Multi-effect, possible to get a bit like a reso sound?

[Ken Koellner]

I'm learning to play reso, and bought a cheap lap steel and tuned it in GBDGBD so I'd have an electric I can leave in my car for practice when traveling. Also to have a bit of fun with the lap steel and maybe do a bit with lap steel sound, I bought a multi effects pedal, BOSS GT-1. So I can add bit of slap-back, reverb, and have a volume pedal. Cheaper to get the multi than buy individual effects. I did read somewhere that a effects specifically built for it could make and electric sound like a acoustic reso. I suspect the unit I have is never going to do that. But I'm curious if there's anything I can do with it to make it sound a bit like a reso. And, that raises the general question, what does the resonator do to the acoustic sound? I would assume it somehow alters the harmonic content. Maybe some effect to boost certain harmonics might make it sound a bit more like reso.

-Ken

[Larry Dering]

Ken if you do a forum search you will find details about using a graphic EQ with sliders maxed up and down to simulate a Dobro. It helps to use special bar or even a hard wood bar will help. I have the Boss GT1 myself but never tried to go for a Dobro tone.

[Bobby D. Jones]

A BOSS GE-7 is the one that gives a good Dobro effect with a Nylon Bar. 3 or 4 players in my area use them for a song or 2 in a show.

[Jon Light (deceased)]

I'm looking at the manual and it appears that the graphic eq of the GT-1 is modeled after the Boss GE-7. 7 bands with the same frequency centers.

The 'conventional' way to use a graphic eq as a resonator effect is to bump all the sliders all the way up, all the way down, alternating. I don't remember if it's 'up-down-up' or 'down-up-down'.
I've had a MatchBro-type box of one kind or another for a lot of years and in comparison the graphic eq method never impressed me that much but there's no question it alters your sound a lot.

I also see that the GT-1 has a parametric eq. After setting up graphic eq, you can fine tune the results. The mids are where a lot of the effect lives.

And yes, a sustain-killing bar is helpful to get the last few bits of sound simulation. But not essential. Tom Bradshaw sells a plastic bar that was designed to be used with the original Matchbro.

[Richard Sinkler]

I use a Danelectro Fish and Chips EQ. It has the same frequency centers as the Boss, but way cheaper and works just as good. First slider all the way down, next all the way up, next all the way down, keep alternating. I have used a Matchbro, Boss GE-7, Seymore's Bo-Bro (nothing but a GE-7 preset by Bobbe), and now the Danelectro.

I've tried MXR 6 and 10 band EQ pedals, and a Source Audio programmable 7 band EQ with poor results. They all have different center frequencies than the Boss and Danelectro, and I think that might be the secret.

Also, I was never a fan of using the plastic bar to deaden the strings. Every real reso I have owned has good sustain, and that gets lost with a plastic bar.

[Michael Hartz]

If it was me, I would get one of the forementioned 7 band EQ pedals and then run that into a Fishman Aura spectrum DI pedal using a resophonic image or Fishman Aura Jerry Douglas pedal. That will give a very convincing dobro sound.

[Jerry Overstreet]

Yes, you can build reso sims in your multi-fx unit. I have a Roland rack and a Boss 1/2 rack and I have sims in both of them.

What I would suggest is you search out the eq settings for the GE-7 here on the forum and use those as a guide for your GT unit.

[Richard Sinkler]

I tried to do it with a Zoom MS-50G and a Boss GT-10, and didn't come close to the 7 band Boss or Danelectro.