Best way to approximate a talkbox?

[mynameistrouble]

I'm looking for that livin on a prayer/kickstart my heart style 80s talkbox sound. Anyone already managed to get a half decent approximation? I'm guessing a combination of wah/eq and maybe some fuzz but would be interested in suggestions.

[robbieb61]

Not out of the Helix itself. 

I just got an EHX Talking Machine and an expression pedal for it. Using it in one of the send/return loops of the Helix. Just got it...I got one last week but it was defective so returned it. Got the replacement yesterday and it does the job. :)

Here's a demo vid of it:

 

[cruisinon2]

I'm looking for that livin on a prayer/kickstart my heart style 80s talkbox sound. Anyone already managed to get a half decent approximation? I'm guessing a combination of wah/eq and maybe some fuzz but would be interested in suggestions.

Get blind drunk while listening to "Frampton Comes Alive" on endless repeat until you can't tell the difference between a guitar and a tuba...everything you hear after that will sound like a talk box...;)

[cclement]

Funny… I was just thinking about this last night as I was drifting off to sleep… and how you could keep it almost all inside of the Helix. This would work best with an FRFR rig. Here is a very simplified path setup:

 

Path 1

Guitar->Helix in->Amp block->Send/Return block->Cab block->Helix out

In the Send/Return you would place the Talkbox, but there is no return from the TB obviously.

 

Path 2

Mic->Helix MIC in->FX to taste->Helix out

 

Setup a multi switch to turn on the S/R block AND the Mic at the same time.The guitar goes thru the amp block and then out thru the Send to the TB, but with no return. So this kills the sound heading to the Cab block and out… just like it would in a traditional setup.

 

Then, the Mic picks up the sound and routes it back to Path #2 where you can add FX to taste. You would need either a self-amplified TB (like the Rocktron Banshee) or some external amp if you are using a Heil-style TB. But in theory… you could keep almost all of it in the Helix.

[brue58ski]

In the Send/Return you would place the Talkbox, but there is no return from the TB obviously.

 

 

There is on mine. It's a Danelectro Free Speech Talkbox.

 

https://reverb.com/p/danelectro-free-speech-talk-box?gclid=CjwKEAjwvYPKBRCYr5GLgNCJ_jsSJABqwfw75SRAfyfx_4TmoVcwyaFO-WXE1YzLrDPF-74Uq3p_VhoCvHXw_wcB&hfid=5604118

[CraigGT]

Get blind drunk while listening to "Frampton Comes Alive" on endless repeat until you can't tell the difference between a guitar and a tuba...everything you hear after that will sound like a talk box... ;)

 

I was expecting you to say "Get blind drunk while listening to "Frampton Comes Alive" on endless repeat until you find one on Ebay"  :) 

 

Craig

[brue58ski]

Get blind drunk while listening to "Frampton Comes Alive" on endless repeat until you can't tell the difference between a guitar and a tuba...everything you hear after that will sound like a talk box...;)

But the only song I like on that thing is the one with the talk box. Can I just listen to that?