The Steelmixer
Developed By Mark Dunn.
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Stop Press!!!
very positive on the pre-production models of this very tasty piece of kit!
The first production models are about to roll out via Mark in the UK and via BJS Bars who will distribute the product in the US.
Good luck with the launch Mark! I look forward to hearing some very clean Steel Sounds around in the coming months!
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Mark has invested considerable time and expense into the development of his new unit which having seen and heard it seems awesome! He explains its features and benefits on the video but in a nutshell the main function is to allow the raw signal to remain while enhancement is applied, this is done via a small remote unit clipped to the right rear leg, eliminating the need to leave the instrument to make the adjustments.
A ‘Quote’ from the Designer! The Inspiration
Have you ever noticed that your guitar sounds great when it’s plugged straight into a combo with just your volume pedal in-line? Yes….. Then you add a delay or reverb pedal…. At first you’re impressed with the fat, full sound that’s produced with the added effect. Then you go to a gig….. Things don’t work out how you expected! That great sound you had in the practice room isn’t there! After several years of playing guitar and steel guitar through many different amplifiers, effect units and combinations of equipment, in the repair workshop and in a gigging situation one simple fact became clear. The best guitar sounds are often produced using a classic design of amplifier (in good original working order) with no effects. Adding almost any effect in-line deteriorates the basic sound. I started to consider, why? And could there be a solution that would preserve the basic sound while allowing room simulating effects to be added? Without doubt a good quality reverb and delay effect can greatly enhance the sound of the guitar or steel guitar; if adjusted correctly. Modern digital delay and reverb effects units are capable of producing very controllable and high quality effect emulations. Ironically, the more modern nicer sounding effects often introduce latency (a small delay) into the signal chain. Latency is insignificant in terms of its affect on the delay or reverb, but appears to degrade, as perceived by a musician, the dry element of the sound. For this reason some musicians use older low quality effects units that don’t introduce latency and accept the compromise of a lower quality effect. Adding effects in series often compounds the latency in the signal and remains present even when the effect is bypassed. The Steel Mixer was designed to make any deterioration in the raw guitar signal negligible, to introduce absolutely no latency, while enabling delay and reverb effects to be integrated into the sound. By using the Steel Mixer you really can have the best of both worlds, a great dry sound, combined with high quality modern digital reverb and delay. George L’s connectors and cable can be supplied to make connections between the Steel Mixer and pedals. These connectors are well suited.
An aluminium floor pedal-board plate can be supplied to mount the Steel Mixer, two effects pedals and the volume pedal. By pre-wiring the interconnections and mounting the parts onto the pedal-board a more practical solution is created for live work.
Enjoy the demo!
Another clip of Mark getting into it once ‘his pitch’ was over!
Great stuff Mark!
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