pedals in town and try them out. I'm also strongly considering building my own guitar, so I'll probably put a Sustainer in there too. Good times, thanks, guys!

-Noodles- · 27th January 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blast9

He gets that sound with a zvex fuzz factory built into his guitar (Check out intro to plug-in baby! Go check out the very cool demo on the zvex website. Its done with the "stab" control ---- mucho noise!

I stand corrected..!
******//musegear.fobbedoff.net/

eligit · 27th January 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by -Noodles-

I stand corrected..!
******//musegear.fobbedoff.net/

damn! i called that shit!

octatonic · 27th January 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blast9

He gets that sound with a zvex fuzz factory built into his guitar (Check out intro to plug-in baby! Go check out the very cool demo on the zvex website. Its done with the "stab" control ---- mucho noise!

That is freaky- I've been building a strat this month where I am building a fuzz facotry into it.
Didn't know that Matt had already doen this.

AlexLakis · 28th January 2007

Just got back from vacation in upstate PA. I stopped by a local music store there and grabbed something for $10 that I have since identified as a GA-2 Sustainiac. Any thoughts on this? Should I bother putting this in a guitar or sell it for scrap metal?

octatonic · 28th January 2007

Good score- if you don't want it then I'll buy it from you.

Read this:

******//www.sustainiac.com/ga-1-2.htm

Prickstein · 29th January 2007

I have a Hamer with a built in sustainiac. Love it!
Chews throught the batteries though. You can kiss 2 9 volts goodbye if you leave the guitar plugged in overnight.

I've got a lend of a fuzz factory at the moment. I understand why you'd want it built into your guitar. It's all about turning the knobs while sustaining notes a'la Matt Bellamy. Speaking of which, I saw Muse last weekend at the Big Day Out on the Gold Coast. Mind Blowing!

AlexLakis · 31st January 2007

Just got a chance to try out the Fuzz Factory.

I'LL BITE. How would you go about putting on in a guitar? Playing with the knobs would be key while performing...Good stuff!

Prickstein · 31st January 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlexLakis

Just got a chance to try out the Fuzz Factory.

I'LL BITE. How would you go about putting on in a guitar? Playing with the knobs would be key while performing...Good stuff!

I had a bit more of a play last night. You can get some crazy effects going by using your guitars volume knob while sustaining notes. Give it a go.

**Blast9** · 31st January 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlexLakis

Just got a chance to try out the Fuzz Factory.

I'LL BITE. How would you go about putting on in a guitar? Playing with the knobs would be key while performing...Good stuff!

Maybe PM richmonsjames, as he said he's just done this!

prickstein --- have you tried it with a volume pedal? Wonder how that would be.

dtucker · 31st January 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlexLakis

Just got back from vacation in upstate PA. I stopped by a local music store there and grabbed something for $10 that I have since identified as a GA-2 Sustainiac. Any thoughts on this? Should I bother putting this in a guitar or sell it for scrap metal?

The Sustainiac is the same concept as the Fernandes Sustainer. Might even be the same product. I had a crap guitar years ago that had the Sustainer built in. Sounded really cool but the guitar played like crap.

George Lynch used an intrusive version (some sort of resonating thing attached to the headstock with a pedal for control) of the Sustainiac all over the "Back for the Attack" album back in the late 80s. Always dug that sound...

Prickstein · 31st January 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blast9

Maybe PM richmonsjames, as he said he's just done this!

prickstein --- have you tried it with a volume pedal? Wonder how that would be.

No I haven't. Dude who owns the pedal is back in town in the next couple of days so I might give it a go before he's back. Just to add about the voume knob thing- it kinda sounds like you're using a whammy pedal. I found it more extreme than when my girl was twisting the knob (s)

while I was playing. On the pedal that is.

octatonic · 1st February 2007

I'm still building it- there is more to it than I first thought- you have to desolder the pots as they are surface mounted on the PCB and a few other things going on.
I've managed to work out placement for everything- you need to route out a strat cavity more than normal to fit it in- but at least you don't need to break the PCB in half like I have had to with other devices.

I'll post pics & schematic once I get everything completed...

Regards,

James Richmond

Oh yeah, I changed my username today, in case anyone is confused.

analogtodd · 1st February 2007

sustainiac is the same thing. fernandez just called it something different.

**Blast9** · 1st February 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by octatonic

I'm still building it- there is more to it than I first thought- you have to desolder the pots as they are surface mounted on the PCB and a few other things going on.
I've managed to work out placement for everything- you need to route out a strat cavity more than normal to fit it in- but at least you don't need to break the PCB in half like I have had to with other devices.

