DOD FX30B Gate/Loop

The DOD FX30-B Gate/Loop is primarily a noise gate pedal for electric guitar, but doubles as an effect loop pedal.  It has standard 1/4 inch connections for your guitar and amplifier as well as another 1/4 inch input and output for setting up an effects loop.  The reason this is so great is because it allows you to only have your effects in your signal line when you want them and it eliminates any noise that may come from them when you are not using them, giving you a straight clean signal when you want it without any noisy unengaged effects pedals in the way.  The pedal is not rackable as it is a foot pedal.  It is powered by either a 9 volt battery or power supply.



UTILIZATION

Using the DOD FX30-B Gate/Loop is quite simple no matter if you are using it as a noise gate, effects loop, or both.  The pedal simply has three knobs for the noise gate for release, gate, and sensitivity.  These are certainly sufficient parameters to block out any noise that you wouldn't want in there without cutting out your sustain.  If you want to use the effects loop simply plug the output of your effects into the send input and then put the input of your effects into the return jack.  If you use a lot of effects an effects loop is almost necessary as there is a huge difference between a direct clean tone and a clean tone that has a few pedals standing in the way as noise builds up if your pedals don't have true bypass, as most don't.  I've never seen the manual for the DOD FX30-B Gate/Loop so I don't know how well put together it is, but it really isn't necessary as the pedal is easy enough to use on its own.


SOUND QUALITY

There isn't too much to say about the sound quality of the DOD FX30-B Gate/Loop because this pedal doesn't really make any sounds of its own.  However, it will certainly clean up the signal of your sound with both the noise gate and the effects loop.  This pedal does a great job of eliminating noise and if you set up your other pedals with the effects loop it really does a world of difference.


OVERALL OPINION

I've been using the DOD FX30-B Gate/Loop for about three or four years and it has become a mainstay in my guitar set up for live shows because it does a great job of eliminating noise.  While there are other pedals that will do the same thing, the FX30-B does it at a much cheaper price.  If you have a lot of guitar pedals and are looking for a way to get rid of some of that annoying noise and hiss, the DOD FX30-B Gate/Loop will do the trick.