I just threw in my lot with a startup band here in Olympia, country and a fair amount of rather heavy rock, so my pulling the trigger on getting organ sounds is eminent.
My first choice is the Neo Ventilator II coupled with my EHX B9 pedal, but for almost the same quality of sound I'm leaning towards the Lester G, with one remaining question to get answered, can anyone help me out with this:
The Lester G will take an expression pedal to vary from slow to fast on the heel and toe positions. But I hope a switch can be used instead, and just toggle between fast and slow. I lack enough feet to add an expression pedal to the mix!
Anyone successfully using a switch with Lester G?
E9 INSTRUCTION If you want to have an ongoing discussion, please email me, don't use the Forum messaging which I detest! steelguitarlessons@earthlink.net
I borrowed a B9 and used it on a gig. I think that the complex harmonics of pedal steel are too much for that device. It didn't sound solid. The EHX POG2 works well, but it's large and more complex than is necessary. This week I bought a TC Electronics Sub'n'Up. It's a simple polyphonic octaver that tracks really well, and actually sounds better than the POG devices to my ears. Combined with the Strymon Lex for the Leslie effect, it sounds pretty convincing.
I just posted a Rhythm Rangers gig at https://soundhost.net/2018/04/rhythm-rangers-2018/. Listen to The Weight (7th song). That's the POG2 + Strymon Lex. I also use those effects a bit on The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down later in the set.
The G has a fast/slow speed switch built onto the pedal. It even has a rotor brake at the speed switch. Plugging into the speed control would be the variable pot or expression pedal. I don't see an issue. You would be using the Lester for organ tones so a set rotor speed would be optimal vs a reduced or increased speed if you want an authentic Leslie effect. Otherwise you're venturing into Vibratone guitar tones and speeds which is basically a single bass frequency rotor without the trebel rotor. Or "born to be wild" Goldy organ tone if not SRV "cold shot" effect.
You're going to have to have the Lester close by to operate the switching.
I asked a knowledgable source who makes switch devices for Leslie sims and although he has yet to experience using an on/off switch tied into a speed control on a Lester G, envisions having to add resistors at certain spots in the cable. Just as simple to use the footswitch already built onto the pedal to control chorale and fast.
ShoBud The Pro 1
YES it's my REAL NAME!
Ezekiel 33:7
Guitar (PSG) to MIDI seems to be a hit or miss proposition. But if you eventually getting a system to work the Voce organ simulators can be used to great effect. I think I'd prefer the older V3 module since it has a built in Leslie simulator and perfect drawbar module. To get to very high levels of authenticity and inspiration though you probably need a high quality overdriven stereo tube amp pair.
Steve Sycamore wrote:Guitar (PSG) to MIDI seems to be a hit or miss proposition. But if you eventually getting a system to work the Voce organ simulators can be used to great effect. I think I'd prefer the older V3 module since it has a built in Leslie simulator and perfect drawbar module. To get to very high levels of authenticity and inspiration though you probably need a high quality overdriven stereo tube amp pair.
b0b wrote:I borrowed a B9 and used it on a gig. I think that the complex harmonics of pedal steel are too much for that device. It didn't sound solid. The EHX POG2 works well, but it's large and more complex than is necessary. This week I bought a TC Electronics Sub'n'Up. It's a simple polyphonic octaver that tracks really well, and actually sounds better than the POG devices to my ears. Combined with the Strymon Lex for the Leslie effect, it sounds pretty convincing.
I just posted a Rhythm Rangers gig at https://soundhost.net/2018/04/rhythm-rangers-2018/. Listen to The Weight (7th song). That's the POG2 + Strymon Lex. I also use those effects a bit on The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down later in the set.
I Love this version of the Weight! Singer is outstanding. (so is the Steel/Organ!)
John McClung, concerning the rotary speaker: If you want to go cheap, here are a couple to try out.
Danelectro makes/made two pedals that appear to be the same. They are both fairly new. I don't know why they have two names for what appears to be the same pedal, but whatever. They go by the names:
- Money Laundry, or
- Big Spender.
I messed around with one the other day at a local GC. It lets you set a maximum speed, and has the ability to ramp up or down from slow to fast.
It has two switches: One for on/off, the other for ramp mode.
IMO the "tonal" quality is a pretty good sounding chorus (mono) with the added feature of the ramping control.
I run my MCI S-10 into a B-9 > Wah pedal > Neo Ventilator 2 > Hall of Fame reverb > amp. I've modified the Wah to limit it's range and use it to simulate changing draw-bar settings. The Neo Ventilator speed is controlled by an Ashby Solutions half moon switch Velcro mounted just to the left of my right hand on the rear apron. This set-up sounds great... but I don't know of one box to do it all.
MCI Arlington S-10 3+5, George L E-66, BJS & Emmons bars, Fender Princeton 65W, Fender Satellite SFX, custom FX rack, 1983 Dobro 60D, SX-8 lap steel, Martin D16GT, Ibanez AS73, 1978 Rickenbacker 4000 custom.
I just recently bought a TC Electronics SubnUp octave pedal to replace EH Pog2 with a smaller footprint. To my surprise, the TonePrint editor shows a chorus effect that can be assigned to any of the knobs. A patch I downloaded assigns it to the Sub2 knob. To the original question of getting an organ sound from one box, this actually comes pretty close and it's only $130 from Sweetwater.
I still have the Lex on my board but getting rid of the POG2 gave me enough space to add another pedal.
Plus 1 on the sub'n up for octaves. Can be found used cheap, tracks at least as well as the others, and with the tone print capabilities you can also mimic a rotating speaker. A single versatile pedal that will get you in the door.
I lucked into a cheap mini vent awhile back- there's a sonic depth and richness that I haven't heard in other rotating speaker pedals-its beautiful- and the size is right. Big bucks for a new one.
John McClung, for speed control on the G, contact Bruce Wahler at ashbysolutions.com He makes half-moon switches for many products... one might work on the G.
MCI Arlington S-10 3+5, George L E-66, BJS & Emmons bars, Fender Princeton 65W, Fender Satellite SFX, custom FX rack, 1983 Dobro 60D, SX-8 lap steel, Martin D16GT, Ibanez AS73, 1978 Rickenbacker 4000 custom.
If you want to have an ongoing discussion, please email me, don't use the Forum messaging which I detest! steelguitarlessons@earthlink.net
but getting rid of the POG2 gave me enough space to add another pedal. 
