Blackmore experts

[Jovan]

Here is the deal... I read that Ritchie used fender pickups, then sd quarter ponders, then i saw on Come Hell Or High Water DVD he uses lace sensors (don't know witch but i think gold or silver) so..... Do you know which sensors he used (i know that his signature had gold) and which pickup would be closest to his tone? By the way it should cancel the hum (noisless). I like his sound in Rainbow era, especialy 82-83 (think Live Between The Eyes), that tone i'm looking for...

Thanks in advance

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Blackmore experts

well...he used QP's for a while, he used Gold Lace Sensors for a while as well, but during Rainbow he played stock, current productions Fender pickups. IMO early 80's Fender Strat pickups are not very good. He might have shanged them but I have never read anything about that, in fact I have always read that he would use a stock Strat, even when the quality was the pits...

If this is way wrong, somebody please correct me.

 

[JeffB]

Re: Blackmore experts

I can't quote anything, but from wht I've learned over the years Ritchie's gear was far from stock..amps, guitars, whatever

He had custom vibrato bar arms, sawed off headstocks, diff pups, modded marshall major's etc. Early in the Deep Purple days, I suspect his gear *was* stock (that is after he switched over from 335s and Vox amps). IN fact, I think the dude who did his guitar & amp work is in NY state (Ritchie used to, or maybe still does live quite close to me in CT...a electrician friend of mine used to do work at his home), and there were some posts by him (his tech)I believe on Harmony Central sev months ago.

I would say a QP would be about right...that or a SSL-3...he had more midrange going on...especially during the MK III Purple Era and the first few Rainbow albums....

 

[JeffB]

Re: Blackmore experts

here is his tech's page

http://www.fjamods.com/Dawk.html

And more info on his gear from the tech

http://www.dawksound.com/rainbow.html


EDIT: clicky on the pics of the amps and the strat for some info

 

[man_in_a_blackbox]

Re: Blackmore experts

Yeah, go and check out the tech details as they were accurate at that time - however, Blackers had several circuit mods and his pickups were always changing - if you want Made In Japan sound then it was Fender pickups and Marshall Majors (a plexi will do...) you will need a moderate overdrive pedal (at that time Blackers used hi-volume and a cassette tape machine to get distortion). Later he used Quarter pounders and Marshall 800's. I have a SSl-3 which gives me less 'glass' but a great controlled harmonic sustain - it is hard to decide what sounds better...

 

[Jovan]

Re: Blackmore experts

Ok if i take for example quarter pounders who should i get rid of the hum? I know that there are noise supressors and that but is there another way maybe? How was Blackmore solving that problem?

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: Blackmore experts

I have also seen a few pictures of his early 80's strats that had bill lawrence pickups in them. I think his gear was ever evolving the constants were very loud Marshalls.

Snowdog

 

[Mincer]

Re: Blackmore experts

It depends on which Blackmore sound you want- his tone changed a lot over the years, from the 1st DP album to Machine Head, to Burn, and throughout Rainbow. His tone on the last DP cd he was on (the Battle Rages On) is different still.

 

[JeffB]

Re: Blackmore experts

It depends on which Blackmore sound you want- his tone changed a lot over the years, from the 1st DP album to Machine Head, to Burn, and throughout Rainbow. His tone on the last DP cd he was on (the Battle Rages On) is different still.

Very true. Though I haven't heard anything from him recorded after Perfect Strangers. The biggest tone difference from the Early Deep Purple days through to the early 80's was more gain, and slightly more midrange (which I'm sure was due to both pup changes, and mods to his Majors).

He tended to use alot more gain live than in the studio from what I can tell.

Personally my fave tones of his are from Made in Europe, and the Dio tracks from Finyl Vinyl (Rainbow)

 

[man_in_a_blackbox]

Re: Blackmore experts

Yep, his biggest change was from his older 'plexi' Majors ito Marshall 800's - the early ones with master volumes - he started off with those in the 80's so any change in sound in the mid-70's must have come from his pups and o/d pedals - however he was not bothered about hiss or noise - only in the studio did he 'come cleaner...' - if you want a slightly browner sound then try out the ENGL series, otherwise I think the Marshall DSL's are the closest to both the glassy MIJ sound as well as the 80/90's DP sound.

 

[Jovan]

Re: Blackmore experts

Allright, for ex. i want tone like in Rainbow - Miss Mistreated song (album from 82), that kind of sound, i think it is more in midrange then sound from 70's but that is what i want (i know that i cannot get 100% that sound and i don't want to but something very similar) so what pup's should I use? Sensors (if they witch) and if quarter pounders give me your opinions how i should in most effective way get rid of freaking hum (i really cannot live with it, it is so annoying).

 

[JeffB]

Re: Blackmore experts

Allright, for ex. i want tone like in Rainbow - Miss Mistreated song (album from 82), that kind of sound, i think it is more in midrange then sound from 70's but that is what i want (i know that i cannot get 100% that sound and i don't want to but something very similar) so what pup's should I use? Sensors (if they witch) and if quarter pounders give me your opinions how i should in most effective way get rid of freaking hum (i really cannot live with it, it is so annoying).

I haven't heard the studio version of that in probably 20 years, but I do know the live tone from Ms Mis on FV. Sounds like a Treble Booster to me, and *maybe* an 800, though could be the modded extra gain stage major.

I know my new YJM nails the Purple MKIII and early Rainbow tones...that's a DiMarzio HS3 & YJM's, and there is no noise.

I think for Duncans I would go with what *HE* used...QP's.

noise shmoize...it's Rock & roll...it's supposed to be noisy