Vivian Campbell's Dio tone from 1984 - which pickups

[Adieu]

Re: Vivian Campbell's Dio tone from 1984 - which pickups

Idk... I'd say Greenbacks are this weird symbol of vintage-gear-mania that people who don't know speakers really loooove to mention.

Btw when you open a cab from a self-professed greenback lover, there's a damn good chance it doesn't actually contain greenbacks.

I *think* it originated with Marshall switching up the speakers they ship with their standard 4x12" cabinets and getting some pushback from customers who got something other than they expected (possibly M70's, people seem to loooove to hate them)....first their customers started complaining and demanding to know why "it doesn't sound like the old one", THEN some marketing guys at Marshall and/or Celestion got the bright idea to market MULTIPLE speakers, among them the g12-65 ****AND**** later on the T75 as "high power greenbacks" or "greenback voiced" or similar unhelpful statements in their advertising literature

Hell they STILL do it with the T75 / 1960A&B.

And then you get all these craigslist pawnshop etc people talking bout their greenback cab...which don't have no greenbacks.


I'd have to check, but if it sounds like GOOD 80's metal tone, it's probably g12-80 (old ones NOT current "classic lead" labelled speakers, current closest modern product is probably the Mesa/Celestion Black Shadow MC90) or g12-65.... greenbacks are more up Jimi Hendrix's alley

[Kamanda~SD]

Re: Vivian Campbell's Dio tone from 1984 - which pickups

The only pic. I have left of "the VERY good 'ol days" i.e. taken sometime in '80's (definitely after 1984 anyway). ]

Based off the 475 Deluxe on the left (and 275 I'm guessing) AND the Q80, this would have to be '89 at the very earliest.

[dpaterson]

Re: Vivian Campbell's Dio tone from 1984 - which pickups

Based off the 475 Deluxe on the left (and 275 I'm guessing) AND the Q80, this would have to be '89 at the very earliest.

You obviously know your guitars very well. Truth be told: I don't even remember the model numbers. I do remember the "Sunburst" one being a very heavy guitar with what felt like a tree trunk for a neck. The white one I remember was lighter and seemed to have a smaller or thinner neck. I unfortunately have small hands i.e. piano and keyboard player hands so that's how I remember (not to mention the reason why I battle to crack Vivian's sometimes fret/finger spreads). I looked them up after your post. Much to my surprise: it seems they came out with Jackson pickups not SD pickups. Then I looked at my own pic. again and I reckon that's quite right i.e even as bad as the quality of the pic. is those logos (basically show up as little white smudges in the pic.) on the pickups are not long enough for the SD logo. So I was wrong above obviously. Amazing how the mind plays tricks (especially after, what, 29 years i.e. 1989 actually does sound about right because I do remember, although I gotta watch myself here, that the Q80 was like the latest fad on the block at the time). Funny thing though: I thought those guitars would have been worth something now (if they were in good nick). Apparently not i.e. saw quite a few for sale when I searched. I know I sold them for next to nothing (you know what happens i.e. when you run into financial sh*t as can, and did, happen the first things to go is the gear) (at highway robbery prices!!!).

Regards,

Dale.

[donaldr]

Re: Vivian Campbell's Dio tone from 1984 - which pickups

So many equipment!!! I would have simply buy an Axe-FX with an Atomic CLR if I was chasing a particular recorded (even live video) tone.

[dpaterson]

Re: Vivian Campbell's Dio tone from 1984 - which pickups

Yeh. I am starting to agree with you and StratMatt77!!! LOL!!! Somehow it all just crept up on me!!!

Have read the other new posts. Cannot respond now (huge thunderstorm here now so all gear unplugged). Will respond tomorrow i.e. have some questions about replacing these CODE speakers with Celestion speakers (oh here we go again) (see: this is how it happens).

Have a good day/night everyone.

Thanks for the posts.

Regards,

Dale.

[Toejam]

Re: Vivian Campbell's Dio tone from 1984 - which pickups

Here's the pic:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]94149[/ATTACH]

He also had a Jackson Les Paul copy with similar pickups.

[LLL]

Re: Vivian Campbell's Dio tone from 1984 - which pickups

He also had a Jackson Les Paul copy with similar pickups.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]94153[/ATTACH]

Yeah - when I get my archives back, I'll dig. IIRC, they look like X2N's, but they're not.

