David Gilmour's amps...on Animals and Dark Side

[Pink Unicorn Horsey]

Re: David Gilmour's amps...on Animals and Dark Side

There's got to be a way of achieving -- or at least approaching -- that classic Gilmour tone without cranking a 100-watter.

- Keith

 

[SpeedDemon]

Re: David Gilmour's amps...on Animals and Dark Side

There's got to be a way of achieving -- or at least approaching -- that classic Gilmour tone without cranking a 100-watter.

- Keith

The biggest part would be being Gilmour. I am convinced that the only people I have ever heard nail the Pink Floyd tone would be the Australian Pink Floyd show. And they werent using Hiwatts.

 

[Pink Unicorn Horsey]

Re: David Gilmour's amps...on Animals and Dark Side

I'm not Gilmour. Crap. I'm going to make a new pedal and call it the BG-1.

 

[OlinMusic]

Re: David Gilmour's amps...on Animals and Dark Side

DIGITECH has made some amazing pedals - the Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix models come to mind. I am dying to hear the Brian May!

How about a David Gilmour Model? HMMMMMMMMMMM?????

 

[aleclee]

Re: David Gilmour's amps...on Animals and Dark Side

How about a David Gilmour Model? HMMMMMMMMMMM?????

I don't see Gilmour giving Pete Cornish such a slap in the face.

Speaking of Cornish, his pedals are also a big part of Gilmour's current tone.

 

[claytonc]

Re: David Gilmour's amps...on Animals and Dark Side

I found a link I will attach later - very strange that I was researching this just the other day.

By 1975 Gilmour was using as many as 2 Fuzz Faces at a time. He also loves the Binson Echo Plex, Electric Mistress Flanger, and the Big Muff. I feel like I hear the Muff on there.

I know Gilmour pulled out a TELE on Dogs.

The other thing to note is that Gilmour got into using an Alembic Bass Preamp (of Waters) for use on his Guitar rig as a pre during this era (John Frusciante also likes this trick).

On the Discussion of Hiwatts, check out the Kinks live - they used Hiwatts and got a good Plexi growl. I love the tone of Hiwatts, esp with a little pedal action for gain the front. The clean tones are beautiful. I would love to hear it with a Fulltone OCD in front.

Anyone here want to comment on Fane speakers?

You should check out the HIWATT forum at the plexi palace! The best site for HIWATT info on the web! Lots of guys love the OCD in front of HIWATTs.

FANES are very Hi-Fi, (the ones used in HIWATTs are not the same model as those in Sound City amps) they are a great match for a HIWATT. "Clean Distortion" is a good way to describe the kind of overdriven tones you can get when cranked.

http://vintageamps.com/plexiboard/viewforum.php?f=3&sid=867325de64e62c8f2c1501f3f4a46be1

another terrific site is www.mhuss.com

Clayton

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: David Gilmour's amps...on Animals and Dark Side

I can't see how you guys would say Fanes are HiFi at all...clean yes but HiFi, I just don't get that, and FWIW my fanes are purple label HiWatt Fanes from 1971...

 

[claytonc]

Re: David Gilmour's amps...on Animals and Dark Side

I will just say much more Hi Fi than any celestion or typical guitar speaker.

sounds like you have you have a nice set of cast frame Fanes.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: David Gilmour's amps...on Animals and Dark Side

I will just say much more Hi Fi than any celestion or typical guitar speaker.

sounds like you have you have a nice set of cast frame Fanes.

I guess soime terms mean different things to different people...if by HiFi you mean bigger bottom and clearer highs with less cone breakup than a Celestion then you are right but when I hear the term HiFi used to describe guitar tones I think about cold/lifeless and almost harsh which Fanes are not.

Thanks! I love these speakers...even in a junk cab they sound killer...I drive the cab with a 74 (or so) Sound City 50+ and it just have a killer tone, clean or dirty, quite or loud.

 

[claytonc]

Re: David Gilmour's amps...on Animals and Dark Side

SORRY about the miscommunication. I think we are on the same page now.

I am a HIWATT junky. I have a pretty good idea of your rigs sound and I am sure it rich and alive!

 

[OlinMusic]

Re: David Gilmour's amps...on Animals and Dark Side

FIRE, honest question - is there a reason a lot of people facetiously refer to Sound City's as Sounds Sh*tty? Are they lesser tone than the Hiwatt DR's

 

[Pink Unicorn Horsey]

Re: David Gilmour's amps...on Animals and Dark Side

FIRE, honest question - is there a reason a lot of people facetiously refer to Sound City's as Sounds Sh*tty? Are they lesser tone than the Hiwatt DR's

I'll bet it's at least in part the snob factor: HiWatt is a bigger name and has a bigger price tag. Those two things go a long way.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: David Gilmour's amps...on Animals and Dark Side

FIRE, honest question - is there a reason a lot of people facetiously refer to Sound City's as Sounds Sh*tty? Are they lesser tone than the Hiwatt DR's

Funny you ask...I have no idea!:laugh2:

Sound City's also get a bad rap for being less than well made amps but I don't see it at all! Mine is a Mk 4 which was designed after Dave left SC to forum HiWatt...if you want a more HiWatt sounding Sound City then get an L100 MK III, those amps are almost exactally the same as a HiWatt DR103...the MK 4's (like mine) are similar but they are different in several ways.

The are cool amps, the 50 watter MK 4 series has 4 inputs like a Plexi and the same control layout exceot they have no Pres control and they have a "sensitivity" switch in the back that makes them a bit nastier and punchier. They are hand wired amps made with high quality parts...the use the same "mustard" caps people go crazy for if they are in a Marshall, the same carbon comp resisters, pots and high quality filter caps as all the other well made english amps of the time as well as partridge trannys like the HiWatts used.

They are cleaner than a Marshall of the same time and a little nastier than a HiWatt, however the tone controls are "active" and work a lot like a BF Fender amp but with a much more broad range and they start with a more english tone anyway (not the massive scooped tone of a BF Fender).

Here is a link to the only Sound City site I know of...you can read up a bit on them if you like...Like I said the MK III's are almost exactally the same as a HiWatt...there are killer pics of that on this site. While the Mk 4's are a little different they are killer amps at amazing prices...

http://home.earthlink.net/~iktoblikto/sc_home.htm

 

[claytonc]

Re: David Gilmour's amps...on Animals and Dark Side

I think SC's bad rap came from the active EQ. Unless you are lucky enough to dial your sound in right off the bat, it can really take some time as the EQ just feels odd. They are great amps. Probably one of the best deals out there right now as they haven't really been discovered by the masses YET.

Dave Reeves designed the MK I and II's they are very similiar to the Hiwatt CP103. The ones designed for Pete Townshend. Pete started out with SC 100's then moved to HIWATT with Reeves.

Jimi Hendrix recorded most of his early stuff with SC's.

Both SC and HIWATT are very touch sensitive. They really show mistakes and don't let you get away with slop unlike Marshalls.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: David Gilmour's amps...on Animals and Dark Side

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^​

All very true!!! It took me a good bit of tweaking to really get familar with the tone controls on my MK 4 but it is a great amp and very versitile after you unlock the tone circut.

 

[claytonc]

Re: David Gilmour's amps...on Animals and Dark Side

Here is a cool link to Pete Cornish's site. Besides designing premium effects, he has taken care of David's HIWATTs for about 30 years.

Pete is a legend and one heck of a nice guy!

http://www.petecornish.co.uk/dghiwatthistory.html