In a Nutshell – The Talk Box

The world of effects is a vast and complex one, a world that remains a mystery to many but that we guitarists must master if we are to find our own sound. From wah to reverb, from flange to delay... the possibilities are endless, and this complexity is compounded with each additional link in the chain. Effects are available in many guises today, with rack-mounted devices and software on our computers; however, we will concentrate on good old fashioned pedals.

This month we'll take a look at the Talk Box, which is in a ballpark pretty much on its own but the capabilities of this pedal make it a distinctive addition to any pedalboard, and a pedal that you'll find under the feet of your heroes (particularly 80s hair metal players)...

The Science
The Talk Box is used by the player to modify the sound of the guitar to mimic the human voice. The pedal accepts a feed from the 'speaker out' connection of an amplifier and redirects the sound from the amp through the pedal and out via the plastic tube. The plastic tube is then placed close enough to the mouth and a microphone that the amplifier output is projected in to the mouth and then picked up by the vocal microphone as it returns.
The player can manipulate the sound by changing the shape of the mouth, lip-syncing and so on. This can result in many types of effect, the most extreme being a guitar literally speaking to the audience.

History
Bob Heil was the first to design and manufacture a high-powered Talk Box which proved a success in the market, but 'The Bag' from Kustom Electronics predates it (1969), as do efforts from Alvino Rey who in 1939 managed to arrange a microphone designed for pilots, his wife's vocal and his guitar in such a way that he played and her voice was heard.
Nevertheless, the Heil Talk Box is now the standard and has been used by Peter Frampton, Joe Walsh, Slash, Tool, Metallica, Brian May and many many others. An obvious example of a Talk Box in use would be the opening of Bon Jovi's 'Livin' on a Prayer' (Woah-Woah-Woah-Wo-Wo-Woah-Woah-Woah-Wo-Wo)

Products
The Heil Talk Box now manufactured by Dunlop to Heil's original design is the market leader. It is the pedal you've heard on all those records. It should be noted that the decision to purchase a Heil Talk Box is not to be taken lightly as it is not a stand-alone piece of equipment. You will also need an amplifier with an external speaker connection, a vocal microphone and arrangements to amplify the signal from the microphone – overall it's going to dramatically increase the complexity of your rig.

The payoff can be huge though – used correctly you can get tones that just aren't possible any other way, and you could play a simple riff with a vocal twist that becomes instantly recognisable the world over... who knows.

The Rocktron Banshee is a simpler alternative to the Heil as it has its own preamp and horn driver so you no longer run the risk of driving your favourite amp in to oblivion. Sounds are similar to the Heil, and the price is also in the same ballpark ($/£175 rrp). Peter Frampton designed a talk box now marketed by Keeley Electronics under the 'Framptone' label which is a pyramid in structure – if you like to stand out then this may be the one for you. Finally for bedroom players only the Danelectro Free Speech pedal is again simple to use like the Banshee but on a budget, unfortunately it doesn't look like it could withstand the punishment of live use.

So a complicated recommendation for this month: If you have the rig (and wallet!) to support it go for the Heil as it offers the best results to my ear. If you're not in to hugely complex set ups then go for the Banshee – a very close second. If you're on a budget, a bedroom only player or just after a dabble with a talk box, go with the Free Speech as a 'toy'. All will make you smile, and they are frequently available used as players give up on them so it's well worth hunting out a bargain.