The GUP Tech SUN Noise Gate, or Shut Up Noise gate, is a noise gate pedal built around a separate detection loop. Instead of only listening to the signal passing through it, the SUN has four jacks: two for the audio path and two for detection, so the gate can listen to your guitar while it silences the noisy pedals and amp downstream. GUP Tech says it can be wired in 2, 3 or 4-wire configurations, in front of the amp or in its FX loop1.
It replaced the earlier GUP Tech GUUL in July 2021, keeping the same features but moving to an updated DSP chip2. GUP Tech makes all of its pedals itself in Saguenay, Québec, Canada1.
A noise gate with a separate detection loop
The SUN's core idea is the split between what it hears and what it mutes. The right side jack is the Detection Input, where the guitar or a clean feed goes in, and the top right jack is the actual gate input for the audio you want gated. On the output side, the top left jack feeds your time-based effects and the amp's FX Return, while the left side jack is the Detection output, which GUP Tech says should go to all your noisy effects and/or the amp input1.
Because the gate tracks the clean guitar signal rather than the processed one, the threshold responds to your picking rather than to the noise itself. This is the same family of wiring used by pedals like the Fortin Amps Zuul, ISP Technologies ISP Decimator II G-String and Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor. GUP Tech's own page points to the lineage, describing the pedal as a modified take on the Zuul: "Whatever modifications you've done from the Zuul to make this pedal your own creation, excellent work!"1
The control set is minimal. There is a single threshold knob, which GUP Tech describes as one that "may have only one know, but is not an easy one to get by"1. Inside the enclosure there is also a Low/High threshold switch, which the maker includes "in case you miss some noise silencing power"3.
Wiring it in 2, 3 or 4 wires
The four jacks support three wiring methods, and GUP Tech notes that the 4-wire method works even if your amp has no FX loop1:
- 2-wire: the gate sits in the signal chain like a conventional pedal, with detection taken from the same signal.
- 3-wire: a separate detection feed is added, so the gate tracks the guitar while gating part of the chain.
- 4-wire: the full 4-cable method, with the guitar feeding the Detection Input and the gate placed in the amp's FX loop. One player named Jesse, using a high gain hybrid rig with a solid state power amp, says "I'm using the SUN Gate exclusively in the 4 cable method"1.
GUP Tech also says the pedal can be wired directly in front of the amp, or in the FX loop using the key input, "for even more hum annihilation"3. Placing a gate in the effects loop of a high-gain amplifier is one of the most common applications for the effect, since it eliminates unwanted amp noise while reacting naturally to tone, sustain and pick attack, as BOSS's buying guide explains4.
Versions and special editions
The SUN has appeared in several colors and special editions alongside the standard version, which is offered in White, Dark Gray, Black Yellow, Black Green, Black Blue and Black Orange1.
| Version | Notes | Status |
|---|---|---|
| SUN Noise Gate | Standard version, described by GUP Tech as its own creation modified from the Zuul2 | In production2 |
| TDS Sun purple edition | Same noise killing power as the Sun but with special color, made just for Shawn3 | Limited edition1 |
The TDS Sun purple edition carries "the same noise killing power as our Sun but with special color," in GUP Tech's words3.
Where it came from and what players say
GUP Tech describes the SUN as its own creation, built by modifying the Zuul: "Whatever modifications you've done from the Zuul to make this pedal your own creation, excellent work!"1. The SUN is in production2, while the TDS Sun purple edition was a limited edition made just for Shawn1.
Questions
What is the difference between the GUP Tech SUN and the Zuul?
The Zuul is a separate noise gate pedal from Fortin Amps. GUP Tech's own product page acknowledges the Zuul as the design the SUN builds on, with a customer remarking on the modifications made from the Zuul to create the pedal. The SUN is GUP Tech's own gate, made in Saguenay, Québec, Canada, and wired with the same 2, 3 or 4-cable detection-loop approach.
Can the SUN Noise Gate be used in an amp's effects loop?
Yes. GUP Tech says it can be wired directly in front of the amp or in the FX loop, using the key input for what the maker calls even more hum annihilation. It can also be used in 4-wire even if your amp has no FX loop at all.
Does the SUN Noise Gate replace the GUUL?
Yes. In July 2021 GUP Tech discontinued the GUUL and stated it would never be offered again. The SUN is the updated version, with the same features and an updated DSP chip.
What power does the SUN Noise Gate need?
It runs on 9V DC with a center-negative plug, and draws 38mA. That current draw is high enough that a standard daisy chain shared with several other pedals may be tight, so a dedicated or well-rated supply output is the safer choice.
Where is the GUP Tech SUN made?
GUP Tech makes all of its pedals itself in Saguenay, Québec, Canada. The company also runs a shop there, at 6182 Boulevard Talbot, where pickup is usually ready in 24 hours.
Sources (4)
- SUN Noise Gate Guitar Pedal, GUP Tech (guptech.ca)
- Legacy - GUUL Noise Gate, GUP Tech (guptech.ca), 2021-07
- TDS SUN Noise Gate, GUP Tech (guptech.ca), 2021-08-05
- The Complete Guide to Noise Gate and Suppressor Pedals, BOSS (articles.boss.info), 2023-11-30
