Clapton woman sound
- Thread starter Riddim
- Start date
STRATDELUXER97
Stratoblaster Tone Meister
Re: Clapton woman sound
Gibson SG,Les Paul,or 335 through screamin Marshalls with the tone control rolled off...Think it was the bridge tone actually with a .015 cap on his tone control? I Normally use the neck position and I'm not positive on the pickup position Clapton used? I remember reading an article on this by Caesar Diaz about his caps etc...We do some Cream tunes and the Woman Tone is easy for me to get...
John
Gibson SG,Les Paul,or 335 through screamin Marshalls with the tone control rolled off...Think it was the bridge tone actually with a .015 cap on his tone control? I Normally use the neck position and I'm not positive on the pickup position Clapton used? I remember reading an article on this by Caesar Diaz about his caps etc...We do some Cream tunes and the Woman Tone is easy for me to get...
John
Bludave
New member
Re: Clapton woman sound
Clapton's "women tone" was achieved using a 61' SG with original PAF's using a Marshall (sometimes 2 connected with a Y cable) 100 watt 1959 all settings on max with the tone rolled off on either pickup and the Wah pedal set 3/4 back using heavy strings. I read this from a document I found on Fenders website titled Fenders players club Eric Clapton. I have experimented with this with both a LP and a '68SG It works much better with the SG (the PAF's are missing from the loop). I got it to sound pretty close, but not exactly the same. I used a Marshall 900 so considering I don't have the same gear I got pretty close with what I had to work with.
Clapton's "women tone" was achieved using a 61' SG with original PAF's using a Marshall (sometimes 2 connected with a Y cable) 100 watt 1959 all settings on max with the tone rolled off on either pickup and the Wah pedal set 3/4 back using heavy strings. I read this from a document I found on Fenders website titled Fenders players club Eric Clapton. I have experimented with this with both a LP and a '68SG It works much better with the SG (the PAF's are missing from the loop). I got it to sound pretty close, but not exactly the same. I used a Marshall 900 so considering I don't have the same gear I got pretty close with what I had to work with.
Oldslowhand
New member
Re: Clapton woman sound
The way I get there with my Les Paul is to use both P/up's with the neck vol rolled back to about 7 that gives you the bluesbreaker tone for the woman tone Ijust use the neck P/up and just roll of the tone to taste Through a Marshall with all the controls up full !!!!!!!! the tone is as much from the amp as the Guitar.:notworthy Eric was god ??? well for two weeks in 65'
The way I get there with my Les Paul is to use both P/up's with the neck vol rolled back to about 7 that gives you the bluesbreaker tone for the woman tone Ijust use the neck P/up and just roll of the tone to taste Through a Marshall with all the controls up full !!!!!!!! the tone is as much from the amp as the Guitar.:notworthy Eric was god ??? well for two weeks in 65'
Thames
Great White Malice
Re: Clapton woman sound
You also need the newly designed Woman-Tone strings and cables....
Hahaha that's way too much hype ! I have some video documentaries featuring Clapton during Cream era, a good tube amp cranked, PAF pickups, you must use BOTH pickup (middle position) and turn only one of the tone down. A good 50% of that tone is achieved with the right technique and feel, the way you can make a note growl and another one sing... figure out this combination, and you'll be set! I've played in a Cream tribute band during 2 years, and always sounded the right way.
Bludave said:
You also need the newly designed Woman-Tone strings and cables....
Hahaha that's way too much hype ! I have some video documentaries featuring Clapton during Cream era, a good tube amp cranked, PAF pickups, you must use BOTH pickup (middle position) and turn only one of the tone down. A good 50% of that tone is achieved with the right technique and feel, the way you can make a note growl and another one sing... figure out this combination, and you'll be set! I've played in a Cream tribute band during 2 years, and always sounded the right way.
Oldslowhand
New member
Re: Clapton woman sound
Thames is right way toomuch hype just go for it :burnout:
Thames is right way toomuch hype just go for it :burnout:
L
Lewguitar
Guest
Re: Clapton woman sound
I do like the 50's wiring but I think oil n foil caps are maybe a waste of money in a guitar's tone circuit. The diff in tone is so small that I suspect there is no diff! They do make a noticeable diff in an amp's tone circuit.
