Advice for Noise gate

[Loliveira23]

Hi all, i'm looking for advice on where is the best place to use the noise gate, I'm planining on buying the TC Electronics Sentry, because I'm not quite well satisfyed the with G-Major II noise gate to reduce noise (Hum and Hiss) and gate:

so this is my current set up.

Mesa Boggie matrk V (90w head) + TC Electronics G-Major II + GCX Audio Switcher + Voodoo Lab Control Switcher + Axess Electronics FX1 + MXR Buffer

Signal chain is as follows:

Guitar in > MXR Buffer (pedalboard) > Volume Pedal > Wah pedal > the 20 f run cable into the GCX Audio Switcher powering a Axess electronics FX1
Loop 1: TC Electronics Dark Matter
Loop 2: TC Electroncics Viscous Vibe
Loop 3: TC Electroncics Vortex Flanger
Loop 4: TC Electroncics Dream Scape
Loop 5: Carl martin Compressor
Loop 6: nothing so far
Loop 7: nothing so far
Loop 8: nothing so far
Loop 8: out to amp input

Control Switcher connected to AMP jack inputs in the back for channel changing
TC Electronics G-Major II connected to the Loop FX of the amp

all midi chain connected, but where to put the noise gate in front of the AMP? in the Loop so i can turned on and off if I need? at the end of the chain?

thanks in advance for the tips...

[JohnClark]

If you go with the Sentry I would connect the guitar path as early as possible maybe even in front of the buffer, and place the gate path just before the G-Major2 since it will likely be providing delay and reverb that you don't want gated.

If used this way, the gate will trigger off the bare guitar signal and likely never need to be bypassed.

I hope that helps!

[Loliveira23]

Hi John,

thanks a lot for the advice, just on little thing, I have the G-major pluged directly into the amp FX Loop, so do you suggest to change the plug to the GCX? or can leave like this? if I leave it like this do I need to use the send return path in the sentry anyway? if so where should be the best way to go, GCX?

thanks a lot...

[JohnClark]

I'm suggesting the Sentry gate path be in the amp's effects loop... this places it after the preamp section so it catches any hissing from higher gain settings, but it needs to be before the G-Major2 so it doesn't cut off delay repeats or reverb tails. I'd plan on connecting it direct into the effects loop, but if you find you need to have it bypassed sometimes then by all means feel free to route the gate path thru a GCX Loop.

If you use the boost function on the G-Major2 then you will likely want to keep it connected directly in the effects loop too. The G-Major2 "boost" is more like a "cut" that you are bypassing to bring the level back up to match the Input level. This isn't apparent when connected direct, but is noticeable if the G-Major2 is in a true bypass loop. If you do route it in a GCX Loop you will need to edit every preset to get rid of the cut so the G-Major2 output more closely matches the level when bypassed.

NOTE: I had the Sentry connections wrong in my previous post so I've deleted them and put them here with more detail
The bare guitar signal for the best gate triggering...
1. Guitar to Sentry Input.
2. Sentry Send to MXR Buffer Input.
Complete the path just as you've had it with anything routed to the front of the amp.

The gated path in the effects loop of the amp...
1. Effects Send from the amp to the Sentry Return.
2. Sentry Output to the G-Major2 Input.
3. G-Major Output to the amp Effects Return.

*I should mention that this is how I've used an ISP Decimator G-String noise gate to great effect and I am assuming the Sentry is able to be used the same way, however all examples I have found from TC Electronic look to keep the Sentry completely in front of the amp. I am certain these connections will not harm the pedal, but I am not certain that it will behave perfectly right out of the box without jumping into the TonePrint editor to adjust some levels here and there.

I hope that helps!