JangleBox - Guitar Effect

[ducktrapper]

I saw this advertised at the 12th Fret the other day. Checked it out on line. Listened to some samples and read the star endorsements and so what the hey, I ordered one of these yesterday. I think it will spice up my electric 12 string playing. Anyone use or heard one?

http://janglebox.com/

[jimmy buffett]

Nope - haven't heard one, but I'm looking forward to your impressions.  Be sure to let us know...

jimmy

[Tycho]

I have one; I ordered it from MusicToyz a couple of years ago.  It's not on my board right now, but only because I rarely play out with my electric 12.   But when I saw the 12th Fret ad, I started thinking I should add it to my board to use with my Tele.

It takes a little bit of tweaking, but I found you can dial in the McGuinn sound quite nicely.  And Roger himself endorses it.

[drathbun]

Rickenbacker has a problem with the Janglebox saying it is reverse engineered from their Roger McGuinn model 370/12 special edition guitar which had a built in compressor. I get a pretty good Byrds effect from my cheapo Behringer CS100.

[rrgguitarman]

Nuts! I'm getting a strong G.A.S. pain...

[Dale_I]

For compressors, you should really check out...
http://www.robertkeeley.com/product.php?id=8

Robert Keeley is "the" name in compressors. His new four knob style brings the ultimate adjustability to your compression needs. I have his three knob version and can't say enough about it. He's won all the awards, recognition, etc. Another nice option is one put out be Analogman. It is a Bi-Compressor, two compressors in one. Not really two, but two settings you can switch back and forth between using a stomp box switch. Kind of nice to have the option of changing your sound without having to bend down and fiddle with knobs.
http://www.buyanalogman.com/product_p/am%20bicomp.htm

As usual... No affiliation or relation between me and them, etc, etc, etc.

[ducktrapper]

The Keely appears to be about twice as much. I think I'll start small.

[Dale_I]

The Keely appears to be about twice as much. I think I'll start small.

Maybe I missed where you are purchasing these from, but the link above puts the Jangle box at $215 and you have gain and attack.

The Keeley two knob is $219 and the Keeley four knob (level (gain), sustain, attack, and trim) is $249.

The Analogman is $219 for three knob (level, attack, sustain) in large box, $245 for the same in small box, and the bi-comp is $265.

However, these are considered boutique pedals and are more than a simple compressor. You can get a Boss CS-3 for $89. This doesn't have true by-pass like the boutique pedals, but gives you level, tone, attach, and sustain settings that should be more than adequate. I tend to lean to the true by-pass when available because after you link several pedals the annoying hiss/hum gets hard to squash without a line limiter.

[Tycho]

I'm by no means an expert on compressors, and I've never tried the Keeley, but I do have an MXR DynaComp, and to my ears the Janglebox does something quite different from the DynaComp.

[ducktrapper]

Maybe I missed where you are purchasing these from, but the link above puts the Jangle box at $215 and you have gain and attack.

The Keeley two knob is $219 and the Keeley four knob (level (gain), sustain, attack, and trim) is $249.

The Analogman is $219 for three knob (level, attack, sustain) in large box, $245 for the same in small box, and the bi-comp is $265.

However, these are considered boutique pedals and are more than a simple compressor. You can get a Boss CS-3 for $89. This doesn't have true by-pass like the boutique pedals, but gives you level, tone, attach, and sustain settings that should be more than adequate. I tend to lean to the true by-pass when available because after you link several pedals the annoying hiss/hum gets hard to squash without a line limiter.

I dunno, I just clicked on price list at the link you gave me. Anyway, I'd like to avoid the clipping caused by the cheaper compression units and I'm not about to pay a few grand for a Ric12. Sooo ... too late for now, it's ordered, it's coming and I'll tell you all what I think of it when I know what I think of it.     

[djsonovox]

I picked up a used CS-3 for 25 bucks. It sounds excellent on the Ric 12. I think the superiority of such an expensive pedal is somewhat questionable, unless you really like tossing the loot around.

Anyone making a tube compressor? That I'd go for. Tubehead from PAIA is worth building from their kit.

Doug J

[rrgguitarman]

At the risk of sounding really stupid can someone explain to me how a compressor makes the guitar sound jangly?

[Tycho]

I can't really answer that question, but I can say that compression is the secret to Roger McGuinn's chimey, ringing, sustaining 12-string sound.  A normal electric 12 sound comes close but doesn't quite get you there.  Add compression, and voila, there it is.  That's why some of those higher-end Rics come with built in compressors.

[drathbun]

That jangly sound (especially from a Ric 12 string) comes from having each string sound at equal intensities. Normally, any 12 string without compression, suffers from uneven string volumes. The smaller, jangly, treble strings do not have as much amplitude as the larger strings and can be overpowered by the larger strings. Really well built acoustic 12 strings like Larrivee, Guild, Martin and Taylor, have excellent resonance of the upper strings and really good balance.

A Ric 12 string also adds the unique touch of reversing the courses of strings so you strike the lower octave first and then the treble. If you add a compressor to a Ric 12 string, it will even out the volume, attenuating the larger strings and boosting the volume on the smaller treble strings, thus giving you that "jangly" sound. Of course, Ric aficionados will point to the Rickenbacker vintage "toaster" pickups being another key to nailing the McGuinn sound.

Many people claim Keeley and Fairchild compressors are the best. I've found that even a cheap compressor will really help with getting that jangly vibe. I've also plugged my Ric 12 directly in to my mixer and used software compressors (Sony SoundForge WaveHammer is a good one) to get the jangle.

Here are two songs I recorded with my Ric 12 string and the software compressor:
My Back Pages
Norwegian Wood

Of course, the best way to get the McGuinn magic is to:

• buy a McGuinn model 370/12 (with compressor built in)
• play directly into a control desk with Fairchild compressors
• have Roger do the playing 

[rrgguitarman]

Excellent explanation! Thank youi!

Is there any benefit to using a compressor on a 6 string?

[Tycho]

Is there any benefit to using a compressor on a 6 string?

Again, I'll let someone else (drathbun?) give you the technical explanation, but running your Tele through an MXR DynaComp is practically mandatory in Nashville.  It gives single notes a real snap and pop at the outset, and the increased sustain somehow adds more twang to the picture.

[Dale_I]

Here is a good article on compressors, what they do, how they do it, and what the result is:
http://www.harmony-central.com/articles/tips/compressors_demystified/

In short, you can think of them as a limiter, making sure that one string or note can not be significantly louder than others. But, by limiting the output you will change the sound. If you have a guitar shop that will let you test drive equipment, take your acoustic in and play it with and then without to hear the difference. The more expensive pedals will offer higher end components and will generally have true by pass, which will not color your tone if the pedal is not being used.

[drathbun]

Excellent explanation! Thank youi!

Is there any benefit to using a compressor on a 6 string?

If you are talking about an electric 6 string... yes! I add compression to my electrics all the time. My acoustics... no. The dynamics of the sound is what makes an acoustic and acoustic in my opinion. Of course a little (I mean LITTLE) compression can smooth out the edges of an acoustic with an installed pickup (especially a UST).

[rrgguitarman]

Cool. Thanks.

[rrgguitarman]

Has anyone tried this modifieid Boss pedal?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=001&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=110125899361&rd=1&rd=1