ISP Decimator ProRackG

THE PRORACKG IS A NOISE
reduction unit intended to work best
with guitar rigs that are used for high-
gain shenanigans, and what’s clever
here is that the unit’s dual channel
design allows it to both drive your amp’s
front end and also to quieten the entire
signal still further via your amp’s effects
loop. Simply plug your guitar into
channel one, the output into your amp’s
input, and the in and out for channel
two into the effects loop and away you
go. Any pedals should be placed
between the guitar and input of channel
ISP Decimator ProRackG £299
KEY INFO ❘ ISP DECIMATOR PRORACKG ❘ PRICE: £299 ❘ TYPE: NOISE REDUCTION UNIT ❘ TEL: SOUNDS GREAT 0161 436 4799
MISCELLANEOUS
KEY INFO ❘ KTS TITANIUM SADDLES ❘ PRICE: FOR STRAT (£65) T-0-M (£39 EXC BRIDGE) ❘ TYPE: SADDLES ❘ WEB: WWW.WDMUSIC.CO.UK
RATING
WITH ITS EXCEPTIONALLY HIGH
weight-to-strength ratio and resistance
to corrosion, titanium is a key material
in the aerospace and automotive
industries – not to mention its medical
applications and use in jewellery and
watch manufacturing. This ‘white’, non-
magnetic metal is now readily available
for your guitar in the form of a range of
saddles. KTS doesn’t claim it to be the
“best” material but does suggest it’ll
improvement sustain, depth and clarity
over commonly used die-cast material –
and compared to plated steel it simply
won’t corrode. KTS manufactures
titanium saddles/bridges for various
guitar-types: Strats, Teles, Les Pauls…
and even Fender
Mustangs!
IN USE: We tested a
set of titanium saddles
on a Fender Highway 1
Strat and an Epiphone
Les Paul. Did the earth
move? No. But in both
instances we heard a subtle
tonal improvement – a little more
smoothness and depth most obviously
– and certainly no harm in the sustain
department. There’s also what we can
only describe as a more focused clarity.
Interesting.
Verdict
Boutique makers like DeTemple, John
Suhr and Joe Barden have all sung the
praises of KTS’s titanium saddles and –
although pricier than conventional
retro-fi t saddles from the likes of Graph
Tech – they seem an obvious choice if
you’re dissatisfi ed with your tone.
“I have installed them on several of Nils
Lofrgren’s and Joe Perry’s guitars (as
The Decimator is an
excellent tool for the
high-gain enthusiast
Need some new saddles? Time to try KTS’s ultimate quality titanium sets by Dave Burrluck
KTS titanium saddles from £39
well as my own), replacing the old rusty
and worn parts, and now I know I will be
able to make exact adjustments any
time with no worries,” says Joe Barden.
That’s high praise indeed.
KTS titanium
saddles increase
clarity, smoothness
and depth
Verdict
Such a unit won’t appeal to –
or indeed be deemed necessary by
– some players out there, but once
you’ve tried a pro noise-reduction unit
you’ll wonder how you ever did without.
Great price, excellent operation, no
reason not to try one.
ISP DECIMATOR TEST RESULTS
Build quality
Features
In use
Value for money
■ WE LIKED The no frills approach;
excellent practicality
■ WE DISLIKED Confusing associated
literature – just plug in and twiddle!
KTS SADDLES TEST RESULTS
Build quality
In use
Value for money
■ WE LIKED Beautifully made with good,
not bright, sound clarity and defi nition
■ WE DISLIKED Not cheap but like a new
pickup could help improve your guitar
MAY 2006 143
one to also benefi t.
The threshold
controls allow you to
exactly set the sensitivity
of both channels’ noise
reduction, while the master fi lter
tracking pot shifts this sensitivity still
further to ensure that effi cient noise
reduction is in operation regardless of
the actual intensity of the guitar signal:
whether you’re playing super-clean or
ultra-dirty, in other words.
IN USE: We used all sorts of guitars
with the Krank Revolution we looked at
in issue 275, an amp full of high-gain
possibilities, and we found that the
Decimator did exactly what we’d hoped:
destroying any hint of noise without
ever snatching notes or sustain away.
It does take a minute or two to set up,
but we found we couldn’t trip it up
whatever we did: wah, Telecaster,
fl uorescent lights…
RATING
Tired of dirty mains ruining your crafted tone? Then decimate it! by Simon Bradley
GIT276.rev_quick 143GIT276.rev_quick 143 29/3/06 2:50:12 pm29/3/06 2:50:12 pm