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Rockman Tone in 2017

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  • Re: Rockman Tone in 2017

    So, how about that Rockman/Boston tone?

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    • Re: Rockman Tone in 2017

      Scholz tone secrets...

      So the theory goes from my various researching online (and I've tested this theory and IMO it's accurate) that on the first 2 Boston albums (let's just call it the "classic Marshall amp Boston tone"), after the amp & attenuator & speaker cab, Tom ran the mic'd and/or line out through a "narrow band EQ"... e.g. a Crybaby Wah (my pref) or MXR 6-Band (keep in mind he had one in front of the amp too)... then to the board.

      "I still have the ’70s Marshall head I’ve used from the beginning—which, as always, I run with equalization, gain, and compression ahead of the amp, and an [SR&D] Power Soak after the amp and before the speaker cabinet. I run miked signal from the speaker into an EQ with narrow bands that let me select the frequencies I want to emphasize. That’s the sort of sound I designed into the Rockman stuff, which makes up the second of my three studio rigs."
      The above is a Tom quote, but I've also read from others that it was a Crybaby wah as the "narrow band EQ"...

      For the vid I did on the 1st page, I placed an MXR 6-Band in front of the amp, and a virtual line out to a Crybaby at the tail end of the signal...

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      • Re: Rockman Tone in 2017

        Interesting! I suppose that this is the kind of thing that would be a lot easier to emulate in a real-life context today than ever before, since cab simulators and similar gadgets have become common: would one get in the ballpark by running a wah (or some substitute) after a cab emulator into an FRFR speaker? This, in general, is a concept that interests me, since it is now possible to simulate ways to put effects after the cabinet – that is, where they would have been put on most recordings from the last 30-odd years!

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        • Rockman Tone in 2017

          Michael Sweet from Stryper does something similar. Instead of using a crybaby, he has a piece of outboard gear (of course I can’t remember what it is at the moment) which lets you set a certain amount of cocked wah tone.
          I believe he shows/talks about it here.
          Im not sure how he achieved his 80’s tone...maybe it was a Rockman, IDK. But this is how he does it now.

          Last edited by Gtrjunior; 08-06-2018, 03:06 PM.

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          • Re: Rockman Tone in 2017

            Was it, perchance, a Furman parametric equalizer? I know that Stryper were supposed to use those to great effect.

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            • Re: Rockman Tone in 2017

              Originally posted by Sirion View Post
              Interesting! I suppose that this is the kind of thing that would be a lot easier to emulate in a real-life context today than ever before, since cab simulators and similar gadgets have become common: would one get in the ballpark by running a wah (or some substitute) after a cab emulator into an FRFR speaker? This, in general, is a concept that interests me, since it is now possible to simulate ways to put effects after the cabinet – that is, where they would have been put on most recordings from the last 30-odd years!
              Well, a month ago I picked up a Fulltone WahFull (see thread link); this could definitely fit the bill and be fully adjustable in a friendly user-interface way:

              https://forum.seymourduncan.com/show...lltone-WahFull

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              • Re: Rockman Tone in 2017

                I found the best Boston tone using an MXR distortion -> MXR EQ -> Roland RE-3O1 -> Marshall Super Lead 1OO.

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                • Re: Rockman Tone in 2017

                  Originally posted by Gtrjunior View Post
                  Michael Sweet from Stryper does something similar. Instead of using a crybaby, he has a piece of outboard gear (of course I can’t remember what it is at the moment) which lets you set a certain amount of cocked wah tone.
                  I believe he shows/talks about it here.
                  Im not sure how he achieved his 80’s tone...maybe it was a Rickman, IDK. But this is how he does it now.

                  https://youtu.be/5imut6suAj4
                  I notice his virtual wah freq is set to 707Hz... this is part of the crucial midrange (roughly 600-800Hz) that provides clarity (not brightness), allows easy pinch harmonics, etc... but too much and you get a honking duck.

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                  • Re: Rockman Tone in 2017

                    I have heard Boston and think they sound great. I really like the Third Stage, personally.

                    This thread makes me want to go on eBay and buy one. What would you guys recommend?

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                    • Re: Rockman Tone in 2017

                      A X100 headphone amp is probably the best start overall. It was produced 1984 to 1994. The original Rockman, made from 1982 to 1984 is pretty good too, if you can get one in good shape.

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                      • Re: Rockman Tone in 2017

                        Originally posted by rbc View Post
                        A X100 headphone amp is probably the best start overall. It was produced 1984 to 1994. The original Rockman, made from 1982 to 1984 is pretty good too, if you can get one in good shape.
                        If you want to go straight to rack mount gear, the Sustainor is probably the best. It's basically a guitar stack in a box including a cabinet simulation. If you already have stomp boxes or digital effects, they would work as well with a Sustainor as anything else.

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                        • Rockman Tone in 2017

                          Originally posted by gtrgrl View Post
                          I have heard Boston and think they sound great. I really like the Third Stage, personally.

                          This thread makes me want to go on eBay and buy one. What would you guys recommend?
                          I’d recommend a Zoom MS50G. Much cheaper, comes with a warranty, and does every other piece of gear you could want, after you get tired of the Rockman wah tone, several weeks from now. It’s a great sound, but there’s only so much music you can make with it.
                          Last edited by beaubrummels; 08-06-2018, 11:46 PM.

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                          • Re: Rockman Tone in 2017

                            Originally posted by beaubrummels View Post
                            It’s a great sound, but there’s only so much music you can make with it.
                            The Rockman headphone amps kind of lock you into the sound, but the Rockmodules are very flexible. You can even use the Sustainor pre-distortion effects loop to bypass the Sustainor's built-in compressor and gate.
                            Last edited by rbc; 08-07-2018, 02:13 AM.

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                            • Re: Rockman Tone in 2017

                              If one reads this whole thread, I think one of the things that becomes obvious is that the Rockman gear is so much more than Boston…

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                              • Re: Rockman Tone in 2017

                                Originally posted by Sirion View Post
                                If one reads this whole thread, I think one of the things that becomes obvious is that the Rockman gear is so much more than Boston…
                                Agreed...I had absolutely no idea how widespread it’s use was thought the 80’s.

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