Nuno on Extreme

[presa_tito]

I had never heard much Extreme before and I just got a bunch. Nuno Bettencourt has some insane playing and I never really hear anyone talk about his playing much. I was just curious about his tone. I went to the washburn site and scoped his sig. axe. I really like the look of it, has a Bill Lawrence 500 and Duncan 59' it says. I'm curious about amps and it anyone has played his guitar, the N4. Not the crappier N2 or whatever it is called.

 

[Seraphial]

Re: Nuno on Extreme

I had never heard much Extreme before and I just got a bunch. Nuno Bettencourt has some insane playing and I never really hear anyone talk about his playing much. I was just curious about his tone. I went to the washburn site and scoped his sig. axe. I really like the look of it, has a Bill Lawrence 500 and Duncan 59' it says. I'm curious about amps and it anyone has played his guitar, the N4. Not the crappier N2 or whatever it is called.

Nuno's playing has always been top of the list for me - I kinda missed the EVH phase so he was my first real guitar hero. I've played the N4 and it is a awesome guitar, especially with the extended cutaway neck joint. IMHO, the N4 is probably the best superstrat available next to the wolfy. I do think Nuno's tone was better in the earlier records tho - I think he was using a Plexi and a slapped together guitar (deja vu). He then went to an ADA-1 and the N4. Don't know about speakers sorry.

If you're looking for an N4, the padauk limited editions were awesome guitars and fairly rare at the moment.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Nuno on Extreme

The best Nuno guitar is the one called The Princess ... it's killer!!

 

[presa_tito]

Re: Nuno on Extreme

The best Nuno guitar is the one called The Princess ... it's killer!!

Princess?

 

[Hot _Grits]

Re: Nuno on Extreme

I had an N4 in my sights at a local dealer's closeout sale last year. I could have got it for about US $300-350.

It was really well made, but in the end I decided against it as it wasn't really my bag, and who knows if the things will ever attain any real kind of vintage status. It had a swamp ash body and maple fingerboard, and sounded very bright. In the end I grabbed a fenandes sustainer guitar.

I went through a bit of a Nuno phase. I remember working out stuff like 'pornograffitti' and 'get the funk out' note for note. For a while, the string skipping/tapping part from 'he-man woman hater' was one of my guitar store party pieces.

Most of Extreme's stuff sounds a bit cringe-worthy nowadays, but check out their last record, 'waiting for the punchline'. It bombed at the time, but it's a very cool record, and the only one they did with decent production.

The cool thing about Nuno's playing is that he had a great sense of rythm and how to play in or against the pocket. Quite honestly, their attempts to work funk into their music were often hilariously cheesy, but Nuno definitely knew how to make his lines rythmically interesting and alive, which is something so many rock players from the 80s missed completely.

 

[Dime59hum]

Re: Nuno on Extreme

I love extreme and Nuno's playing. I have the L-500XL, and I will give a review when I got it in my guitar. Solid pickup, try it out. www.billlawrence.com Thats the ONLY place you should get it from if you decide to get it, trust me.

 

[TheProphet]

Re: Nuno on Extreme

Most of Extreme's stuff sounds a bit cringe-worthy nowadays, but check out their last record, 'waiting for the punchline'. It bombed at the time, but it's a very cool record, and the only one they did with decent production.

I'm with Hot Grits on this one. This album has some of Nuno's most tastefull playing on it.

As for the N4's, tried one ... played extremely fast but I couldn't get comfortable with the Steven's joint

 

[presa_tito]

Re: Nuno on Extreme

I had an N4 in my sights at a local dealer's closeout sale last year. I could have got it for about US $300-350.

It was really well made, but in the end I decided against it as it wasn't really my bag, and who knows if the things will ever attain any real kind of vintage status. It had a swamp ash body and maple fingerboard, and sounded very bright. In the end I grabbed a fenandes sustainer guitar.

I went through a bit of a Nuno phase. I remember working out stuff like 'pornograffitti' and 'get the funk out' note for note. For a while, the string skipping/tapping part from 'he-man woman hater' was one of my guitar store party pieces.

