Folkie wrote:I don't even know what the "Threshold" and "Decay" knobs do.
Easy to hear what they do when you have a pedal in hand, hard to describe with words but I'll give it a go.
A noise suppressor cuts out the non-musical aspects of a guitar or effects chain. Think of it as a gate on a fence. If you have that gate open only about an inch, not much can get through. Not even a mouse. Swing the gate wider and more can get through. Even a horse. That's the Threshold knob. You set it to a point that allows you to cut off the right amount of excess noise. Keep it closed too much and you won't allow enough of your music through to the amp. Open it too wide and you allow too much of the unwanted noise through to your amp. Depending upon the noise in your rig, you adjust the Threshold knob. The Decay knob simply shortens or lengthens the musical tones. You set it so you have a natural decay of the notes you play. When they decay, when you set that Decay knob just right, then the suppression of the noise kicks in.
Those are just words. As I said, those Threshold and Decay knobs are easy to understand when you twiddle and tweak them. A noise suppressor is a wonder. Sure you can hear a bit of the noise just as your final note decays, but, man, a top noise supprssor is a fantastic thing. You turn it on and your rig is completely silent. Turn your body any which way and no pickup noise! Play your guitar and no degradation of tone is present at all. Unwanted noise just disappears. It's magic.