Pig Nose

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SNAKEBITESNAKEBITE Frets: 1075

What do people think of the portable pig nose amps?

I've always wanted one, a mate has had his for 25 years, and I feel like I'm missing out!

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Comments

  • simonksimonk Frets: 1467
    Personally, I think they're dreadful.
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71960
    They're terrible - in a unique way which makes them quite cool if you like that kind of thing. They're ratty, boxy and honky-sounding - you can vary the tone with the precise angle you leave the casing open at, which is worth experimenting with.

    Also quite badly-made, both physically and electrically.

    I've owned several of them, mostly bought cheaply from people who didn't want to pay me to fix them. Never kept one of them yet.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • SassafrasSassafras Frets: 30273
    I love 'em.
    I'd had mine for years but never learnt how to use it properly, then I discovered the trick of turning the volume all the way up and using the guitar controls to vary the amount of drive. The little door acts as a tone control.
    I've had some great recorded sounds out of mine.
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  • richardhomerrichardhomer Frets: 24793
    I had an American one many years ago - it was crap. They sound farty when cranked - and only clean up acceptably on guitars which have a treble bypass cap on the volume.

    Had EC not used one extensively on 461 Ocean Boulevard (DI'd) - I doubt they would have gained any desirability.
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  • MartinBMartinB Frets: 178
    I never got on with mine either. I've always been puzzled when people talk about them sounding better with the Pignose volume on full and controlling it with the guitar volume.  The volume control is straight after the input jack and it doesn't seem like it would make much difference which one was adjusted.  Unless it's a low value pot and the pickups are loaded less with the guitar volume backed off a touch?  
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71960
    MartinB said:
    I never got on with mine either. I've always been puzzled when people talk about them sounding better with the Pignose volume on full and controlling it with the guitar volume.  The volume control is straight after the input jack and it doesn't seem like it would make much difference which one was adjusted.  Unless it's a low value pot and the pickups are loaded less with the guitar volume backed off a touch?  
    Yes, it is - 50K, although one schematic I've seen says 10k! Either way, far too low for any kind of clear sound - and there's a cap to ground on the circuit input as well which further muddies it.

    This is why what richardhomer said is true - backing off the guitar volume only works well if it has a treble pass cap on it. Personally, I think it's better to turn the amp down.

    Or off.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • simonksimonk Frets: 1467
    Better still, rip all the gubbins out (not that there's much of that) and turn it into a trinket box. That's how the last one I had sounded best anyway.
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  • RockerRocker Frets: 4947
    My Pignose is setup, alongside my Blackstar Fly Bass, on the computer table in our study.  It is where I attempt to learn to play tunes on the guitar and bass.  I am not sure what people expect from a battery powered amp but the range of tones I need are few - mainly cleans - and the Pignose gives me exactly that.  Used as I use it, it reveals duff notes, muffled strings and even when I get something right!

    The market is awash with low priced amps.  The Pignose offers a slightly off beat variation sound wise.  If you like it, you  will get great enjoyment from playing through it (at family/neighbour friendly volumes).  I know I do.
    Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. [Albert Einstein]

    Nil Satis Nisi Optimum

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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71960
    Uniqueness is its selling point, certainly - if you like what it does.

    The battery power no longer is really, when you can get modern battery amps like the Roland Micro Cube and the Vox Mini 3 that sound far better in conventional terms.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • SNAKEBITESNAKEBITE Frets: 1075

    Thanks for the input guys.

    At this point I think it's a romantic notion that I'll put on hold for a while.

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  • PhiltrePhiltre Frets: 4164
    Here's Frank Zappa playing "Black Napkins" on TV using just an SG and a Pignose.


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  • MartinBMartinB Frets: 178
    Mr Zappa did have all kinds of active stuff in that guitar though, so the sound he's getting there probably isn't very representative of what you or I might get by plugging an SG into a Pignose.  Cool video all the same. 
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24579
    MartinB said:
    Mr Zappa did have all kinds of raw talent and supreme musicality, so the sound he's getting there probably isn't very representative of what you or I might get by plugging an SG into a Pignose.  Cool video all the same. 
    FTFY
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  • 57Deluxe57Deluxe Frets: 7329
    The trick soon learned early on in the Pigs era was that they make excellent  Preamps

    One example seen here on the OGWT back in the day...  spot one atop Paul Barre's  Super Reverb ' stack.'..




    <Vintage BOSS Upgrades>
    __________________________________
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  • bingefellerbingefeller Frets: 5723
    Michael Schenker apparently recorded the UFO album Lights Out using a Pignose......
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  • impmannimpmann Frets: 12649
    There used to be a fabulous video where Dweezil plugs Frank's active SG into the Pignose and gets this incredible tone.
    He then unplugs it and plugs in his own standard SG and its just sounds like a toy.

    Pignoses are... a gimmiky 1970s thing that could be made to sound interesting but more often than not, sound better without the guitar plugged in IMHO.

    Never Ever Bloody Anything Ever.

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  • jonnyburgojonnyburgo Frets: 12258
    Ive got a broken one, suspect its a tip122 or 121 whichever it is i cant remember now, its never worked. Always loved the Zappa clip though

    Here's The Karate Kid playing through one (honest ;))


    "OUR TOSSPOT"
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  • VaiaiVaiai Frets: 530
    Completely not related apart from it's a pig nose guitar :)

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  • PonchoGregPonchoGreg Frets: 764
    I was surprised no one had mentioned Crossroads by that point. :) Made me get a battery powered amp 10 years ago. Foolishness.
    Click here to see me butchering some classic solos!
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  • bingefellerbingefeller Frets: 5723
    Hard to tell if this is a Pignose, but it sounds awesome.


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