[Slewfoot2000]

Bringing back this thread as I was looking into some of the Envelope Filter tones Bob did in the 80’s. The specific tone I’ve been most curious about is the one he uses in He’s Gone and sometimes appears elsewhere as well. Some clear examples can be heard in the ones below:

https://youtu.be/s-zkpDjJi9I

https://youtu.be/dRwq9HrkTI0

I achieved something close enough with the following as a general guideline:

- single coil guitar
- Thick Air boost
- Mutron Microton III on BP mode and range Hi
- Sarno Earth Drive on a low setting
- EHX Neo Clone chorus on very low setting
- Boss GE-7 boost
- MXR Carbon Copy on very slight delay

A compressor can also be used, but I didn’t find it to make too much of a difference.

The biggest factor is getting that right combination of your guitar volume together with the Envelope Filter gain setting (I always have the EF level high and peak low). Once those work together things come more into focus…then, of course, there is the technique and pick attack. Light strums most of the time and harder for those little mini-blasts of sound that Bob does.

A lot of effects together for something so subtle, but the Dead were always searching as we know.

Anyway, just wanted to pass along a recent discovery.

[perljam]

I've seen a higher resolution of this photo, and if I remember correctly the Boss pedal is a T Wah or Dynamic Filter. I assumed he was trying them both out next to each other, since they aren't on the board yet.

FWIW, I have the earlier orange version of the Ibanez and it's really fun. Not as smooth as the Mutron (gets 'nasty' and distorts much easier) but it works great and has its own flavor.