Most of Extreme's stuff sounds a bit cringe-worthy nowadays, but check out their last record, 'waiting for the punchline'. It bombed at the time, but it's a very cool record, and the only one they did with decent production.

The cool thing about Nuno's playing is that he had a great sense of rythm and how to play in or against the pocket. Quite honestly, their attempts to work funk into their music were often hilariously cheesy, but Nuno definitely knew how to make his lines rythmically interesting and alive, which is something so many rock players from the 80s missed completely.

If it really was a legit N4 then you're crazy because I see them advertised new at around $1300. I'm sure that would have been a crazy deal. I thought the N4 had either a rosewood or ebony fingerboard and an alder body though. And yeah I do find some of his stuff cheezy, but what can you expect from a late 80's band. After listening to him more he sounds a hell of a lot like EVH. He must have been influenced big time. I like how he hits pinches almost as much as Zakk and he can rip and acoustic pretty damn good as well.

 

[Hot _Grits]

Re: Nuno on Extreme

I knew it was a deal, but I really couldn't get enthused about the guitar. I had a look around ebay, and s/h N4s weren't exactly setting the world on fire, price-wise, so I decided to go with a guitar that might add something to the arsenal in terms of creative options (the sustainer). I already have one bright sounding custom built superstrat.

By the way, typo earlier, it had an ebony board.

 

[Jonny R]

Re: Nuno on Extreme

I have a lot of respect for Nuno's playing

I think one of the most impressive aspects of it are the way his lead lines, even the incredibly fast ones, are so damn lyrical. You can tell that he's thinking of every note as part of a melody - there aren't really wasted or extra notes lying around.

Also, like Hot Grits was saying, he's incredibly good at sitting in the pocket with his rhythm playing.

Factor in the fact that he did Extreme I - including of course 'Do You Want to Play' at age 21, and the whole Pornograffiti album at age 26, and you have a pretty awesome self-taught guitarist.

Hot Grits, do you know if that guitar is still around at a similar price?

 

[presa_tito]

Re: Nuno on Extreme

Ok fair enough. I could imagine that Bill Lawrence pu to be bright sounding. So do you like your sustainer?

 

[bryvincent]

Re: Nuno on Extreme

does the n4 still have swamp ash body? the washburn website only says alder. and does the original or prototype n4 has ash or alder?

 

[TheProphet]

Re: Nuno on Extreme

The one I played looked and sounded like Swamp Ash to me.

However his old beat up N4 was Alder ... so methinks it came in both woods

 

[Hot _Grits]

Re: Nuno on Extreme

Jonny, it went. It was at Mainline Atwaters about 12 months ago. They let go of a bunch of stuff, including some Mesa gear, at stupid prices. they still have some leftover stock, but nothing that is a screaming deal.

Presa, I moved the Fernandes sustainer revolver on at a profit a couple of months after I bought it. It was an okay guitar, roughly equivalent to an Ibanez RG in build quality. The sustainer was very, very cool. I'm definitely going to get another sometime soon, probably buy the kit and install it on a guitar of my choice.

 

[Seraphial]

Re: Nuno on Extreme

Jonny, it went. It was at Mainline Atwaters about 12 months ago. They let go of a bunch of stuff, including some Mesa gear, at stupid prices. they still have some leftover stock, but nothing that is a screaming deal.

You know Grits, one day when I meet you, I'm gonna shake your hand, play some rhythm while you solo and then afterwards strangle you with a Washburn brochure. NZ$800 or so for an N4!?? :smash:

I think I checked at the tail-end of that sale - I remember seeing a Mesa F50 going for %50 off or something. Stupid me, passed on that...

The N4's originally came out with an original floyd (or was that Kahler?), alder body, ebony fingerboard and BL/59 pickups. The next version was padauk which made it fairly rare, then the swamp ash model. I recall them discontinuing the padauk because of a allergic outbreak among a few people. Or else it was just getting too expensive for them :naughty:

Anyway, more recent models featured the padauk colouring on the swampy model. However, you can basically get the same model in the NX series.

