Clapton's Amps

[Guitar Toad]

Clapton in his strat playing era...what are his amps. For Layla I've heard that he played a Fender Champ or Victoria Champ clone to straight into the board. what's the truth. "Let It Rain"?

What are EC's amps from Derek and the Domino's to From the Cradle blues?

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: Clapton's Amps

I believe he used a 4x10 Bassman through most of the 80's and 90's. I am not sure about the other eras.

 

[The Golden Boy]

Re: Clapton's Amps

Clapton in his strat playing era...what are his amps. For Layla I've heard that he played a Fender Champ or Victoria Champ clone to straight into the board.

Victoria wasn't around in 1969.

I've heard he used mostly Champs in the studio. He did do ads for Music Man amps in the 70's. In the late 80's early 90's he was using Soldano.

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: Clapton's Amps

Victoria wasn't around in 1969.

I've heard he used mostly Champs in the studio. He did do ads for Music Man amps in the 70's. In the late 80's early 90's he was using Soldano.

That's right ... he used an SLO-100 on a few tracks. It's amazing how clean he was able to get those things.

 

[gripweed]

Re: Clapton's Amps

Here's a cool site regarding some of Clapton's more recent amps

http://www.claptonweb.com/guitares2_ang.php

Here's another cool site -- this one has info regarding Layla and the Champ. I have the issue of Guitar Player it quotes around the house somewhere.

http://www.xs4all.nl/~slowhand/ecfaq/guitars.html

Have you made your choice on what amp you're getting? I didn't give you Champ GAS did I :laugh2: ?

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Clapton's Amps

Well, I think I've narrowed it down to Blues Deluxe Deville 2x12, DRRI, or Mesa F-30. I want try to also get a '65 Champ or '65Vibro Champ for a practice amp. Guess what year I entered this world.

I keep getting hung up on the British tone question and do I want a 6L6 amp or an EL84. I want a amp that will give me Clapton's Crossroads tone to Bell Bottom Blues to Layla.

 

[Skarekrough]

Re: Clapton's Amps

Here's another cool site -- this one has info regarding Layla and the Champ. I have the issue of Guitar Player it quotes around the house somewhere.

http://www.xs4all.nl/~slowhand/ecfaq/guitars.html

Have you made your choice on what amp you're getting? I didn't give you Champ GAS did I :laugh2: ?

There's a typo on that page. "Forever Man" is NOT on the Journeyman album. That track is on "August."

Claptons use of the Soldanos was around the time of the Signature Strat. Both of these coincided with the Journeyman album.

It's important to note that at the time I'm pretty sure Soldano was a botique company. They didn't have a mass-production amp. If you wanted a Soldano then you needed to go to them and they would build one for you. This is what I was told very many years ago when I was just learning about different amps and such. My source could be unreliable but I've never heard contrary. Certainly there's got to be someone on here who has first-hand knowledge of Soldano when they were in their infancy.

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Clapton's Amps

I didn't give you Champ GAS did I :laugh2: ?

I was already starting to get it a day or two before you tried to give it to me. :laugh2:

 

[gripweed]

Re: Clapton's Amps

Well, I think I've narrowed it down to Blues Deluxe Deville 2x12, DRRI, or Mesa F-30. I want try to also get a '65 Champ or '65Vibro Champ for a practice amp. Guess what year I entered this world.

I keep getting hung up on the British tone question and do I want a 6L6 amp or an EL84. I want a amp that will give me Clapton's Crossroads tone to Bell Bottom Blues to Layla.

Maybe you should try the Clapton Crossroads pedal?

1964 for me. I turn 41 pretty soon.

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Clapton's Amps

Well try a Fender Twin amp, it nails quite a few classic sounds from back then.
It has that raw fat tone that frankly blows away quite a few Boutique amps in my ears.

 

[The Golden Boy]

Re: Clapton's Amps

It's important to note that at the time I'm pretty sure Soldano was a botique company. They didn't have a mass-production amp. If you wanted a Soldano then you needed to go to them and they would build one for you. This is what I was told very many years ago when I was just learning about different amps and such. My source could be unreliable but I've never heard contrary. Certainly there's got to be someone on here who has first-hand knowledge of Soldano when they were in their infancy.

