Guitar, Possible "beats" problem?

[rasputin1176]

Need some advice/input
Just bought a used mint cond. BJFe PGC #255
The guy I bought I from was away from home so by he sent it plus shipping time I didn't get it for like 3 weeks after paying so little frustrating but amazing pedal so....
Sounds great except something odd;
I hear this almost "fast tremolo type sound" upon playing lower notes in say a chord in succession or say 2 notes together. Playing light with fingers seems to make it easier to hear I guess less attack/pluck with no pick. Single notes sound fine though. Pedal settings don't really matter either, though more compression more noticable.
It's like a fast tremolo on low notes almost gives it a garble to it. Kind of hear pulsing on trail outs too. Don't know if that's from optical part of circuit?
It doesn't sound right whatever it is.
Just trying to find out at this point if there's any similar issues because I've never heard any? Or what it might be wrong. Man I'm going hate sending it back out if I have to, only had it a day.
Thanks for any help

[cajone5]

If you play a note along with its octave does it still do it?

[rasputin1176]

Still playing, what I've got so far is playing both notes of a forth lightly back & forth with thumb on any lower notes real easy to hear it.

[cajone5]

Right -- to explain why I asked is there is natural dissonance when playing certain note pairings. If you're in tune there should be none with a note and its octave. So if it happens on the octave too then it's something funky going on. If it's only with certain combos, it may just be that the compressor pulls up this resonance and makes it more apparent. It happens with distortion too.

[hawaii121]

I'm going to predict with 100% certainty that Donner and/or Bjorn will respond with help very shortly. That's part of what makes these pedals and this community such a cool thing.

[rasputin1176]

Yeah I was thinking that it could be PGC emphasizing certain things, and my mistake it's most apparent with a Major 3rd.
But I can tell the pedal sound amazing! I'm keeping it no matter what. I had my doubts about it being the pedal but never know. I tried it by itself, tried other gear separate & I do only hear it with the PGC. But there is the possibility it's just making something jump out more. I know it's odd that a pedal would have something wrong when most playing thru it sounds perfect.
It's also the slight pulsing trail off I hear sometimes too that made me wonder.
Bjorn's stuff is excellent, his service is as well. I'm still very happy about my new addition.

[cajone5]

Uno momento -- will go test mine out with varying intervals, including a major third...

[cajone5]

Not hearing anything that's not there without the comp -- sorry man

[rasputin1176]

Hey no problem, appreciate everything.
Ive been playing almost non stop. Unfortunately I definitely hear something. The neck pickup just makes it easiest to hear but doesn't matter. Chords seem to do it no matter what chord, just easier to hear with major & minor thirds, also easier to hear just hitting root note letting ring and hitting 3rd so both are ringing out...as soon as the second note is hit I get this tremolo thingy. You know it sounds like a fan chopping the sound at a pretty fast pace. I tried higher note combos and still hear it. Also as far as finger playing that too is just so no pick attack makes easier to listen. It's odd for sure.
I have to say I think I need to get it checked out. I waited so long for one though & I'm still loving it so much I may hold on to it a bit before doing anything. It's still usable. Stacking it with distortion & using a pick masks most of it. Then it sounds awesome as usual. It is a great pedal.

[cajone5]

The description still sounds to me like sonic dissonance... wave forms clashing. Again, does it happen at all on the octave? The waves should match perfectly there so the sound should be gone (if you're in tune). Does the trem sound change speed depending on your note combo? Is it different on a first/second, first/third, etc. combo? This would indicate wave forms clashing at different intervals again indicating sonic dissonance which would be something that's always there when you're playing, just maybe not nearly as noticeable until you click on the compressor.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consonance_and_dissonance

There's a clip about 2/3 of the way down in there (under "Physiological basis of dissonance") that better illustrates dissonance.