Grateful Dead Music Forum

ok now I'm looking at the Emma too

anyone have any opinions on the differences between the Discumbobulator and the Q-Tron+?

BOUKINATOR wrote:ok now I'm looking at the Emma too

anyone have any opinions on the differences between the Discumbobulator and the Q-Tron+?

STFU and buy the Emma.

IMO:
Q-Tron gets an A+ lead and C for rhythm
Emma gets an A for lead and an A+ for rhythm

YMMV

(I love putting interweb shit in your posts, boukie, since I know you don't get them)

strumminsix wrote:
(I love putting interweb shit in your posts, boukie, since I know you don't get them)

ROFLMFAO!!!

strumminsix wrote:IMO:Q-Tron gets an A+ lead and C for rhythm Emma gets an A for lead and an A+ for rhythm

STRONG disagreement, SS...

I LOVE the Q-Tron for all. I can get kick-ass Bob rhythm w/ the Q or Jerry-esque rhythm, if I want. I would LOVE to be able to get that squishy envelope sound Bob got in the 90s...it would kinda 'ease in' to the bubble - if that makes any sense. I have NO idea what freakin' effect combination he used to get it - been trying to figure it out for almost 18 years.

pappypgh wrote:

strumminsix wrote:IMO:Q-Tron gets an A+ lead and C for rhythm Emma gets an A for lead and an A+ for rhythm

STRONG disagreement, SS...

I LOVE the Q-Tron for all. I can get kick-ass Bob rhythm w/ the Q or Jerry-esque rhythm, if I want. I would LOVE to be able to get that squishy envelope sound Bob got in the 90s...it would kinda 'ease in' to the bubble - if that makes any sense. I have NO idea what freakin' effect combination he used to get it - been trying to figure it out for almost 18 years.

This is funny Pappy.. You and I were arm and arm in agreement on alot of things for a while now we are contenders in the ring

Personally, I find any effect that forces a "pass" EQ filter to ruin a good rhythm tone. But that's just me.

GAME ON!
Just kiddin' SS...heheee - you're right! We used to skip through the daisies - now we're mortal enemies...

Anyway, I don't get what you mean by forcing a "pass EQ"....I can really get the perfect tones out of my Q...both Bobby-esque & Jerry-esque stuff...plus some nice tones that are just...well...mine!

SERIOUSLY THO - maybe I should start a separate thread - does ANYONE know what envelope tone I'm talkin' about? Bob used it A LOT in 91...and I mean A LOT. Almost every version of MNS from that year. It's an envelope effect that has a bit of distortion grit to it, but it doesn't come in like a normal envelope sound. It's almost "inverted", but seems to "go both ways", if you know what I mean....AAARRRGHH....tough to describe. Listen to THIS version of MNS and lemme know if you have any thoughts:

http://www.archive.org/details/gd91-06- ... sbeok.shnf

HELP!

pappypgh wrote:
GAME ON!
Just kiddin' SS...heheee - you're right! We used to skip through the daisies - now we're mortal enemies...

Anyway, I don't get what you mean by forcing a "pass EQ"....I can really get the perfect tones out of my Q...both Bobby-esque & Jerry-esque stuff...plus some nice tones that are just...well...mine!

Bring it, biatch!!!

The Q and many other force you to chose hi-pass or lo-pass. Essentially tweaking your tone. Looky:
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/closeup/QTronPls--Main

BP = band pass
LP = low pass
HP = high pass

I HATE what that does to your tone. Hence feeling it is not good for rhythm. Hence my Emma love since it doesn't have a pass it keeps the original tone.

The Emma is wired as a bandpass filter. A rather wide one. All ECF's have a filter cutoff. It's part of the way they translate and respond to signal.

I was shocked at how good it sounded. Lots of funky fun. No chance of getting a legit Garcia tone out of it though. It's just not shelved for it. I found myself reaching for what would be a LP and it wasn't there. So it's seems a little limiting. That where all the violin like swells and sustain happen. Hence the Mutron's popularity.

It's a cute pedal though. Sounds more like a Wah-Wah than an Envelope Filter.

jonarobb wrote:The Emma is wired as a bandpass filter. A rather wide one. All ECF's have a filter cutoff. It's part of the way they translate and respond to signal.

