Killer Tone Clip on You Tube. How’s he getting that attack?

bern1 · Nov 5, 2020

Killer sound and playing. Hard to get closer than that.

I doubt that's "bedroom" level.

Everybody's attack is different. Get the amp in the range and try different picks with your hand. One of them will be closer to the goal.

Mojoride · Nov 5, 2020

CK6 said:
His pickups also contribute to that sound (chirp) - what do you have in your guitar?

That’s what was thinking and memtioned in my original post too, was that I thought it might be the pickups and if folks agree, what pickups are prone to passing through that attack from the player.

In my R7, I currently just have the stock Alnico 3, 2018 “Custombuckers” that came stock in the 2018 historics. My plan is to swap them out for Throbak PG102’s. But after stumbling across those clips, I became interested in trying to find what he’s using or something similar.

With that said, I’m not necessarily looking to cop his or Clapton’s early Gibby tones “exactly”, but that chirp/attack characteristic is something I’m definitely after.

Sol · Nov 5, 2020

If you read the comments on the first post he states that he's using Orange and Epihone amps. If I misread I apologise.

CK6 · Nov 6, 2020

Mojoride said:
That’s what was thinking and memtioned in my original post too, was that I thought it might be the pickups and if folks agree, what pickups are prone to passing through that attack from the player.

In my R7, I currently just have the stock Alnico 3, 2018 “Custombuckers” that came stock in the 2018 historics. My plan is to swap them out for Throbak PG102’s. But after stumbling across those clips, I became interested in trying to find what he’s using or something similar.

With that said, I’m not necessarily looking to cop his or Clapton’s early Gibby tones “exactly”, but that chirp/attack characteristic is something I’m definitely after.

I actually have the PG 102 pickups and it will get you close, however I also have the Wizz Premium Clone pickups too and that will give you more of a woody type sound. There is no wrongdoing! He is using original PAF pickups.

I think an A5 magnet will get you there, and be sure to change the wiring harness as well!

Wilko · Nov 6, 2020

That sound is only achevieved by picking technique. You gotta actually pick the string and make it move. If you a re light picker and rely on pedals, it ain't gonna come.

JPP-1 · Nov 6, 2020

Very nice playing, Sweet tone, well recorded. Id be willing to bet that there is a big ol’ compressor getting hit hard somewhere in the signal chain. This could go along way to making the pick attack more prominent

CK6 · Nov 6, 2020

Wilko said:
That sound is only achevieved by picking technique. You gotta actually pick the string and make it move. If you a re light picker and rely on pedals, it ain't gonna come.

100% - I assumed that the OP has solid picking technique. The sound I think he is referring to can be enhanced by a PAF type pickup, be it original or reproduction.

Very nice playing, Sweet tone, well recorded. Id be willing to bet that there is a big ol’ compressor getting hit hard somewhere in the signal chain. This could go along way to making the pick attack more prominent

I really don’t hear that... sounds like it’s straight into the amp.

Maxmc · Nov 6, 2020

I keep coming back to listen to that initial clip. His tone is supreme and he's not using anything flash apart from real PAFs in his 2001 Les Paul through a 30w Orange amp. Yes, I would say he's got that amp wound up to a fair clip but is the secret the pickups?

Mojoride · Nov 7, 2020

CK6 said:
100% - I assumed that the OP has solid picking technique. The sound I think he is referring to can be enhanced by a PAF type pickup, be it original or reproduction.

I really don’t hear that... sounds like it’s straight into the amp.

Yup, it sounds like he’s direct in to me too, and I think in one of his other videos he describes his setup if I remember right. (I could be wrong though lol, I watch too many videos lol) amd he said he was direct in.

Anyways, here’s a clip of my playing my R7 into my handwired Bluesbreaker. Direct in, no pedals. The only thing is I have a Powerstation 2 to knock the DB’s down a bit. Lastly, it’s recorded with my IPhone 6 lol, so it’s not recorded that great lol. But my setup is clearly lacking that “chirp” pick attack that is coming through in his. I’d like to think that it’s the pickups or maybe the amp like one of the other posters mentioned. But I think the Orange 30 he’s using has less to do with it than the guitar. Anyways here’s a clip of me and my gear...

brandtkronholm · Nov 7, 2020

Mojoride said:
Anyways, here’s a clip of my playing my R7 into my handwired Bluesbreaker. Direct in, no pedals. The only thing is I have a Powerstation 2 to knock the DB’s down a bit. Lastly, it’s recorded with my IPhone 6 lol, so it’s not recorded that great lol. But my setup is clearly lacking that “chirp” pick attack that is coming through in his. I’d like to think that it’s the pickups or maybe the amp like one of the other posters mentioned. But I think the Orange 30 he’s using has less to do with it than the guitar. Anyways here’s a clip of me and my gear...

Loose the Powerstation. You can't move any air with that thing. Part of the "chirp" is making those speakers jump. (I can hear your guitar "acoustically"!)

Your amp is making a good noise, but it's not face melting. Ditch the Powerstation for a bit and open the Ark of the Covenant!

New mantra: "Better musicianship through louder amplification"!

