Grateful Dead Music Forum

Whats up,
recently bought Playing Dead's Q-Tron and am having alot of fun with it. I'm noticing though that to get the desired effect my guitar has to be turned up to the max, leaving me to adjust the amp volume. Is this the same for everyone? How do you guys deal with this on stage? Preferrably cost-free without having to buy some sort of volume pedal or something.

Glad you like it.

It's a volume sensitive effect, so if you adjust it so you're getting the right amount of "wah" with your guitar volume turned all the way up, when you roll the volume off on the guitar, you won't get the same effect.

This is exactly why Garcia came up with the onboard effects loop, which appeared right around the time he started using the MuTron.

Something like a volume pedal after the Q-Tron's output (right before your amp) will allow you to adjust the volume without affecting the sound of the effect.

I like to use the bridge pick up when using this FX. I think it sounds best when you strike the string over or as close to the pick up being used.
Experiment with hitting the strings hard and soft.

A simple man's solution: leave the guitar volume on 10 and put an volume pedal at the end of the chain.

Tone controls also play a big role in how a Qtron responds. More treble will make it open up sooner.

i like to really concentrate on the dynamics using the peak & gain knobs! and as the jedi stated it is really touch sensitive!!! so try to crunch a chord like Dm (shakedown) as hard as you are gonna hit it and adjust one of the peak or gain to what your ear likes. then strke a soft note and make adjustments. i think picking & strumming dynamics and nuances are a highly overlooked part of garcias playing & tone. I also like to keep my guitar volume up @ 8,9,or 10 at all times and only in emergency run to the amp (like bobby does) and turn some knobs. anyhow, higher guitar volume seems to work better for the Qtrons like you said so adjust the rest of your system to match that.
works fine for me live and I do not yet use a volume pedal!!! although i often do the bobby shuffle!!!!! (don't get me wrong i understand that bobby is tweaking knobs because that's what his ear needs to hear to play the way he does!!! and i do believe what garcia said ; something like weir is probably the best R&B player in the world!!!

I have one too and you need overdrive or distortion. Connect the qtron direct to your guitar and any other effects after.