How to get a certain sound?

[MusicBernd]

Hi everyone!

Don't know if this is the right place to ask this, but I'll give it a try anyway.

As a big fan of the 70s I tried to reproduce a few sounds to get this kind of feeling to my recordings too. For some reasons, however, I don't get even close to it.

Many of the 70s artists (10cc, ELO) have this tight rythm guitar sound (mostly acoustic) on some of their songs. An example can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjyBEyrnL9k The sound that I mean kicks in at about 55 seconds into the song (sorry for the bad quality, couldn't find a better video of it).

There are lots of other examples (like ELO's Sweet Talkin' Woman). Whenever I try to record my acoustic guitar, it sounds clear, ringing and has a high range. That's great for some songs, but the sound that I'm looking for (as in the example) is a very tight sound, not so crystal clear, but more "lush" or... well, can't really find a word for it.

I know, these guys back then had superb skills, top instruments and expensive studio equipment, but there has to be some "trick" or direction that leads to this sound, hasn't it? Is it the playing technique? No open chords and a higher fret? Is it compression? Is it the instrument? 12-string guitar? 6-string? Acoustic, semi-acoustic, electric? Man, I'm just in the middle of nowhere regarding this .

Any suggestions?

Thanks a lot,
Bernd

 

[RAMI]

I know, these guys back then had superb skills, top instruments and expensive studio equipment, but there has to be some "trick"

I'm not going to try to answer your question, but I have to say that I never realized that 10cc were such blatant Paul McCartney clones.

Oh, and also....That chick is hot.

 

[GOYA]

It sounds like they've EQ'ed the bottom out of the acoustic guitar. But it might start with the sound of that particular guitar itself.

And yes, that chick is hot.

 

[MusicBernd]

I'm not going to try to answer your question, but I have to say that I never realized that 10cc were such blatant Paul McCartney clones.

Oh, and also....That chick is hot.

I should have known that THAT particular video won't let you conentrate on the guitar sound .

Well, Paul McCartney clones? You mean the song I've posted? Doesn't remind me of a McCartney-song, which one do you mean? .

EQ'd the bottom out? Well, tried a lot with this, but I always get kind of a "ringing" tone when I do that, not this "tight" sound, but maybe it's the playing technique... .

Thanks,
Bernd

 

[RAMI]

Doesn't remind me of a McCartney-song, which one do you mean? .

All of them. I thought it was a Paul tune until I read more about it.

 

[mjbphotos]

Ovation acoustic-electric, maybe. I think the answer is an acoustic with a pickup in it, rather than a mic-ed guitar.