Dave Murray and victory amps

Re: Dave Murray and victory amps

^^ I agree with the fact that Powerslave was the last true full on maiden madness! Although I have to say the production played a HUGE role in conveying those songs so well...it is my favourite album for both of those reasons.

ExaCTLY! After Powerslave, I really lost interest in Iron Maiden. I hope they can pull out one last GREAT album before they are done.
 
Re: Dave Murray and victory amps

Screw the haters. A Matter of Life and Death is awesome, and the production is fine. It's raw, in your face, balanced, and dynamic. Perfect for Iron Maiden. Their worst albums are their most over-produced.

And I don't have a problem with Jannick/3 guitars either. It's cool when you can have twin lead guitars harmonizing without the rhythm guitar suddenly dropping out and making the whole thing sound empty.
 
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Re: Dave Murray and victory amps

When I saw them for the World Slavery Tour in 1984, when it was just 2 guitars, there was no discernable drop-out when they did their harmonies. Then again, I didn't fancy myself a producer at the time, and wasn't there as a critic, but as a fan.
 
Re: Dave Murray and victory amps

When I saw them for the World Slavery Tour in 1984, when it was just 2 guitars, there was no discernable drop-out when they did their harmonies. Then again, I didn't fancy myself a producer at the time, and wasn't there as a critic, but as a fan.

Nice. I saw them twice on that tour and it sounded awesome.
 
Re: Dave Murray and victory amps

It's not nearly as noticeable live - because you're being hit by a wall of sound that has less sonic gaps, and Steve Harris is such a great bass player who is turned up in the mix, but I think it is really noticeable on say, To Tame a Land around 5:40. I hear a sonic gap between the lead guitars and the rhythm section. It still sounds awesome, but I'd like a bit more of a bridge between the lead section and the rhythm section. In my opinion, that problem hasn't occurred since they've had the triple guitar setup. Don't get me wrong; that Murray/Smith twin guitar setup was and still is phenomenal, but a pet peeve of mine is a drop out in the rhythm section when there isn't a rhythm guitar (which I find can be remedied by various solutions: Keyboards, an exceptional bass player that, leads that keep to a range around middle C rather than high up on the fretboard, possibly an octave fuzz effect on the bass, etc).
 
Re: Dave Murray and victory amps

Well, the production quality on Piece of Mind was seriously undercut across the board. There's a noticeable volume difference between Number Of The Beast and Powerslave that drives me up the wall. With that in mind, the "drop out" is understandable. I agree they could've treated Steve's bass tone for that part. It also probably doesn't help he's riffing so high up, when a lower range would've worked better for the foundation, as it did with The Trooper.
 
Re: Dave Murray and victory amps

I also think the drums sit a tad too quietly in that part, when that part should be the climax of the song; having a lot of intensity and punch.

The twin leads on Hallowed Be Thy Name work well without any dropout, but I can hear a third rhythm guitar tracked in the background on certain sections (0:59), and it really ties everything together well. It doesn't take much - a third rhythm guitar can sit way back in the mix and basically mimic the bass parts/chord changes, and it'll sound great. It also helps that their twin leads on that song aren't too high on the fretboard - they're more in the middle octave range.

Then Somewhere in Time and Seventh Son of a Seventh Son use keyboards (IMO, SIT is the much better of the two) to bridge that gap between the rhythm section and twin leads. Deja Vu is an excellent example - it's also one of my favorite Maiden songs. Very melodic, and it builds/releases tension in all the right places without sounding empty.
 
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Re: Dave Murray and victory amps

For Hallowed, that specific part you reference (0:59) does have 3 guitars (maybe an early BOSS harmonizer pedal?), but the section at 2:51 and again at 5:49 is all drums and Steve's clanky bass carrying the rhythm.
 
Re: Dave Murray and victory amps

I'm just glad they're still around. Lets face it, for a lot of the bands we grew up listening to, time's almost up.

On a side note, Victory makes a great-sounding amp!
 
Re: Dave Murray and victory amps

I actually own the V100, the same amp Dave uses. I also own a couple of vintage marshalls. The V100 blows the Marshalls out of the water, by a LARGE margin. The V100 is tighter, more articulate and much, much easier to play.

So, if it sounds muffled, I'm willing to bet that's due to the production and not the amp cause... the Victory is epic.
 
Victory amps are available in US

Victory amps are available in US

The Victory Amps Chappers had on were pretty sweet I thought. I talked to the Captain (Lee Anderton) (super cool guy by the way) about ordering one but its was retarded expensive getting it to the states. That'e when they first burst on the scene and they were playing them on every video. I ordered a new Les Paul instead and abandonded that dream. If you can get them in the states now though I'd be interested in one.

I thought I saw that Music Zoo in NYC carries Victory. They're in the $2-3K range.
 
Re: Dave Murray and victory amps

Agreed. Does anyone know what gear was used in the recording of that album?

Don't know what they used in the studio for shure, but during that tour they used:

JCM 900 (primarily), Mesa Mark IV and G & K amps. The latter for clean sounds.
Celestion and EV loaded Marshall cabs.
Guitars were Fender and Jackson with either Super Distortions or JB's in the bridge.
 
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