I was shocked at how good it sounded. Lots of funky fun. No chance of getting a legit Garcia tone out of it though. It's just not shelved for it. I found myself reaching for what would be a LP and it wasn't there. So it's seems a little limiting. That where all the violin like swells and sustain happen. Hence the Mutron's popularity.

It's a cute pedal though. Sounds more like a Wah-Wah than an Envelope Filter.

CHECK MATE.

pappypgh wrote:

jonarobb wrote:The Emma is wired as a bandpass filter. A rather wide one. All ECF's have a filter cutoff. It's part of the way they translate and respond to signal.

I was shocked at how good it sounded. Lots of funky fun. No chance of getting a legit Garcia tone out of it though. It's just not shelved for it. I found myself reaching for what would be a LP and it wasn't there. So it's seems a little limiting. That where all the violin like swells and sustain happen. Hence the Mutron's popularity.

It's a cute pedal though. Sounds more like a Wah-Wah than an Envelope Filter.

CHECK MATE.

HA! That wide filter is like maybe 5% off the top and 5% bottom max. Hence, great rhythm tone. You only had me in check. And it's been blocked, and now you, sir, are in check!

strumminsix wrote:

pappypgh wrote:

jonarobb wrote:The Emma is wired as a bandpass filter. A rather wide one. All ECF's have a filter cutoff. It's part of the way they translate and respond to signal.

I was shocked at how good it sounded. Lots of funky fun. No chance of getting a legit Garcia tone out of it though. It's just not shelved for it. I found myself reaching for what would be a LP and it wasn't there. So it's seems a little limiting. That where all the violin like swells and sustain happen. Hence the Mutron's popularity.

It's a cute pedal though. Sounds more like a Wah-Wah than an Envelope Filter.

CHECK MATE.

HA! That wide filter is like maybe 5% off the top and 5% bottom max. Hence, great rhythm tone. You only had me in check. And it's been blocked, and now you, sir, are in check!

I'm a bit shocked that you can't dial in the tone you want with the Q. It has that GAIN dial and the PEAK dial for optimum customization. I leave the bottom switch on the lowest setting (toward the bottom of the pedal) and go from there. It does so much with so many variations, I can't understand why you can't find your sound. PILOT ERROR??!!

Check.

pappypgh wrote:

strumminsix wrote:

pappypgh wrote: CHECK MATE.

HA! That wide filter is like maybe 5% off the top and 5% bottom max. Hence, great rhythm tone. You only had me in check. And it's been blocked, and now you, sir, are in check!

I'm a bit shocked that you can't dial in the tone you want with the Q. It has that GAIN dial and the PEAK dial for optimum customization. I leave the bottom switch on the lowest setting (toward the bottom of the pedal) and go from there. It does so much with so many variations, I can't understand why you can't find your sound. PILOT ERROR??!!

Check.

You are shocked cuz you don't know Emma. Blocked.

I have what I feel is great tone. Therefore a highpass or lowpass chopping it off makes for a nasty rhythm tone to my ears. Plus I'm a big fan of set it and forget it since it's racked with a GCX.

Check.

Stalemate.

You & I are apparently seeking different tones. I like the softness & controlability of the Q. Let's talk about something else now.

Maybe its because you guys have different amps and guitars - so the pedals have different sounds for the each of you.Pappy being a Jerry;Strum being a Bobby.
I get a cool faux Bob sound from the Q.
But I dont know squat about getting Bob's sounds;someone who makes their bones playing Bob could think its a piece o junk.
Never used the Emma either.
Love to though ....
I wonder how many threads there are about Wahs and getting sounds from them ?

Tennessee Jedi wrote:Maybe its because you guys have different amps and guitars - so the pedals have different sounds for the each of you.Pappy being a Jerry;Strum being a Bobby.

TJ is really onto something here. Many input and output variables will affect the results heard from an ECF. Including:

- use of an onboard preamp/ input signal strength
- !!! guitar tone control setting (and subsequent amp tone setting)...also tone control placement before or after fx loop if present
- ! picking attack!
- post-ECF buffering in your chain of FX