How to have Steve Vai sustain ?

mantaworld13 · #1 08-19-2009, 09:34 AM

hi,

Ok, everybody knows that Steve Vai's got a sustainer in his guitars.
My question is, which pedal can offer such a sustain whithout alterate tha sound ? does anyone have an answer please ?

i got a boss ME-8, but the inside sustain in the compressor sounds really bad.

thanks.

manta

Vim Fuego · #2 08-19-2009, 09:47 AM

The sort answer is to get the sustain he does you need to install a sustainer, if you could use a pedal instead of carving holes in a guitar and installing new pickup and electronics, he'd have done it!
However Boss and a few other companies made a feedbacker pedal (I've got one on my pandora and gt-10). This works out the note you're playing and synthesizes a feedback note for you which sustains for a long time.
You may be able to get close just by turning your amp up and standing in the right place...
Jim

GuitarBizarre · #3 08-19-2009, 10:04 AM

Yeah. The sustainer effect can't be replicated without actually using a sustainer, or standing in the right place with your amp cranked.

Sickbean · #4 08-19-2009, 10:44 AM

A hazillion dB of volume will help too.

6fingers · #5 08-19-2009, 10:51 AM

Besides when he's using that sustainer I don't think he has a great sustain.
When he plays FTLOG he always keeps making strong vibratos to keep strings vibrating.
If he didn't do that notes would have finished before the next bar.
Sometimes standing in the right position(like Bizarre said), he turns long notes into feedback.

uglyfuzzface · #6 08-19-2009, 11:58 AM

the sustainer is the only way to get that kind of sustain ,,,, 2nd is from standing in the right place as been said .... the boss pedal can do it but you cant change the note ptch when the infanite sustaine is activated ... so no vibrato no whammy , the note will only change when the pedal is turned off then another note and activation of the pedal is turned back on ,,, so a bit of a chew on ..... so find the sweet spot near your amp and let the note be sustain into feedback or buy the fernandes kit .

The Euphor · #7 08-19-2009, 12:02 PM

Ebow is an option. Cheaper, but not really the same as you must hold it with at least one finger...

wicked_lester · #8 08-19-2009, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 6fingers

Besides when he's using that sustainer I don't think he has a great sustain.
When he plays FTLOG he always keeps making strong vibratos to keep strings vibrating.
If he didn't do that notes would have finished before the next bar.
Sometimes standing in the right position(like Bizarre said), he turns long notes into feedback.

No way, have you used a sustainer? The note will sustain until the battery dies lol.

Andy43 · #9 08-19-2009, 12:24 PM

Ebow wil work, but really only for drawn out leads. It's pretty difficult to do anything advanced or fast with it. A good transparent compressor will give you more sustain, but it won't give that articulation of a real sustainer (can't play without picking).

smooth55 · #10 08-19-2009, 12:25 PM

I think 6fingers is saying that his sustain isn't so great when NOT using the sustainer and that has to compensate by heavy vibrato and controlled feedback.

6fingers · #11 08-19-2009, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smooth55

I think 6fingers is saying that his sustain isn't so great when NOT using the sustainer and that has to compensate by heavy vibrato and controlled feedback.

exactly.
Thanks smooth