Need suggestions for a noise gate

Hey, all. I don't know if this belongs in the Tone and Effects area, but anyway, here goes. I just bought a Digitech Death Metal distortion box (getting crazy in my old age). The whooshing sound is driving me nuts, so I figure a noise gate should be a solution, right? I've googled noise gates, and come up with prices of less than a hundred to over a thousand. I'm only a recreational player now, so I want to go less than a hundred (or even less). Boss seems pretty popular. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance. Oh, will I need some kind of signal booster if I get a noise gate? I'm not up on all these boxes/pedals; I normally like to just plug in and play; only other effects box I use is a 15 yr. old Korg G1.

I don't know. But those guys that responded to your pickup thread will surely know!! I thought they were speakin Chinese. Damn, do I feel stupid!!

The Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor should do the trick for under $100. Another cool thing about the pedal is that it has an output to power other 9V pedals.

Originally Posted by: akeI don't know. But those guys that responded to your pickup thread will surely know!! I thought they were speakin Chinese. Damn, do I feel stupid!!

Tell me aout it- and I DO speak Chinese!

Originally Posted by: Homebrew1709The Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor should do the trick for under $100. Another cool thing about the pedal is that it has an output to power other 9V pedals.

That's exactly the model I've been lookin' at (I think), Homebrew. I happen to have a bid in at Ebay for the Boss NF-1- high bidder at $2.25, lol. I figure it may be worth it; I set my maximum bid at something like $10. Do you use the NS-2 yourself? Thanks for your input.

Originally Posted by: SilimtaoThat's exactly the model I've been lookin' at (I think), Homebrew. I happen to have a bid in at Ebay for the Boss NF-1- high bidder at $2.25, lol. I figure it may be worth it; I set my maximum bid at something like $10. Do you use the NS-2 yourself? Thanks for your input.

Well I used to own one, but i sold most of my stompboxes a few years ago, which i sorta regret now. The pedal did what it was supposed to do (suppress the noise!) and the internal power supply saved me a lot of 9V batteries! Check out the reviews on Harmony Central, I'm sure people have lots of things to say about (good and bad) there.

I got the most crushing,tightest distortion(think "...and justice" for all kinda)using the Boss NS-2 with a Boss metalzone.It was the 'cleanest' distortion ive used(no hum/hiss at all).I don't have it anymore,but it was great...best noise gate for the price IMO.

From what I've read, and the input from you guys. Second question- will I need a signal booster if I get a noise gate? Thanks!

Nope. A noise gate/suppressor only affects sound levels below a certain threshold.
In other words, only the noise will (should) be affected, not the signal that you actually want to hear.

Originally Posted by: SPLNope. A noise gate/suppressor only affects sound levels below a certain threshold.
In other words, only the noise will (should) be affected, not the signal that you actually want to hear.

Thanks for the reply, SPL. I've read some gates suppresses the sounds you DO want to hear. Guess I'll find out after I get the box. Thanks again.

I won a bid on the Boss NS-2 for a total of $63- supposedly barely used, mint condition. I couldn't find it cheaper than $79.99. Wife's going ballistic over all the guitar gear lately, so I went the ebay route. Thanks again for everyone's input; will let ya know how it works out when it arrives about the 11th.

Got the Boss NS-2 noise gate. Has cut down quite a bit of the whoosh I was hearing. However, it's clipping off quite a bit of the notes I'm playing. Tried tweaking the threshold and decay every which way. Also find it works best at the end of the chain, as opposed to Boss' instructions to have it first (that just doesn't make sense to me.) So, I figure I need a compressor/sustainer, but which one? I hear Boss' are kinda noisy. I have a friend that loves his Digitech, but he's more of a jazz player- I'm fiddling around with heavy metal now, so I have the distortion box cranked up pretty high. Suggestions on make/model of a compression box? I've read at a number of sites that the Boss can be quite noisy.

btw- can one of you tech gurus explain exactly how a compressor works in SIMPLE English? I figger I should learn a bit more about the gadgets I'm beginning to accumulate. I haven't been able to set my Korg effects box to default settings, one being simple sustain (can't find the manual, and I programmed the thing yrs. ago to different settings.)

fwiw, I have the stomp boxes setup this way: Korg, Death Metal Distortion, noise gate. Tried different combinations, and found this way works best. Playing through a Crate MicroCube with the effects knob set to clean- set any other way other than acoustic just creates to much hiss. Have other amps, but they're in storage. Thanks much.