How do The Darkness get their sound?

[Young Angus]

Re: How do The Darkness get their sound?

I don't know about their guitars and pick-ups, but I do know something about their amps.... they use a very rare, thin kind of Marshall heads

Hahahaha well spotted

 

[Duncan]

Re: How do The Darkness get their sound?

We first learned that The Darkness were Seymourized in Guitar Player Magazine's January 2004 issue, page 38, where Dan Hawkins says, about his guitar, "I put in Seymour Duncans in it and now it's awesome." Dan has also given us permission to use his name.

We're trying to figure out which pickups Dan put into his axe. Near as we can figure it after talking to his tech, it's an SH-5 Duncan Custom in the bridge and we don't know what in the neck.

As far as I know their rig is the following:

Dan Hawkins
Gibson Les Pauls w/ 490/498's
Gretsch Elliott Easton Signiture w/ SDs
Marshall 1987/1959 reissues
Powerbrake
V-twin
TS9

Justin Hawkins
Gibson Les Pauls (mainly Customs) w 490/498's
Mesas for rhythm work
JCM800 combo with a Boss Turbo Distortion for lead...

The Seymours they talked about in that interview were only to replace the filtrons in the Gretsch he bought... Dans Lesters are mid-late 90's version Standards running stock 490/498's as far as I know...

 

[strat_master]

Re: How do The Darkness get their sound?

they use gretsch guitars? cool. I know justin has a dan electro that he uses in the studio for solos. He said it cuts throught he mix of les pauls easily. I think dan also has a ibanez tube screamer as well.

 

[Simon_F]

Re: How do The Darkness get their sound?

I don't know about their guitars and pick-ups, but I do know something about their amps.... they use a very rare, thin kind of Marshall heads

I reckon that pic is from an early video shoot or TV appearance, when they had less gear but wanted the look. That striped catsuit is one of Justin's earliest ones, from before they broke big. When I saw them live this February the Mesas and Marshalls were definitely for real!

 

[Rich_T]

Re: How do The Darkness get their sound?

They now use

Gibson LP standards and customs, a Gretch George Benson model, and somethimes a dan Armstrong in the studio.

Thier backline consists of:
Dan: 3x Marshall SLP 100 watt head reissues each with two tv cabs
1x Vox AC30 with a tubescreamer for lead

Justin: 2x Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifiers with mea cabs. all in a pretty red floral
covering.

 

[cvansickle]

Re: How do The Darkness get their sound?

My turn. I love this band! True, the falsetto singing is a bit cliche, but their cd is an infectious obsession with me these days. Every time I hear it, I just like it more and more. It truly sounds like these guys, especially Justin, are just having the time of their lives playing music, and isn't that what it's all about? I would love it if a stellar producer like Mutt Lange worked on their next album.

I just read the April (or May) issue of Britain's Total Guitar magazine, and Justin is using all Custom Shop Gibsons now. No mention of anything other than Gibson pickups.

 

[3 cent hero]

Re: How do The Darkness get their sound?

id say 3 cent heros kinda an ass ha

yep, i'm a real asshole most of the time

 

[mmguz]

Re: How do The Darkness get their sound?

I really like the the darkness tone.

 

[t-wolf21]

Re: How do The Darkness get their sound?

The real trick to Justin Hawkins lead tone is that Boss Turbo Distortion pedal. Thats why his solos kind of sound like they have a little more push and a little thicker, its the Turbo Distortion.

 

[cvansickle]

Re: How do The Darkness get their sound?

The real trick to Justin Hawkins lead tone is that Boss Turbo Distortion pedal. Thats why his solos kind of sound like they have a little more push and a little thicker, its the Turbo Distortion.

I agree - you have to have some kind of distorted booster. I had a Boogie DC5 combo up until a month ago, and I could nail Justin's "Thing Called Love" lead tone with that amp goosed with a Fulltone Distortion Pro. I use a Boogie Nomad 100 now, and ditto. My t.c. electronic G-Major helps with the harmonies.

 

[warner-211]

Re: How do The Darkness get their sound?

i threw a Seymour Duncan custom in the bridge of my les Paul and I get very close to darkness tone I can get it either by overdriving the crunch channel on my Marshall dsl 100 or by just using the lead 1 channel. I have the bass and resonance set at 2 mid 10 treble 10 presence 7ish

Btw I know this is an old thread but I read a lot of old threads to chase tones

 

[crguti]

Re: How do The Darkness get their sound?

note: Didn't realize it's a zombie thread :doh: