MARC BOLAN's RIGS

[OlinMusic]

Ever heard Electric Warrior, or Born to Boogie, or any studo or live T Rex?

Wicked Fuzz, ridiculous attitude, huge sound a la Hendrix!

How did he do it? I remember he had the Zemaitis Guitars, the Les Paul custom, and sometimes an olympic white rosewood neck strat. anything else?

amps?

 

[Sludgenutz]

Re: MARC BOLAN's RIGS

I'll give ya a friendly bump. Seems the fuzzy tone questions from the 60/70's are popping up a bit.

I wanna know too.

 

[Sludgenutz]

Re: MARC BOLAN's RIGS

Olin, look at the Marc Bolan linky after the fourth photo on the Analog Man site:

http://www.analogman.com/beano.htm

At least it is another bump! I have seen him play a "V" too.

 

[thucydides]

Re: MARC BOLAN's RIGS

Great photo!:smokin:

 

[Sludgenutz]

Re: MARC BOLAN's RIGS

Here is an extensive history of Marc Bolan, and his band. He grew up a Jewish kid in England, and his last name was Feld. That dude was no square, with his corkscrew hair!

There is no gear content here, but is still interesting...

http://members.cox.net/dregenold/marc/early.html

 

[Wattage]

Re: MARC BOLAN's RIGS

oh man I can't find it, I used to have a whole thing on his amp rig.....

if you are a marc fan own "Born to Boogie" on DVD

 

[big_black]

Re: MARC BOLAN's RIGS

I was listening to Electric Warrior just the other day.

Marc is certainly one of my favorite players.

I don't know about amps, but I've seen him play Strats, Teles, Vs, and LPs...a little of everything.

 

[OlinMusic]

Re: MARC BOLAN's RIGS

I just have to know

My fave tones - esp Hendrix style Fuzz and distortion have come fron the following

John frusciante - saw him live at Irvine Amphitheater
Prince - 2 am concert in Vegas, I was 10 ft from him, his purple rain solo was the closest I will ever get to experiencing Hendrix's spirit IMHO
Marc Bolan - born to boogie and a live CD I have where he just nails that nasty 70s fuzz tone. It doesn't sound like a Marshall though.

 

[Imp]

Re: MARC BOLAN's RIGS

didnt he use 'vamp' amps a lot? obscure british make, but it popped up in an article on a private collection in a guitar mag..

tom

edit -
http://www.voxshowroom.com/uk/amp/7120hist.html
http://www.vintageamps.com/plexiboa...previous&sid=7ea122629bd1057ed6bc3f82c7420066

edit again-
according to these articles you're looking at something similar to an AC100 - vamp was owned by jennings

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: MARC BOLAN's RIGS

I've been looking through books and mags since this thread popped up because it got me wondering as well!

This is what I saw mentioned...4 different Les Pauls, one black Custom, one cherry red with a Zebra neck and a double black bridge, one 59 and one 52 Gold Top. 2 Strats (both middle/late 60's), one was olympic white with a rosewood board then ther was another one. There is mention of 2 Telecasters...one of them had a Gibson pickup installed...it didn't say if it was in the neck or bridge and it might have been just one Telecaster that at sometime underwent the mod. The Zemaitis, an SG Special, the Flying V which was a 67 or so with a tremolo then there is menion of several different Gibson and Epiphone acoustic guitars.

For amps it looks like an H&H Combo for a while Marshall and Orange amps as well as some Vox stuff (AC-30, and 2 Vox Supreme stacks) as well as the Vamp amps.

As for FX this is what I found...

Fuzz Face, Rangemaster Treble Bosster, EH Screaming Tree Treble Booster, Colorsound Overdriver, MXR Blue Box, Vox Wah, and a Wem echo unit. I also saw mention that he would use a treble booster and a fuzz at the same time, sometimes a treble booster and 2 fuzzes!

