Richie Sambora - Slippery When Wet

JOLLY

Super Simonologist
What was he using on that album? He really got some unique sounds happening on that album. Those leads really have a very "vowelesque" type tone/sound to them. I'm guessing Dimarzios, and I have no idea what type of amps. Anybody got the lowdown?

Thanks!!:)
 
Re: Richie Sambora - Slippery When Wet

The Fender RS signature Stratocaster had a DP100 Super Distortion humbucker in the bridge position. Sambora has been known to use a Talkbox. This can add that vowel shaping effect - especially when layering up guitar parts.
 
Re: Richie Sambora - Slippery When Wet

Lest we forget, Sambora went on to have a fugly ESP/LTD signature model.
 
Richie Sambora - Slippery When Wet

Actually, I have one the Fender guitars. It was supposed to have a PAF Pro in the bridge, but the bridge pickup looks and sounds nothing like a PAF Pro or a Super Distortion. It's a little more like PAF, but a little boomy in the bassy.



I would start with a JB or a PAF Pro.
f7a27e31f37faa447b951bec6a0f22be.jpg


I have a PAF Master ready to swap into it, when I get time to do it.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Re: Richie Sambora - Slippery When Wet

in totally guessing as to what he actually used which also includes amps, cabs and pedals, but id try a JB first.
 
Re: Richie Sambora - Slippery When Wet

I previously read he had a few custom Hamers and a custom luthier made Les Paul with a Kahler and 3 hums he used on the majority of the album
 
Re: Richie Sambora - Slippery When Wet

I had heard and read back in the day, (im sorry I cant recall the source, but I recall it being credible, Im pretty sure it was an interview with Richie) that he used Dimarzio PAF Pros. The source was credible enough, that I went an bought one. Hated it in the bridge.. Was ok in the neck, by not in the bridge.

Say what you will about Bon Jovi, they had some great tunes and IMO, Richie was underrated as a player. He can cover alot of ground and as Jolly said, there was alot of interesting things going on in some of the songs AND he sounded Just as great live.. So it wasnt all studio trickery.
 
Last edited:
Re: Richie Sambora - Slippery When Wet

I previously read he had a few custom Hamers and a custom luthier made Les Paul with a Kahler and 3 hums he used on the majority of the album

I'd also heard about the Les Paul copy, and I've seen pictures of him playing a Hamer Standard w/ Floyd that were dated 1986. No idea what the pickups were, but I'd believe either JB or Super Distortion.

I had heard and read back in the day, (im sorry I cant recall the source, but I recall it being credible, Im pretty sure it was an interview with Richie) that he used Dimarzio PAF Pros. The source was credible enough, that I went an bought one. Hated it in the bridge.. Was ok in the neck, by not in the bridge.

Say what you will about Bon Jovi, they had some great tunes and IMO, Richie was underrated as a player. He can cover alot of ground and as Jolly said, there was alot of interesting things going on in some of the songs AND he sounded Just as great live.. So it wasnt all studio trickery.

I know he used PAF Pros later, but I'm pretty sure they didn't hit the market until 1988. I suppose it's possible he had them custom wound, but I'm pretty sure Satch was the first big name to use them.
 
Re: Richie Sambora - Slippery When Wet

Yeah, Im pretty sure the rundown I saw was in between the cool Kramers and the hideous thing.. Kramer forum is pretty well versed that Jbs were the go to in those days..
 
Re: Richie Sambora - Slippery When Wet

Slippery When Wet is mostly PAF Pro and 7800 Fahrenheit is mostly JB. He probably recorded with that triple pickup Les Paul he used back then a lot... I assume those where stock Gibsons but maybe not.
 
Re: Richie Sambora - Slippery When Wet

The previous album was JB. Slippery When Wet was not done with a JB and the very next year he has a signature model that has a JB.

Not beyond the realm of possibility, but I find it strange.

All the while we're talking about a tone that was heavily produced.

Arguably the speakers he used played as large a role as the pickups which was small potatoes compared to what went on during mixing.
 
Last edited:
Re: Richie Sambora - Slippery When Wet

Yeah, I'm just not hearing the JB for that album.
 
Re: Richie Sambora - Slippery When Wet

I read in quite a few places that his personal Kramer Sambora guitars had Dimarzio PAF pros. Kramer didn't put Dimarzios in their production guitars, they always used Schaller or Duncan.
 
Re: Richie Sambora - Slippery When Wet

I read an interview with him yesterday. He said he only used two amp sounds, and only two electric guitars on that album. That's all he said. He didn't go into any details.

He also stated that the heaviest guitar tone he'd ever used on any recorded song was on the song "It's My Life". That kind of tripped me out.
 
Last edited:
Re: Richie Sambora - Slippery When Wet

http://www.vintageguitar.com/2911/richie-sambora/

Did this evolution come about naturally, or was it more of a deliberate effort?
It has been through the band’s life and my own solo work, as well as through the different experiences in the music business and as a musician that have brought me to this place, musically. I don’t think it’s anything I’ve consciously worked on, although, I’ve enjoyed evolving my style by bringing in different instruments.
I’m the kind of guy who gets really turned on by a new axe. In the past, I’ve been playing a lot more Dobro, although I didn’t make any conscious effort to play any Dobro on this new record because it didn’t seem to fit in anywhere. But I am playing a lot more slide on this album. Obviously, my tone is evolving, too. When you look back at albums like Slippery When Wet or New Jersey, I used two guitars and two tones, besides an acoustic. But on this new record, the palette is getting deeper. Because of the growth of my collection of vintage guitars, I’m able to put more colors in the songs.

How has your interpretation of great guitar tone evolved over time?
As a musician, I have always liked to apply what is needed for the song, emotionally. I see songs in a cinematic level, so I try to apply the right tone to bring out an emotion. For instance, in a song like “It’s My Life,” the tones are amongst the heaviest I’ve ever gotten. I wanted people to react when the first chord hit them. It’s a combination of my ’60 Les Paul doubled through the new 100-watt Marshall JCM 2000 Dual Super Lead head and a Mesa/Boogie Rectifier head through a 4×12 and a talk box
 
Re: Richie Sambora - Slippery When Wet

Triple Les Paul was not a Gibson…so who knows what was in it.
 
Back
Top