Here's One For The Tone Conscious- (Amp Content)

[MusicallyMrM]

Anybody in here that is a car guy can usually tell the difference in a 4 cylinder
engine, a six cylinder, an 8 cylinder or a 10 cylinder simply by listening at the exhaust
note. There are some of us that can tell the difference in a Chevy V-8, a Ford V8 (ha ha
ha ha), or a Mopar the same way. Seems that amps are the same way for some too.
I've got a friend of mine who is an amp tech at an area specialty shop who says he can
tell the sonic difference in a black face Fender from a Silver Face or a Marshall from a
Boogie or a Bogner from a Carr or a Maven Peal-you get the idea. I think he's full of it or
has to much free time. [laugh] So lets put it to the test (as well as listen to this cover of
a Deborah Coleman song I just finished today) I'll post the link and I want you to listen
at a song called "A Soft Place To Fall" Listen to the guitar part-the amp tone and see if
you can tell (or come close to ) the amp that's being used here. Bet you can't. It was
recorded using two SM 58's in front of the speaker and at the back of the cab as well so
it's a pretty clear sound. 10 to 1 you can't figure out the amp used. Give it a try. I
dare ya'

www.soundclick.com/bands/2/musicallymrmmusic.htm - Click on the link for "A Soft Place To Fall"

 

[bbZ]

Hard to tell what the amp is because that's gotta be the most vanilla chord progression I've ever heard. The micing is horrible. It sounds like someone's been playing for less than a year, recording in his bedroom. Sorry, but the truth is the truth. You should try to take a seminar on recording techniques and more importantly, take some guitar lessons!

 

[CMEZ]

sounds like a Roland Jazz Chorus to me.

Chris

 

[SemiCrazy]

BBZ is being a jerk or I hope he knows you and is trying to yank your chain.

MY guess at first was a Roland also but with all the chorus its very hard to pick out the amp.

It sounds solid state '80s . My three guesses:

Roland Jazz Chorus

Fender Power Chorus

Crate with onboard Chorus--the one with two 10" speakers can't think of the model


Again, you are throwing us off with all the effects.

 

[7evin]

I would guess a Fender Princeton Chorus.

isn't this thread just like the "solid state / tube" thread started earlier?

 

[MusicallyMrM]

Aaaaa Bbz-once out of every hundred post, we come across one of you guys. Probably one of those GC rugrats that plug into every Hi-powered amp they can find and go into heartless mechanical shred mode. hey to each his own. Need guitar lessons? rofl. You don't know who I am do you. I *am* a guitar teacher. That sound on this song was deliberate.

I appreciate your commentary. Didn't even post this to get an approval on the playing. If you listen to the Deborah Coleman version of this song, it sounds less refined than this one and she's getting paid for her CD. I was looking for a sound-even a style. Simple chords played well are a beautiful thing. Nothing wrong with primary open chords. That is the meat of basic guitar pedagogy. (A lot like most of those power chords that you probably play, huh?) You just missed the point of the post.

The processed sound (the chorus effect) which is built into this particular amp does kind of mask the identity of the sound but the main components I think are there. One of the intresting things I found when I embarked on this little experiment was that most people would not guess what amp this is because no one I know of ever plays this amp "clean". (Now I'm giving away the answer) That gritty-grind is the trademark of this amps popularity. As I turned the drive down and plyed it clean , I think this amp has a really unique sound. Makes one wonder why a lot of guys only think you can get a clean sound out of a Fender Amp or one of it's derivitives. (Victorias, Carrs, Maven-Peals, etc.) I kind of eq'd some of the bottom out of it during the recording for clarity and boosted the mids.

Lastly, I guess I'm not believing that too many people can tell the difference in any amp just from listening blindly in a practical application. A tech friend of mine said this would be easy. I beg to differ. I have a lot of people who say that they can. This really easy exercise is kind of proving my point although some of you are coming kind of close.

 

[Henri Devill]

Its one thing to listen ...but you gotta play the thing...Amps have a feel too..And you gotta be there with the amp...every player does not sound the same also!Every players tech. pick and "grip" is different! so how one amp sounds with one player is not how it will sound with diff. guy....And enviorment is a big difference too..right down to how hot or cold it is...Good luck




Don

 

[7evin]

Hard to tell what the amp is because that's gotta be the most vanilla chord progression I've ever heard. The micing is horrible. It sounds like someone's been playing for less than a year, recording in his bedroom. Sorry, but the truth is the truth. You should try to take a seminar on recording techniques and more importantly, take some guitar lessons!

Wow, your pretty sure of yourself. Why don't you post some of your music. I thought that the song was pretty good. A real musician never trashes his fellow brother and sisters for that matter. What kind of lessons have you taken? Oh I know, "how to judge unfairly 101".

 

[Agtronic]

Just wanted to comment on the engine stuff, I don't think the exhaust "note" has anything really to do with it, it's the rhythm of the engine that gives it away. I guess the exhaust note can help narrow-down the brand / model of car though ... Just thought I'd let you know there's another guy like you on the forum.

