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What kind of amp did Chuck Berry use?

moonweasel

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In particular, for the really old school recordings like Maybelline, etc.

Thanks!

- Stephen
 

el84ster

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Not sure about the early years, but I know in the later he'd use whatever the venue had for him. He'd just show up with his guitar. No band either, he'd use a house-provided amp AND back-up band!
 

moonweasel

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el84,

Ive heard the same thing! So cool. Ive never heard anything specific about the early years though.
 

sickboy79

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From what I've heard/read, he was a Tweed Fender guy. Bassman I believe.
 

greentone

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For years his live favorites have been using black Showmans. I have seen video of him using a gibson combo in his early days, but he probably just used whatever fender tweed was around.
 

MichaelT

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Yeah.. . I saw him in the mid 70s and he used a Showman. It may have been provided for him, I don't know, but that's what he used.

~Mike
 

535faultless

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one of my all time favorite movies is "Hail Hail Rock and Roll".

Chuck and Keith keep me in stiches the entire movie....especially the "amp" scene.
 

juniorspecial

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"That's Chuck Berry's amp. Did Chuck Berry say you could touch his amp!"


Some priceless stuff in that movie!
 

keef

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For me the best part was Keef being told by Chuck that he had been playing Oh Carol wrong for 20+ years....that smug look on Chuck's face - just hilarious.

A few years ago a thief with great taste stole the movie soundtrack out of my car together with some other tapes - too bad.

FWIW - I recall an early pic of Chuck holding an Epiphone archtop - maybe there is an amp on it as well.
 

brianf

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For some more recent live gigs he used a Silverface Dual Showman Reverb Head on a Fender 4 x 12 Cab. This amp is for sale at a shop in Toronto with a C of A. and a story line.

Are these amps not just a Twin Reverb in head form?


brianf
 

535faultless

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Chuck to Keith: "If you're gonna play it...play it right".

Not only did Chuck have a smug face on, but Keith had a blank look on his face as if he didnt get the idea of a ghost bend....and the rest of the band dared not say a word.
 

felixq78

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Not sure about the early years, but I know in the later he'd use whatever the venue had for him. He'd just show up with his guitar. No band either, he'd use a house-provided amp AND back-up band!


Fender Showman Reverb black face were his preference and at one stage in his career he insisted the venue provide them otherwise he didn't play. I'm not sure about the veracity of this but it sure sounds like Berry, he was a prima-donna that's for sure. It must have been a nightmare working with him.
 
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Wally

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Fender Showman Reverb black face were his preference and at one stage in his career he insisted the venue provide them otherwise he didn't play. I'm not sure about the veracity of this but it sure sounds like Berry, he was a prima-donna that's for sure. It must have been a nightmare working with him.

FYI, there is no such thing as a BF Dual ?Showman Reverb amp except for the last two years of the SF era when BF panels were reintroduced...1980/1981. Those DSR’s would have been 135 watts. The first Dual Suowman Reverb amp’s we’re introduced 8n the summer of 1968....15 months after the introduction of the SF cosmetics.
As I understand it, Berry’s rider in the 1990’s...and probably during the SF era...called for Dual Showman Reverb amp’s. Twin Reverbs would not do for Chuck!!! I know the City of Lubbock had two of them shipped in from a rental facility in NYC for a concert he did here back in those days.

I get a big laugh out of K. Richards’ inability to hear the pre-bent aspect of that Oh Carol lick. Speaking of OhhCarol.....we all know that The Stones are known for us8ng that during encores. I went to see the Stones in 1975 in the Cotton Bowl. The third group in the lineup was The Eagles. They did a fantastic job that afternoon. When they came out for an encore.....they played Oh Carol! I laughed at that...they roe it up. The Stones did not back off later on when they also played Oh Carol for their encore.

Bestnt8ng about that show...during the break between the Eagles and the Stones, a yo7ng th8; women about 10 rows 8n front of us o; the west side...just under the overhang...stood up and started do8ng some vocal warm ups. I could tell that she was a formally trained vocalist. She went through a full routine of warm ups. Then, the Stones came out and played their first number...big applause at the end. When there was a short silence before the next song, a thin young red-headed woman stood up and...with no mic...shut the entire Cotton Bowl down with her focalization. All 100,000~+ people roared their approval when she finished. From the stage...and on a mic....Mick then said:”Could you do that again, darlin’?” And she blew the stadium apart....magnificent.
 

TM1

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From what I know, Chuck’s “Rider” called for two Fender Dual Showman Reverb heads and two 2x15 cabs with JBL’s. Chuck must’ve been partially deaf....lol!
 

Amp360

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I was hired as part of a backup band for him years ago. A pair of SF Dual Showman Reverb with the matching cabs are what he used. Sounded just like you would expect him to sound. Not sure about on the records but that’s what I would get if I wanted that sound.
 
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