Fernandes Sustainer and Kemper anybody? - odd artefacts audible

Does anybody use the toaster with a Fernandes Sustainer? If yes:

Do you also hear some soft but annoying artefacts? Its kindof digital noise, ploppy. A bit like when you switch a digital delay and the artefacts it can make the very first moment.

I tried it with many profiles and with somne its very prominent and annoying. With others barely audible, but there. I muted all the stomps that were eventually on to be sure its nothing related to FX.

It sounds so "digital" that I cant imagine that the pure analog sustainer can create it (alone). But I have never had the chance to play the sustainer through a true tube amp. So your experience would be very welcome...

Quote from V8guitar

Through the tube amp didn;t really notice any artifacts. Mine is switchable with the harmonic setting, which setting are you using, pure sustain?

Man, thanx, great to hear the sustainer as such is free of that noise! I like it most without harmonics but tried it with both. Doesnt make a difference. With harmonics its very, very close to regular feedback. So I dont need this very much, do it with high sound pressure

Quote from jjm35

I have a fernandes Sustainer that works perfect in my toaster, but when I bought the guitar (used) it comes to me with lots of stranger noises when turn on the sustainer. I opened the guitar and adjust the internal trimmers for the sustainer (there is documentation for sustainer in the web). After that, it works perfect.

WOW! Thanx, great tip. Mine is second hand as well - back from 2002. So chances are, I need to retrim only! I will try to find the doc you mentioned...

Follow up and solution:

After you guys convinced me about the toaster and the sustainer I finally kept this second hand Fernandes. The first thing I did was to string it with my favourites. When the old strings were gone I found that the sustainer pickup was SO HIGH that the strings popped against it. The plastic cap already showed some marks right underneath the strings. This was the source for the popping, clicking noise!

FInally the sustainer is now sounding smooth and sweet.

Congrats. They are excellent bang-for-the-buck!

Quote from chopsfromhell

I've used a Schecter Blackjack SLS C-1 FR S with a Sustainiac and the Kemper quite a bit for recording. Works great! Not sure how much different a Sustaniac is than a Fernandez, though...

How is that one working?

The sustainer uses the neck pickup to generate magnetic field to affect the strings, just like an e-bow...

Quote from chopsfromhell

Yes, the Sustainiac works the same way. Neck pickup, uses a battery, creates a magnetic field to vibrate the strings just like a built in ebow.

Then it might just sound the same.

Quote from viabcroce

On a more serious note, the "sounds digital" must be the unexpressed and latent nightmare of every and each user of digital devices ...

Just when it comes to guitar sounds...

If digital sound devices go wrong (i.e. clipping or buffer underrun or bit failures) they instantly sound horrible. Analog transistors stuff instantly sounds mediocre. Only tubes sound great when agonized and abused.

If all goes right with digital its a bless for mixing and sound reproduction.