(And good playing in the video! :hank)

Mojoride · Nov 7, 2020

brandtkronholm said:
Loose the Powerstation. You can't move any air with that thing. Part of the "chirp" is making those speakers jump. (I can hear your guitar "acoustically"!)

Your amp is making a good noise, but it's not face melting. Ditch the Powerstation for a bit and open the Ark of the Covenant!

New mantra: "Better musicianship through louder amplification"!

(And good playing in the video! :hank)

yup, I hear ya. And typically at gigs I do have the amp wide open with no powerstation. It’s just at home when I made the clip yesterday, the last next door was home lol, so I couldn’t open it up lol. But, this week when she’s gone while I’m home I’ll make another clip, same settings with no Powerstation and post it and see what you all think.

Thanks again everyone for all the input!

brandtkronholm · Nov 7, 2020

:yah

CK6 · Nov 8, 2020

Mojoride said:
Yup, it sounds like he’s direct in to me too, and I think in one of his other videos he describes his setup if I remember right. (I could be wrong though lol, I watch too many videos lol) amd he said he was direct in.

Anyways, here’s a clip of my playing my R7 into my handwired Bluesbreaker. Direct in, no pedals. The only thing is I have a Powerstation 2 to knock the DB’s down a bit. Lastly, it’s recorded with my IPhone 6 lol, so it’s not recorded that great lol. But my setup is clearly lacking that “chirp” pick attack that is coming through in his. I’d like to think that it’s the pickups or maybe the amp like one of the other posters mentioned. But I think the Orange 30 he’s using has less to do with it than the guitar. Anyways here’s a clip of me and my gear...

Cool! If you turn up the volume and lose the attenuator you’ll get the result that you’re looking for.

TommyQ · Nov 8, 2020

That Goldtop is knocking it down. There are a bunch of good Lester tones and this is one of them. And you are a good picker s well.

Maxmc · Dec 18, 2020

He's at it again!

BurstFan · Jan 6, 2021

To the OP: your tone is very fine too. But it's less Old School sounding, or less "edgy" if this makes sense.
You need a very low Output, clear sounding Pickup, to let the guitar shine. One of the best I ever had are the Klein Epic 58 Pups. You can also achieve good results with an excellent Pedal, e.g. Origin Effects Revival Drive, and an clean amp with a good headroom, e.g. everything Fender like.
The guitar the guy is using is a 2001, which still has the good wood. The older Gibsons, I would say up to and including 2003, have better body woods than today. And this makes a huge difference in attack.
You just don't get these woods today anymore.

guitarbob123 · Jan 6, 2021

It looks like the amp is plugged into a 4x12 cab too.

In all honesty, the volume and the amount of air being moved from those speakers, combined with a great player and a good sounding room is probably 90% of that sound.

Trying to replicate it in a spare room at home with a couple of efficient speakers being held back by an attenuator is going to struggle to achieve the same effect. I'd say from your video the really huge factor is pushing the volume up a hell of a long way and probably the mids a bit too. Obviously you have to work within the conditions you can but all those huge tones that everyone chases always seem to boil down to 'Yeah, they had the amp really open and blazing when they recorded that.' Once you've got the speakers moving some air, that's probably when the other factors come into play more.

Have you considered putting brass thumbwheels on the ABR and shaving the angle of the saddles on your bridge? The guy in that other thread reckons it makes all the difference :laugh2:

Wizard1183 · Jan 9, 2021

It’s also the angle of his pick when attacking strings it slides a hair. On bass strings anyway. You won’t chirp on an unwound string. Fairly easy to chirp...

AA00475Bassman · Jan 9, 2021

You don't buy this tone , owning a pair of pliers does not make you a electrician !

Mojoride · Jan 10, 2021

Thanks again everyone for all the input. Just to clarify, when I play in the bands I’m in, at most gigs and at band practice, I’m able to open the amp up without using the attenuator. I have the attenuator for home use and for small room gigs. I used it for the clip posted in this thread just as a point of reference to where I’m at, and because being home at the time i wasn’t able to open it up, realizing of course that we lose a lot when not pushing air the same as as without the attenuator. When I’m able to play with it wide open and no attenuator, I really am happy with my tone. There’s just that extra 10% or that extra something that I’m hearing in this guys tone that I hear that I like and am not getting that I do really dig and was curious about. I was thinking maybe it was that he had pickups that were special or something on the rare side as I don’t hear what he’s getting in some of the most well known players tones either.

Anyways, he did reply to me on YouTube and the pickups he has are in fact real vintage paf’s that he purchased and installed in that guitar. I think they do contribute for sure to the tone he’s getting, but per everyone’s suggestions and expertise in this thread, it’s more than likely the sum of all the above, as all the things you’ve all mentioned have effect on tone significantly.

I won’t be shelling out the dough for vintage paf’s anytime soon lol, but regardless, next time we have a gig where I can get a good recording, I’ll post some clips to share what my rig sounds like wide open. (Pandemic is killing any all gig opportunities still here in MA though so it’ll be a bit...)

Killer Tone Clip on You Tube. How’s he getting that attack?

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