I'll post pics & schematic once I get everything completed...

Regards,

James Richmond

Oh yeah, I changed my username today, in case anyone is confused.

Why don't you just get the real thing for £8000? ******//musegear.fobbedoff.net/

(The Laser custom)

23rd January 2007	#1
AlexLakis Lives for gear Joined: Mar 2005 Location: Annapolis, MD/Los Angeles, CA Posts: 3,631 Thread Starter	Switch that makes guitar squeal!! I recorded this rock band once where the lead guitar player had this one guitar...the sound was okay, forget what brand it was...Anyways, he had a switch on there, and whenever he'd switch it on, it would sound like every note he played was a pinched harmonic. Ya know, that squealy shit. It was really handy, and the tracks turned out great! I was wondering what that was called, and how I can get one in one of my guitars. I think he said the switch came with the guitar when he bought it...wish I could remember what kinda guitar it was...

29th January 2007	#16
Prickstein Gear addict Joined: Aug 2004 Location: Gold Coast, Australia Posts: 465	I have a Hamer with a built in sustainiac. Love it! Chews throught the batteries though. You can kiss 2 9 volts goodbye if you leave the guitar plugged in overnight. I've got a lend of a fuzz factory at the moment. I understand why you'd want it built into your guitar. It's all about turning the knobs while sustaining notes a'la Matt Bellamy. Speaking of which, I saw Muse last weekend at the Big Day Out on the Gold Coast. Mind Blowing! __________________ soundcloud.com/rick-hollis facebook.com/rickhollismusic

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23rd January 2007	#2
scrubs Gear addict Joined: Feb 2005 Location: NC Posts: 414	Fernandes Sustainer, possibly.

23rd January 2007	#3
eligit Lives for gear Joined: Mar 2005 Posts: 1,802	check some of those zvex pedals....i have tried a few that if set extremely will make your guitar squeal like nobody's biz. not really my taste in pedals...but they will squeal almost like a messy analog synth.

23rd January 2007	#4
GravityRobert Gear addict Joined: Jul 2006 Posts: 437	Yeah I think I've seen that before with a touch sensitive knob on the body of the guitar close to the switch Les Paul's have, that position.

23rd January 2007	#6
analogtodd Lives for gear Joined: Dec 2006 Location: Denver Colorado Posts: 1,199	Yeah Sustainer!!!!! I always thought that was a really cool gimmic Haven't seen one in years. Wasn't it a 3 position switch off/fundamental/octave It was always neat to turn it on and feel the whole guitar start to take off!!!!!

24th January 2007	#7
-Noodles- Lives for gear Joined: Oct 2006 Location: Scotland, UK Posts: 717 1 Review written	It'll probs be a Whammy-effect style switch.. Matt from Muse uses one, built in. So if it that's style effect, that's what it is.

25th January 2007	#10
AlexLakis Lives for gear Joined: Mar 2005 Location: Annapolis, MD/Los Angeles, CA Posts: 3,631 Thread Starter	Sweet guys, sounds like a winner! I'm gonna scope out who has the pedals in town and try them out. I'm also strongly considering building my own guitar, so I'll probably put a Sustainer in there too. Good times, thanks, guys!

28th January 2007	#14
AlexLakis Lives for gear Joined: Mar 2005 Location: Annapolis, MD/Los Angeles, CA Posts: 3,631 Thread Starter	Just got back from vacation in upstate PA. I stopped by a local music store there and grabbed something for $10 that I have since identified as a GA-2 Sustainiac. Any thoughts on this? Should I bother putting this in a guitar or sell it for scrap metal?

28th January 2007	#15
octatonic Lives for gear Joined: Jun 2004 Location: London Posts: 5,450	Good score- if you don't want it then I'll buy it from you. Read this: ******//www.sustainiac.com/ga-1-2.htm

31st January 2007	#17
AlexLakis Lives for gear Joined: Mar 2005 Location: Annapolis, MD/Los Angeles, CA Posts: 3,631 Thread Starter	Just got a chance to try out the Fuzz Factory. I'LL BITE. How would you go about putting on in a guitar? Playing with the knobs would be key while performing...Good stuff!

1st February 2007	#22
octatonic Lives for gear Joined: Jun 2004 Location: London Posts: 5,450	I'm still building it- there is more to it than I first thought- you have to desolder the pots as they are surface mounted on the PCB and a few other things going on. I've managed to work out placement for everything- you need to route out a strat cavity more than normal to fit it in- but at least you don't need to break the PCB in half like I have had to with other devices. I'll post pics & schematic once I get everything completed... Regards, James Richmond Oh yeah, I changed my username today, in case anyone is confused.