distorted country leads...what amps?

DankStar

Her Little Mojo Minion
When you hear leads on a modern country song on the radio - what types of amps are they using? Some dudes get a pretty cool lead tone, almost hard rock, but smoother. I'd like to achieve some of those tones, but I have no idear where to start thinking...

discuss
 
Re: distorted country leads...what amps?

I see a lot of VOX, believe it or not, on modern country backlines.
 
Re: distorted country leads...what amps?

When you hear leads on a modern country song on the radio - what types of amps are they using? Some dudes get a pretty cool lead tone, almost hard rock, but smoother. I'd like to achieve some of those tones, but I have no idear where to start thinking...

discuss


you will see lots of what people call "rock" amps in todays Country Artists bands... Vox and Marshalls.... but you are also seeing many expensive smaller brands out there with these guys as well..... Plus the pedals are there too..... It's pop and rock with a country twang to it these days...


....what most people call Country Clean anyways is a cranked Fender where it is breaking up...
 
Re: distorted country leads...what amps?

I'm not surprised to see country players playing 5150's. One of the things I like about that amp is if it's set to lower gain levels, like where it first starts to break up, the break up is so smooth. You get some grit, but none of that sound like paper tearing.

I'm not surprised that a lot of the boutique amps are being used by country players. I'm not a country fan but one thing I give that genre credit for is it has brought us some amazing pickers, and many of them have a great ear for tone. Rather than smother the guitar with tons of gain, they live in that area where the amp still sounds clean if they play with a light touch, and sustains and screams or barks if they dig in.
 
Re: distorted country leads...what amps?

Premier guitar had two guys in some article...

One had a 5150 and one had a triaxis/2:90 set up.

Correct me if I am wrong.

I remember that... but those are "live" guys, and in Nashville there's two camps... live & studio and people rarely (!!!) cross from one realm into the other.

If you took a dozen of the biggest country records and look at the credits, you'll notice that a LOT of them have the same players for different artists... not just guitarists, but keys, drums... etc. And the artists road band is the road band... they never step into the studio.

Amps in the studio though... just name 'em.

Lots of AC30; Dr Z; Matchless; Marshalls... PV classics are fairly popular... VHT, Twins & Princetons; Bandmasters, Bassmans, Bogners and everything in-between.

Probably the most common ingredient is Brent Mason...
 
Re: distorted country leads...what amps?

Probably the most common ingredient is Brent Mason...
And if you've seen his pedal board u can tell alot of drive sounds come from his pedals.
 
Re: distorted country leads...what amps?

There is much truth in Moose's post. I have a friend who can play ANYTHING who gets very few studio gigs. He's in constant demand for the road, though. He's out with Kenny Loggins as I type this. He's toured with numerous country, Christian, and rock acts. He's currently using a Bad Cat. Previous amps (in recent years) were Gerlitz and Vox AC30.

Producers and record company execs are a strange lot.
 
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Re: distorted country leads...what amps?

Marshall, Fender, Vox, Matchless, Dr. Z, Badcat, Bogner, Mesa, Peavey, Orange...the list goes on and on...modern country players are just rock players that sold out just a tad more...new Country is like ****ty rock with a fiddle
 
Re: distorted country leads...what amps?

I remember that... but those are "live" guys, and in Nashville there's two camps... live & studio and people rarely (!!!) cross from one realm into the other.

If you took a dozen of the biggest country records and look at the credits, you'll notice that a LOT of them have the same players for different artists... not just guitarists, but keys, drums... etc. And the artists road band is the road band... they never step into the studio.

Amps in the studio though... just name 'em.

Lots of AC30; Dr Z; Matchless; Marshalls... PV classics are fairly popular... VHT, Twins & Princetons; Bandmasters, Bassmans, Bogners and everything in-between.

Probably the most common ingredient is Brent Mason...

Brent was also using a Genz Benz Black Pearl a fair but.
 
Re: distorted country leads...what amps?

Hell, I remember when Country players played Peavey Heritages and Legends. Still great sounding amps and can be had for pennies now. Look for the one's with the Black Widow speakers (good luck)
 
Re: distorted country leads...what amps?

Brent Mason is basically The player in Nashville as other post mentioned, here is a video of his rig as of about a year ago...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VuK4lwO8k4

There's the new Hot Wired Mason pedal, but before that it was TS and Marshall I think for the lead stuff...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8o-9Zf5nmk&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wI5LO6fvGHw&feature=related



I know he has a B Bender on that tele but it is good seeing another tele user that likes Sperzel tuners on a tele!
 
Re: distorted country leads...what amps?

Brent Mason is basically The player in Nashville as other post mentioned, here is a video of his rig as of about a year ago...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VuK4lwO8k4

There's the new Hot Wired Mason pedal, but before that it was TS and Marshall I think for the lead stuff...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8o-9Zf5nmk&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wI5LO6fvGHw&feature=related


i always wanted a rig like that at home... multi heads in a road case style cabnet and a switching unit that i can pick and choose which head i want.... i have a switching system but mine only allows 2 heads.... can't afford the bigger switchers.....

but i plan to build a shelving unit that holds all my quality amps oneday soon... now that it's summer it will be a good time to do it...
 
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