Clapton's Tone with Cream: Alnico 2 vs Alnico 5

[Lewguitar]

My buddy AJ and I climbed South Boulder Peak yesterday and, as usual, the coversation eventually turned to music and guitars and I told him about Cream reforming. He said he hoped Clapton played an SG through a Marshall again as that was his favorite tone that Clapton got with Cream.

That got me thinking about the diff in Clapton's tone on FRESH CREAM vs. DISRALI GEARS.

Clapton used a late 50's Gibson Les Paul for FRESH CREAM and an early 60's Gibson SG for Disrali Gears.

To me, his tone is thicker on Fresh Cream and I wouldn't be surprised if those were alnico 2 pafs on that album...similar to Seth Lovers.

His tone seems to have a little more "space" in the mids and more top end on Disrali Gears and I wouldn't be surprised if those pickups were alnico 5 pafs or patent number humbuckers on that album.

Of course, a Les Paul sounds thicker than an SG just because the Les Paul is a single cutaway guitar with a less flexable neck and heavier body than an SG.

But still...

Does anyone else have an opinion on this? When we hear the solos on Fresh Cream do you think we're hearing an alnico 2 humbucker and when hear the solos on Disrali Gears are we hearing an alnico 5 humbucker?

I have to say that as soon as I plug in my guitars with the 59B or 59 Trembucker I instantly hear that as Clapton's tone on Disrali Gears!

Oh yeah: how do you spell Disrali? Is it Disraeli? I know who he was...a former prime minister of England, right?

Lew

 

[TheProphet]

Re: Clapton's Tone with Cream: Alnico 2 vs Alnico 5

Benjamin Disraeli - Also a guest star on the Family Guy - British PM yep

 

[mrfjones]

Re: Clapton's Tone with Cream: Alnico 2 vs Alnico 5

i think you may be right about the magnets lew, the sg had some more bite to it and the les paul was really smooth. knowing the charater of those magnets it seems the lespaul had alnico 2 humbuckers and the sg had alnico 5's Might be something to research futher

 

[sanrafael]

Re: Clapton's Tone with Cream: Alnico 2 vs Alnico 5

Lew,

I think a large part of the difference is the thick versus thin body of the two guitars. Pickups matter a lot, but I think a lot of those differences get changed in the mixing process and equalizing process, while the sound of the body cannot be altered so much. Gears was a lot more carefully "produced". To me, Fresh was one several really creative things that happened at that time. I do not think you are wrong about the magnets, but my hearing is not good enough to make the distinction.

 

[Wattage]

Re: Clapton's Tone with Cream: Alnico 2 vs Alnico 5

Jeffrec ought to chime in shortly - this is tonal nirvana to him and know he has had a few conversations with MJ about pups to get EC's SG tone.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Clapton's Tone with Cream: Alnico 2 vs Alnico 5

lew..Clapton played a strat during the last Crean reunion...My bet is that he'll stay with the strat because it's is favorite axe and he's played a strat for ions now...You might see a Gibson axe on occassion but my money is on Clapton sticking with pretty much his current setup..

John

 

[Thames]

Re: Clapton's Tone with Cream: Alnico 2 vs Alnico 5

If he's going to use a Gibson for the reunion concert, Gibson CS will come out with Cream Reunion Model the week after...

 

[Bludave]

Re: Clapton's Tone with Cream: Alnico 2 vs Alnico 5

Lew,
Fresh Cream was recorded with a 59 LP standard that was eventually stolen (1966 or 1967). But more important is the Amp. He used the same BB Amp he did with Mayall. In fact the setup he used on Fresh Cream was pretty much the same as the Beano Album. A/B these two records and you will see the sound and tone is very much the same. With Desrali gears He used a 64 SG LP. (I have read that it was a '61 also)? But the Amp was also a 100 watt 1959. This will have a huge impact on the tone. As far as Clapton using a Strat with Cream..... Its the first I have heard of it. He used the LP, the SG, a 335 (red one that was just auctioned this year) and a Firebird. The goodbye Tour he used a 335 with a Fender Tremolux Amp. If you listen to any of the Live Cream stuff. The early stuff, such as Crossroads was recorded with a 1959, and a 335. I may be wrong on the Amp, I have read that he used 100 45's also??? The later stuff recorded with the Goodbye tour was occasionally a 335, a Firebird, and very infrequently an Explorer. This is the Tour that I saw in 68, and he used a 335 all night. Never changed. The tremolux was in plain view from the seats. As far as what type of magnets..... does it really matter??? his tone mostly comes from his hands anyway!!!!!! :laugh2: :laugh2: DS

 

[jeremy]

Re: Clapton's Tone with Cream: Alnico 2 vs Alnico 5

i bet johns right about the strat thing, hell use a gibson for a few songs maybe but i doubt hed do it for a whole show.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Clapton's Tone with Cream: Alnico 2 vs Alnico 5

Lew,
Fresh Cream was recorded with a 59 LP standard that was eventually stolen (1966 or 1967). But more important is the Amp. He used the same BB Amp he did with Mayall. In fact the setup he used on Fresh Cream was pretty much the same as the Beano Album. A/B these two records and you will see the sound and tone is very much the same. With Desrali gears He used a 64 SG LP. (I have read that it was a '61 also)? But the Amp was also a 100 watt 1959. This will have a huge impact on the tone. As far as Clapton using a Strat with Cream..... Its the first I have heard of it. He used the LP, the SG, a 335 (red one that was just auctioned this year) and a Firebird. The goodbye Tour he used a 335 with a Fender Tremolux Amp. If you listen to any of the Live Cream stuff. The early stuff, such as Crossroads was recorded with a 1959, and a 335. I may be wrong on the Amp, I have read that he used 100 45's also??? The later stuff recorded with the Goodbye tour was occasionally a 335, a Firebird, and very infrequently an Explorer. This is the Tour that I saw in 68, and he used a 335 all night. Never changed. The tremolux was in plain view from the seats. As far as what type of magnets..... does it really matter??? his tone mostly comes from his hands anyway!!!!!! :laugh2: :laugh2: DS

Thanks!