I know Mike Soldano used to work for Yamaha and designed one of their amps. I think he was the kind of repair guy that just started making amps the way he wanted them made and people sought him out. Therein is the spark of the high gain revolution!

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: Clapton's Amps

It's important to note that at the time I'm pretty sure Soldano was a botique company. They didn't have a mass-production amp. If you wanted a Soldano then you needed to go to them and they would build one for you. This is what I was told very many years ago when I was just learning about different amps and such. My source could be unreliable but I've never heard contrary. Certainly there's got to be someone on here who has first-hand knowledge of Soldano when they were in their infancy.

I think you're right ... Mike Soldano started out modding Marshall heads to boost the gain. The first "proper" Soldano amps didn't appear until 1987. I'm pretty sure the SLO-100 is basically a Plexi on steroids (SLO = Super Lead Overdrive). I love those amps.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Clapton's Amps

There's a typo on that page. "Forever Man" is NOT on the Journeyman album. That track is on "August.

Actually "Forever Man" is on the "Behind The Sun" release...

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Clapton's Amps

Forever Man-is that the Soldano SLO-100?

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Clapton's Amps

Forever Man-is that the Soldano SLO-100?

It was on the video of the song...Sure sounds like the SLO 100..

 

[bungalowbill]

Re: Clapton's Amps

Well, I think I've narrowed it down to Blues Deluxe Deville 2x12, DRRI, or Mesa F-30. I want try to also get a '65 Champ or '65Vibro Champ for a practice amp. Guess what year I entered this world.

I keep getting hung up on the British tone question and do I want a 6L6 amp or an EL84. I want a amp that will give me Clapton's Crossroads tone to Bell Bottom Blues to Layla.

I don't think you can go wrong with any of those amps....all good stuff.

 

[Skarekrough]

Re: Clapton's Amps

Actually "Forever Man" is on the "Behind The Sun" release...

Bah...my bad.

But either way...it aint on Journeyman....which is where the Soldano/Siganture tone was debuted.

 

[The Golden Boy]

Re: Clapton's Amps

Forever Man-is that the Soldano SLO-100?

But either way...it aint on Journeyman....which is where the Soldano/Siganture tone was debuted.

But he was aiming for that with the Forever Man Sound. Really, my least favorite Clapton tone.

Had enough
Bad tone...

 

[Curly]

Re: Clapton's Amps

I'm not an expert on all the amps he's used over the years, but I think one that's been a favorite of his is the low power tweed twin he's had for a long time. It was not exactly "road worthy", but I think he loved the tone.
I think that's the tone he's been after with the Cornells, although they're higher powered.

When he toured behind "From the Cradle", he was using what looked like a one-off Custom Shop tweed twin. I actually think that was probably the genesis of Fender's current amp.

I didn't think his MusicMan era was his best tone. I thought August and Behind the Sun sounded a little too processed, but he sounded better to me on Journeyman. I've always loved his playing, and most of it holds up pretty well, but some of the production does sound dated on some albums.

sorry for rambling ...

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: Clapton's Amps

I'm not an expert on all the amps he's used over the years, but I think one that's been a favorite of his is the low power tweed twin he's had for a long time. It was not exactly "road worthy", but I think he loved the tone.
I think that's the tone he's been after with the Cornells, although they're higher powered.

When he toured behind "From the Cradle", he was using what looked like a one-off Custom Shop tweed twin. I actually think that was probably the genesis of Fender's current amp.

I didn't think his MusicMan era was his best tone. I thought August and Behind the Sun sounded a little too processed, but he sounded better to me on Journeyman. I've always loved his playing, and most of it holds up pretty well, but some of the production does sound dated on some albums.

sorry for rambling ...

If there is a place meant for rambling about Clapton's amps and stuff, this is it. You are free to ramble here as much as you like Curly!

But he was aiming for that with the Forever Man Sound. Really, my least favorite Clapton tone.

Had enough
Bad tone...

I'm not really looking to copy the Forever Man tone. I do like it though, mostly curious about the ingredients to his tone with strat's. I had assumed that he kept using Marshalls with strats, I obviously haven't followed his gear through the years very well.

If I could become a fraction of the guitarist he is then I will be a happy as a guitarist.

So, if I pick tweed Fender then I'll be well on my way.