The 50's wiring thing is easily accomplished in a Les Paul. Open up the back and take a look inside. The volume control and tone control are connected to each other with a .02 capacitor. Simply unsolder that cap from the volume control if it's not connected to the middle lug of the volume control and move it to the middle lug. You're done!
As for woman tone...that's about all I ever use my tone control for. Otherwise, it's normally full up. You can hear that tone on lot's of old Cream tunes.
You can use either pickup but you just turn the tone control way down and try to find the sweet spot where the guitar is overdriving the amp and sounds a little like a wah wah pedal set to its sweet spot when you solo.
Lew
Riddim said:
I do like the 50's wiring but I think oil n foil caps are maybe a waste of money in a guitar's tone circuit. The diff in tone is so small that I suspect there is no diff! They do make a noticeable diff in an amp's tone circuit.
The 50's wiring thing is easily accomplished in a Les Paul. Open up the back and take a look inside. The volume control and tone control are connected to each other with a .02 capacitor. Simply unsolder that cap from the volume control if it's not connected to the middle lug of the volume control and move it to the middle lug. You're done!
As for woman tone...that's about all I ever use my tone control for. Otherwise, it's normally full up. You can hear that tone on lot's of old Cream tunes.
You can use either pickup but you just turn the tone control way down and try to find the sweet spot where the guitar is overdriving the amp and sounds a little like a wah wah pedal set to its sweet spot when you solo.
Lew
Thames
Great White Malice
Re: Clapton woman sound
Ha! Funny! I have this late 60's video interview with Clapton, his psy SG in hands, wall of marshall just behind, and only a wah. And when he demonstrates the woman tone, he turns off his wah, and explains the variation obtained by the pickup selections and tone control and plays some riffs. You cant go wrong there.
dont forget... cranked tube amp!
slimjw said:
Ha! Funny! I have this late 60's video interview with Clapton, his psy SG in hands, wall of marshall just behind, and only a wah. And when he demonstrates the woman tone, he turns off his wah, and explains the variation obtained by the pickup selections and tone control and plays some riffs. You cant go wrong there.
dont forget... cranked tube amp!
L
Lewguitar
Guest
Re: Clapton woman sound
Check this out!
Check this out!
Re: Clapton woman sound
I often see people attribute his tone to PAF's. With Cream he used an SG that was given to him by George Harrison. It had to be a 63-64 SG, so it would have had Patent Number pickups. The same would be true of his 64 ES335 (the one on the auction bloc, and used at the Albert Hall gig). Unless he swapped for old PAF's, I believe most of the Cream era woman tone was from Patent #'s.
(does it really matter? no, execpt I have a 63 SG/LP with Patent#'s and it makes me feel good!) :
I often see people attribute his tone to PAF's. With Cream he used an SG that was given to him by George Harrison. It had to be a 63-64 SG, so it would have had Patent Number pickups. The same would be true of his 64 ES335 (the one on the auction bloc, and used at the Albert Hall gig). Unless he swapped for old PAF's, I believe most of the Cream era woman tone was from Patent #'s.
(does it really matter? no, execpt I have a 63 SG/LP with Patent#'s and it makes me feel good!) :
Jeffrec
New member
Re: Clapton woman sound
Clapton used the bridge pup primarily, but used either at times. Watch the Cream video, where he's at the Winterland being interviewed, and demonstrates the technique. Great tone. Anyway he used standard patent # pups which probably had a-5 magnets ('64 SG & not a LP/SG as everyone thought). Both his guitar and Jack's bass had been modified a bit internally, but I'm sure exactly what was done. Probably changed caps, etc..
Lew, nice pics!
Jeff
Clapton used the bridge pup primarily, but used either at times. Watch the Cream video, where he's at the Winterland being interviewed, and demonstrates the technique. Great tone. Anyway he used standard patent # pups which probably had a-5 magnets ('64 SG & not a LP/SG as everyone thought). Both his guitar and Jack's bass had been modified a bit internally, but I'm sure exactly what was done. Probably changed caps, etc..
Lew, nice pics!
Jeff
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