 

[SemiCrazy]

bbz,

Are you the posuer in the back of the bar telling everybody in ear shot how much the guitar player sucks but never having guts enough to put a band together and shop for gig and put your heart ego and talent on stage for the world to see?

Guys like that used to piss me off now I just laugh at you because I'm having fun even if I miss a note or twelve[depending on blood to liquor ratios] while your in the back spouting off some wise ass remark at my expense to mask the fact you wish you were me---most of the crowd cheers, dances and sings along.

Grow up.

Sorry to all you other folks who had to sit thru this. Just had to get that out.

Besides, the track didn't sound bad to me. I'm not a fan of effects, but not bad.

MrM,

you're right about the telling amps apart thing. Used to have a '74 Tele Custom. I would use the neck humbucker and play thru my '57 Gibson amp with no effects or pedals just a Fender piggy back reverb and almost anybody would swear I was playing Stevie's #1 thru a Blackface Fender and an original TS-9. Strange things happen in the tone world.

And speaking or Stevie and clean and dirty amps, he used Marshal for his cleaner tones and Fender for dirty. Opposite of most people's amp logic, which is what I think you are hinting at. Good Thread!!

And speaking of cars and exhaust tones---I have a car that sounds nothing like a V8 Chevy or Ford----its a 1955 Buick Super with a 322 Nailhead engine. The coolest thing it idles with a sychropated beat. When I replace the head gaskets this spring I'll record it so ya'll can check it out.

 

[MusicallyMrM]

Mad Ups 2 7evin! People like this miss the total point and still want to argue or criticize; not critique. Man that rubs me the wrong way. Don't we as musicians get enough bad PR from outsiders looking in not to have to listen to that stuff from posers? Maaaaaaannnnn............forgive my rant.

Hey, I am really familiar with the nail head. Isn't that a cool sound? I have uncles that had those. Other cool sounding engines include the Dodge Red Rams in the 55, 56's. Or I always thought it was cool when I was a kid and used to listen to the difference in a smoother, faster revving 409 Chevy and and 390 Fords. Chevies always sounded "tight and right" and Fords (even though they always made gobs of torque) always sounded slow an sluggish. I always get this image of those old Galaxies that Andy Griffith drove as Police Cars on the Andy Griffith Show. Aaaaaaaah, nostalgia. Old engines had charecter. Kind of like older musical gear.

 

[SemiCrazy]

MrM,
I just now noticed you're a Carolina Boy. Me too!!! Grew up in Huntersville before it got swollowed up by Charlotte.

 

[MusicallyMrM]

Carolina born and bred. I was born in Fayetteville (Fay-ette-nam for true North Carolinians) Left long enough to attend and graduate from college in Virginia. Lived in Durham for 15 years before moving to Good Ole Roanoke Rapids where I reside now. "It's like living in a poem; I like calling North Carolina home" (Remember that one?) Good to make your acquaintence my friend.

 

[Scottgman]

I'll bite. It's a JCM 800.

So are you gonna spill the beans or just keep us in suspense?

Cheers!

 

[MusicallyMrM]

Ok, ok ok. You guys have been really good about this and I've discovered a couple things from the post given. These amps are a lot closer to the real thing than most people give them credit for and most people either like them a lot or really hate them. I too was a guitar/amp snob until I bought one to use in the studio. I have a Carr Rambler and for the $1800 I paid for it , I try to limit how much I bang it around. This amp only weighed in at 40 lbs and was easy to handle. I think it sounds pretty good. The amp used is <drumroll>

Line 6 Spider 112 using the Mesa Dual Recto Model (They label it "recto" on the amp) Live , it really does sound like its coming out of a 4 x 12 cabinet

 

[MusicallyMrM]

Remixed A Vocal Into this song

Came out pretty cool. Check it out and see. Go to:

www.soundclick.com/bands/2/musicallymrmmusic.htm and click on the link to "A Soft Place To Fall"

 

[7evin]

wow, sounds really nice with the vocals. Take a bow. Nice singing. Did you re-record the guitars?

 

[outlawtorn86]

theres a man out there who can look at vinyls of beethoven and say which symphony it is just by looking at the ridges on the plastic. thats someone with too much time, a person who hears amp differences is a pro. btw nice music, im diggin the tune, and dont listen to what that guy bbz was ramblin about, why do you think he hasnt posted since then?

 

[krimson]

The guitar playing is good. And i could tell it was not a tube amp that's for sure but would have never guessed it was a line 6. I was thinking tha same a someone ealrier like a 80's fender princton that had the chorus in it. Peronnally it is not my flavour, but it does suit the song well as is. Generally it is much harder to tell the difference between solid state amps than tube amps, as solid state does not really offer really any flavour like tubes if you know what I mean except that they sound very cold.

As to your firend knowing what amp is what is a realistic thing for a person to be able to do. Myself I am a tube amp technician and am learning the differences in tones between various amps. I can see that it is very possible. But also very time consuming as well.

 

[juststartingout]

Just a question that is a little off the path, but talking about car engines, do you think that the car addicts could tell the difference between engines if they were recorded and compressed through MP3. Has anyone ever tried it?