Boss Tone String Effect?

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 20 Jun 2000 7:30 pm

I recently got an old Boss Tone (Music City Mfg, Nashville). It has two controls: volume and attack. I'd like to use it to get a decent string effect, like violin or cello, but so far I can only get it to sound like a fuzz-tone guitar. Would appreciate any advice. Thanks,
Jim

Fred Murphy · Post by **Fred Murphy** » 20 Jun 2000 7:33 pm

I was never very good at it, but I think you need to turn the reverb a way up on your amp.

Jim Smith · Post by **Jim Smith** » 20 Jun 2000 7:36 pm

Smiley does it the best I've ever heard. Tell us how you do it Smiley!

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 20 Jun 2000 7:57 pm

Wow! You mean I actually get to learn something from Smiley, other than new curse words?

Smiley Roberts · Post by **Smiley Roberts** » 20 Jun 2000 9:19 pm

Whaddya mean by that,you rotten @%$#&^%!!!
I oughta kick you right in the *&%$#,& slap the ?@%# outta you.
Anyway,Fred's partially right. You need to crank up your reverb. Roll some of your highs off,for a more mellow tone,but not so much,that it becomes "muddy". Place the attack on the Bosstone about half-way up,& the volume should match your normal guitar volume. Push your "C" pedal,(E9th neck),to raise your E to F#. Now,your 1st string & 4th string should be slightly out of tune w/ each other. W/ the fuzztone on,they should be sightly "banging" against one another. With some practice,this will give you a violin sound. For a cello sound,add the 7th string.This will be 2 (almost) unison F#'s,& an octave,using the thumb & both fingers. A "rolling" action will give you more sustain,because you won't hear the pick sound as you roll. Hope this helps.
BTW,I learned this from Doyle Grisham.(I'll give credit where credit is due.)
P.S. One more note. You can get an instant octave by hitting the 3 F#'s,& muting the 7th string w/ your bar thumb,right after you hit them.
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Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 21 Jun 2000 4:18 am

Thanks, Smiley; I'll give it a try and let you know how badly I mess it up.

Smiley Roberts · Post by **Smiley Roberts** » 23 Jun 2000 6:36 am

O.K. J. C.,
You've had enough time to experiment. Let's have a full report. How're ya doin'??

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Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 23 Jun 2000 6:48 am

Well, it sounds better than before. Using the 1st and 3rd strings as you suggested. I'm not sure I understand your point about hitting the 7th string too and then blocking it with your left thumb. Why would you want to block it?

It ain't great yet, but I'll keep practicing at it and see if it improves. Thanks for asing.

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 23 Jun 2000 9:53 am

Try strings 4, 5 and 8 together. You will get a sub harmonic tone out of that combination. Almost like a cello sound.

C Dixon · Post by **C Dixon** » 23 Jun 2000 10:22 am

Like Smiley said, C pedal down, pick strings 1 and 4 individually and repeatedly with the settings Smiley gave on the boss tone. You won't hear the picking with the right amount of fuzz.

Jeff Newman used to teach strings 4 and 5 (together) and 8 for the cello sound as best I recall. Do the same picking attack here. Alternate the strings and repeat over and over to maintain the sustain.

God bless you all,

carl

Smiley Roberts · Post by **Smiley Roberts** » 24 Jun 2000 6:04 am

O.K. Jim,
Let's say you're on your 3rd fret,hitting strings 1,4,& 7,(w/ the "C" pedal pushed down,of course). You will have 2 unisons,& an octave. Instead of sliding from the 3rd to the 15th fret,for an octave,you just pick the 3 strings,& mute the 7th w/ your bar thumb, immediately after pickin' em'. Voilå,instant octave.

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Kevin Mincke · Post by **Kevin Mincke** » 24 Jun 2000 7:25 am

Another easy one for a synth type effect is to lower the 9th string slightly out of beat w/ the 10th & alternate picking the 9/10 strings.......

Tony Palmer · Post by **Tony Palmer** » 27 Jun 2000 9:49 am

In my opinion, this is a very "dangerous"
effect to use live. If you can nail down the fiddle sound...OK, but if you miss, well....
I think it's a potentially embarrassing, somewhat hokey sound effect device.

I mean, we steelers think its cool, but the rest of the world I am sure does not share that opinion!!??

Jim Smith · Post by **Jim Smith** » 27 Jun 2000 9:59 am

That's probably why Smiley does it so well...he likes to live dangerously!

Smiley Roberts · Post by **Smiley Roberts** » 27 Jun 2000 10:40 am

Jim,
Thanks for your confidence in me.Maybe,someday,Scotty will let me play the ISGC,& I can demonstrate this,fairly,easy technique.

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Jim Smith · Post by **Jim Smith** » 27 Jun 2000 11:02 am

Nice try Smiley, but Scotty DOESN'T live that dangerously!

Smiley Roberts · Post by **Smiley Roberts** » 27 Jun 2000 5:25 pm

Boy,I ask for toilet paper,& you roll in.

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Dave Van Allen · Post by **Dave Van Allen** » 29 Jun 2000 9:52 am

irregardless of the level of esteem he is held in by some forum members(

), Smiley was the first guy I saw do this effect live, and it totally floored me- made a profound impression on a young picker...

Thanks Smiley- you gave me something awsome to aim for. Sometimes I even accomplish it....

Dan Tyack · Post by **Dan Tyack** » 29 Jun 2000 10:19 am

The first time I heard it on the opry, I jumped up and started looking for the heard of giant bumblebees.....

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Smiley Roberts · Post by **Smiley Roberts** » 30 Jun 2000 12:32 am

WOW!! D.V.A.,I'm at a total loss for words. All I can say is,"Thanks". I REALLY appreciate that.

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Ric Epperle · Post by **Ric Epperle** » 30 Jun 2000 1:22 pm

Oh, don't be so humble, Smiley.

Smiley Roberts · Post by **Smiley Roberts** » 1 Jul 2000 12:14 am

Oh,...alright. I'm wonderful,talented,great,handsome,congenial, esoteric,magnanimous,etc.,etc. (give me a minute & I'll think of some more expletives).

Dave Van Allen · Post by **Dave Van Allen** » 3 Jul 2000 7:00 pm

magnanamous= yes; Smiley took the time to show a neophyte opening act picker the details of the trick... of course this was- what '73?'74? maybe he suffered a personality change since then

thanks again

David Mullis · Post by **David Mullis** » 5 Jul 2000 7:22 am

Okay, I'm thinking about trying this again, but like and idiot, I sold my Boss Tone. Do y'all think it would be possible to get teh same effect out of my Profex II?

Thanks
David

Smiley Roberts · Post by **Smiley Roberts** » 5 Jul 2000 7:45 am

David,
I may be wrong,but I don't think the Profex II has the proper type of distortion for this effect. If I "discover" something,I'll post it.

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