Some strange name custom pickups...

[Demanic]

Re: Vivian Campbell's Dio tone from 1984 - which pickups

He also had a Jackson Les Paul copy with similar pickups.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]94153[/ATTACH]

Silverbird's?

[Toejam]

Re: Vivian Campbell's Dio tone from 1984 - which pickups

They do look like the Duncan Silverbirds. No idea if they are or not.

[Gtrjunior]

Re: Vivian Campbell's Dio tone from 1984 - which pickups

Yeah - when I get my archives back, I'll dig. IIRC, they look like X2N's, but they're not.

Some strange name custom pickups...

I’m curious to see what you come with on those pickups. I remember reading somewhere that they were X2N’s.

[GrilledChickenSalad]

Re: Vivian Campbell's Dio tone from 1984 - which pickups

Here's the pic:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]94149[/ATTACH]

Vivian Campbell has said that early Dio was his black '77 (?) Les Paul with DiMarzio X2N.

[dpaterson]

Re: Vivian Campbell's Dio tone from 1984 - which pickups

Hi folks.

Sorry. I'm neglecting my "thread duties" on this thread!!! LOL!!! Been busy today I'm afraid. Will answer earlier posts a little later.

In the meantime though:

There's been much talk about speakers on the thread. So while I await my pickup how about some input on the following:

What about these (for my CODE50 amps.): https://celestion.com/product/200/f12x200/???

Apparently they're designed for modelling amps. etc.

Unfortunately: they're cannot be bought for love nor money at this point in time (or so it would seem i.e. Sweetwater is taking pre-orders but that doesn't help me because they won't supply me here). So I guess the question is: are there any equivalent types of speakers ("full range") out there e.g. not Celestions???

The above being said: do feel free to suggest Celestion alternatives (that will get me closer to my "God-like" tone!!! LOL!!!) (IF NEEDED after the Super Distortion has been added to the mix that is).

One other question:

Is it true that one can simply solder a resistor across the speaker terminals to reduce the impedance??? Reason I ask is because the CODE50 has a 4Ω speaker. So assuming I can only buy an 8Ω speaker (say 200W RMS like the above): could I simply solder a 200W 8Ω resistor across the speaker terminals and this would reduce to 4Ω???

Lastly: what are the pitfalls, if any, of putting in a 200W RMS speaker (bearing in mind the CODE50 only outputs 50W RMS) (into 4Ω that is) i.e. anything to be concerned about re: tone or anything like that??? What about efficiency???

Chat shortly.

Regards,

Dale.

[devastone]

Re: Vivian Campbell's Dio tone from 1984 - which pickups

Yes those are for modeling amps, so therefore are full range speakers that are made to impart the least amount of coloration to the tone. Not sure it would change that much since the stock speakers in a modeling amp should be made with the same intent. Changing speakers that color the tone, say V-30s, Creambacks, 75s, is probably not desired for a modeling amp since it is modeling the preamp, power amp, and cab/speakers. In a traditional guitar amp, changing the speaker is probably the biggest thing you can do to change your sound.

It may just be that the Code is a fine modeler, but not good at getting the specific sound you are looking for.

FWIW, yes, a resistor across the terminals will change the impedance of the speaker, but it also has to handle a minimum of half the wattage of the amp (a safety factor of 2X is a good idea, so the full wattage of the amp is preferred). The standard resistors that you see in circuits are 1/8 - 1/4 Watt. A 100W resistor looks like this and should be bolted to a heatsink.

[devastone]

Re: Vivian Campbell's Dio tone from 1984 - which pickups

Also and was just thinking: I wonder if it's possible that there are overtones (at the top) that we cannot hear under normal circumstances but that the CODE amps. being SS amps. are "interpreting" differently??? Maybe a cap. or two for fun??? Will test tomorrow I reckon.

Just to be clear, while the Code amps have a SS power section, they are not analog SS amps, they are digital modelers, so all the tone is developed in software, not analog components (not dissin' on them, I use a GT-1000 as my "rig" now days).

[metalchurch79]

Re: Vivian Campbell's Dio tone from 1984 - which pickups

He also had a Jackson Les Paul copy with similar pickups.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]94153[/ATTACH]

Thats a cool guitar! They sort of look like Schaller pickups with the wide chrome bars, but who knows...