I've read that it was the Beano Les Paul that got stolen and that the 50's Les Paul Clapton used on Fresh Cream was borrowed.

I don't think Clapton's tone on Fresh Cream sounds much like his Mayall/Bluesbreakers tone though!

Sleepy Time Time sounds nothing like the slow blues tones on the Bluesbreakers album. The Fresh Cream tone seems much thicker and creamier and smoother...at least to me.

I have pictures of Clapton and Cream at thier first gigs with Bruce playing a Fender bass...they're using Marshall stacks.

That doesn't mean they recorded with them...but I always thought they did.

Lew

 

[dr.barlo]

Re: Clapton's Tone with Cream: Alnico 2 vs Alnico 5

Cool discussion guys, very cool.

I love his tone, and that's all I can say. Getting close to his early bucker tones is my nirvana.

B

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Clapton's Tone with Cream: Alnico 2 vs Alnico 5

Check these pics out:

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Clapton's Tone with Cream: Alnico 2 vs Alnico 5

I have some more old pics on my computor at work. I'll see if I can dig them up and post them later today. Can't see Clapton's Marshall in the Paris '66 photo...

 

[jeremy]

Re: Clapton's Tone with Cream: Alnico 2 vs Alnico 5

as much as i love the beano tone, i think the fact that his tone on fresh is smoother and thicker makes me like it better. the tone just fits the album sooo well

 

[Thames]

Re: Clapton's Tone with Cream: Alnico 2 vs Alnico 5

There's ALOT of cool pictures inside my THOSE WERE THE DAYS 4-cd boxed set. Lots of cool info in there.

 

[brinton]

Re: Clapton's Tone with Cream: Alnico 2 vs Alnico 5

ahh, to me this seems like it's got to go way beyond magnets. just think..... in the 50's 60's they didn't have the most accurate way of reproducing the same pups (not every paf sounded same), furthermore someone suggested different amps, and with two different guitars......... woah.

I think you'd have a better chance of meeting and asking Eric how he got that tone than actually trying to put together all the tiny ingredients and get yourself. Lew your obessesed bro........... like all the rest of us :burnout:

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Clapton's Tone with Cream: Alnico 2 vs Alnico 5

Lew...I agree 100%...the Beano record and Fresh Cream were Pauls with PAF...and I belive they were alnico II...whenever someone asks aboutthat tone I point them towards a set of Seths...later on Eric used the SG and a 64 335...both with PAT # pups...when people ask about that sound I point them to a set of 59's...they are little changes but important ones!!!

BTW...I am also pulling for a Gibson of some kind during the new shows!!!

 

[Dom L]

Re: Clapton's Tone with Cream: Alnico 2 vs Alnico 5

Disraeli Gears..great album
I heard the albums name came from some bloke bragging about his bicycles derailleur gears. A derailleur is the mechanism that derails the chain to go on different sprockets
His tone as always was awesome. I too agree with the Sig Strat and he did play a Strat on the Cream re-union, which I have a copy of
3 songs
Born under a Bad sign, tribute to Albert King
Sunshine of your Love
and of course
Crossroads
Dom L

 

[mrid]

Re: Clapton's Tone with Cream: Alnico 2 vs Alnico 5

Benjamin Disraeli - Also a guest star on the Family Guy - British PM yep

"You don't even know who I am!" :laugh2:

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Clapton's Tone with Cream: Alnico 2 vs Alnico 5

Lew,
Fresh Cream was recorded with a 59 LP standard that was eventually stolen (1966 or 1967). But more important is the Amp. He used the same BB Amp he did with Mayall. In fact the setup he used on Fresh Cream was pretty much the same as the Beano Album. A/B these two records and you will see the sound and tone is very much the same. With Desrali gears He used a 64 SG LP. (I have read that it was a '61 also)? But the Amp was also a 100 watt 1959. This will have a huge impact on the tone. As far as Clapton using a Strat with Cream..... Its the first I have heard of it. He used the LP, the SG, a 335 (red one that was just auctioned this year) and a Firebird. The goodbye Tour he used a 335 with a Fender Tremolux Amp. If you listen to any of the Live Cream stuff. The early stuff, such as Crossroads was recorded with a 1959, and a 335. I may be wrong on the Amp, I have read that he used 100 45's also??? The later stuff recorded with the Goodbye tour was occasionally a 335, a Firebird, and very infrequently an Explorer. This is the Tour that I saw in 68, and he used a 335 all night. Never changed. The tremolux was in plain view from the seats. As far as what type of magnets..... does it really matter??? his tone mostly comes from his hands anyway!!!!!! :laugh2: :laugh2: DS

Dave...Clapton used a strat during the Cream reunion in 93 as I Mentioned in my post....You'll more than likely see Clapton on strats about 85% of the time,plus they are going to release new tunes and since Clapton has been a strat diehard since the 70s,I'd bet you'll see him using his signature strat...Don't forget also,that his signature strat is designed to create the vibe of his earlier humbucking tone via the boost/preamp circuit in his strat...

John


Picture of Clapton during the 93 reunion with Cream....

http://news.telegraph.co.uk/news/ma...eam13.xml&sSheet=/news/2004/11/13/ixhome.html