 

[Seraphial]

Re: Nuno on Extreme

The best Nuno guitar is the one called The Princess ... it's killer!!

Check out my sig - Princess model (the cheapy version, but oh well) modded to the max sith SD's, tonepros bridge and Earvana nut.

Sir, you have good taste :notworthy

 

[moog1000]

Re: Nuno on Extreme

I have both a customised N4 and P2!!

I don't what it is about them, but Washburn and Nuno got something seriously right about their necks!

Yep, Nuno is definitely near the top of the list of guitar players, especially his playing in a 'band context'. As stated, very similar to VH and Nuno often says that VH wrote the book on guitar playing.

He mainly used ADA preamps in the studio and for early tours, he moved over to Mesa for his mid 90's stuff (probably a tremoverb or something similar) and now uses H&K triamps!

 

[boze]

Re: Nuno on Extreme

Nuno is a must-listen for any guitar player! Great player to say the least.

About his amps though, "Porno-" and "3-Sides" were both recorded with a Soldano head and a Marshall 4x12 cab. Don't know what spkrs though. The ADA pre-amp & ADA pwr-amps came in when he had to get a live sound together. I remember there being a photo of Nuno featured in the "Load-Out" page in Gtr for The Pract. Music. or Gtr World, and you could see his live rig there.

For the "Punchline" recordings and tour, Nuno used a vintage Fender-Vibro amp. He took the line from the head part and went into a separate cab for more volume and warmth. He did this for the tour as well. I remember seeing the amp facing the back wall of the stage and 2 4x12 cab up front.

He started using those H&G amps & cabs when he put out his first solo cd. He had them on stage with him, but I wasn't as impressed with his sound as I was with the ADA or the Fender. There was a lack of character is the best way I can discribe it.

But the so-so sound didn't kill the show at all. He & his band were on and they played great. For an encore, they pull off the Talking Heads "Once in A Lifetime" with no keybrds! Pretty cool.

Boze.

 

[Hot _Grits]

Re: Nuno on Extreme

You know Grits, one day when I meet you, I'm gonna shake your hand, play some rhythm while you solo and then afterwards strangle you with a Washburn brochure. NZ$800 or so for an N4!?? :smash:

I think I checked at the tail-end of that sale - I remember seeing a Mesa F50 going for %50 off or something. Stupid me, passed on that...

The N4's originally came out with an original floyd (or was that Kahler?), alder body, ebony fingerboard and BL/59 pickups. The next version was padauk which made it fairly rare, then the swamp ash model. I recall them discontinuing the padauk because of a allergic outbreak among a few people. Or else it was just getting too expensive for them :naughty:

Anyway, more recent models featured the padauk colouring on the swampy model. However, you can basically get the same model in the NX series.

Haha, I can feel the air draining from my lungs as I type...

It had a Schaller cast floyd with Washburn branding. Same bridge that appeared on Hamers and other guitars around that time. To be honest, I thought really hard about getting it, but it didn't speak to me. too much maple in the recipe or something. I would have jumped all over a half-price F50, though. Shame we weren't in contact at the time. From now on, all bargains I don't grab will be passed on. Tip of the week: fender aerodyne tele brand new for 1399 at the rockshop. The one I played is already sold, but it's not a limited edition...

 

[metal101]

Re: Nuno on Extreme

NUNO is still an awsome guitarist. extreame was a band at the tail end of that era and really didnt get a whole lot of praise. pornographiti [misspelled it ] was a great record and i think shows beyond a shadow of a doubt that his playing is up there with the greatest that ever played. there is alot of dispute because of genera and the who hendrix was god / van halen is the best / rhoads was the best ever guys. But in all honesty nuno was just as articulate and pound for pound as good as the forementioned this is my opinion but listen to some population 1 stuff if you can find it as well as some solo stuff. he is amazing and deserves the recognition. I know he got alot of heat for that vh1 reunite the bands thing he declined to play and some people thought that was all ego but i think it was more so looking like a where are they now type thing.