 

[OlinMusic]

Re: MARC BOLAN's RIGS

OK HOW DID HE NOT FEEDBACK ALL THE TIME? HE HAD A VERY WOODY TONE LIVE!!! too many FX??? No way! Really?

VAMP! THAT MIGHT BE IT! I have seen something weird in footage.

I have never seen Bolan with a Marshall or the like. NOT saying it didnt happen, just never seen pics.

what's an H&H combo?

 

[OlinMusic]

Re: MARC BOLAN's RIGS

check out this link

http://pierre.champion.free.fr/beatinst.htm

 

[Sludgenutz]

Re: MARC BOLAN's RIGS

Nice linky. What more can be said of Marc's talents? Beyond that, a look at the lowest photo of the link shows Marc sitting in a chair and stringing his guitar shows what a tiny person he was! Not a big deal, but he may even be smaller in stature than Randy Rhoads!

I went on Amazon this week, and the "Born to Boogie" DVD was around $40. A good price, but a little steep this week for my coin.:blackeye:

 

[Gr8Scott]

Re: MARC BOLAN's RIGS

Now I finally understand a little more about the glam rock thing. Never had a clue about it until today. Now it makes more sense. Bolan was the "prince" of his day. I see lots of rock musicians borrowing his expressions and his moves today, and I've always wondered what the roots of that was. Now I finally know.

Another interesting factoid is that OlinMusic sure does look a little like a certain Marc Bolan. The pics on the linked web gallery show off some spiral curls and retro 70's clothing along with a little eyeliner. Sort of a modernized Bolan. Of course, the tracks I've heard are not direct copies of Bolan's tone or anything. More classic rock staple tone that everyone can appreciate than anything else.

Cool links guys. Thanks for the education. It's something I've wondered about as a kid and now understand a little more than before.

 

[Sludgenutz]

Re: MARC BOLAN's RIGS

Now I finally understand a little more about the glam rock thing. Never had a clue about it until today. Now it makes more sense. Bolan was the "prince" of his day. I see lots of rock musicians borrowing his expressions and his moves today, and I've always wondered what the roots of that was. Now I finally know.

Another interesting factoid is that OlinMusic sure does look a little like a certain Marc Bolan. The pics on the linked web gallery show off some spiral curls and retro 70's clothing along with a little eyeliner. Sort of a modernized Bolan. Of course, the tracks I've heard are not direct copies of Bolan's tone or anything. More classic rock staple tone that everyone can appreciate than anything else.

Cool links guys. Thanks for the education. It's something I've wondered about as a kid and now understand a little more than before.

I have no idea what Olin looks like... but I nearly added PRINCE to the comparison between Bolan, and Rhoads! I have seen "modeled" stage clothing on display at The Rock 'n' Roll Casino in Vegas, and I can tell you...Prince is a very tiny person.

What is bizarre-ly wonderful about Bolan was his craftsmanship. The "Bolan" fame-wagon must come off as some sort of media creation. However, media creation does not really lend itself to a person who actually put so many ideas to vinyl. Be it acoustic or "heavy electric" for his era, the thrust of Bolan's creativity was easily marketed to young girls of his era...as well apprecited by grown men decades later.

Bowie comes to mind, but then again, Bowie has always seemed to approach his own fame as a machine that needed total control. Bolan was more "organic", and was a real guitar player.

 

[Gr8Scott]

Re: MARC BOLAN's RIGS

compared to.........

Notice any similarity? I'm not saying dead ringer here, but it does seem like Olin looks very similar to Bolan. Heck, even their names rhyme...:eek13: :27: :6:

 

[Sludgenutz]

Re: MARC BOLAN's RIGS

If someone wants to model themselves after Marc Bolan, that is OK. The music will speak for itself.

I still dig the music of Marc Bolan/T-Rex. :13:

 

[Gr8Scott]

Re: MARC BOLAN's RIGS

I ain't baggin on Olin or Bolan. Both are A-OK in my book. It was just an observation. Bolan certainly isn't a bad example to follow (except that dying young part of course).