Rockman Tone in 2017
- Thread starter Sirion
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JMP/HBE
Well-known member
Re: Rockman Tone in 2017
I used to Hot Rod [line out] a JMP 2204 with one in the 80's. They sound alright but the Rockmans sounded a bit better.
I could take my guitar and this unit to the beach in Florida, play anywhere, it is a cool device.
I used to Hot Rod [line out] a JMP 2204 with one in the 80's. They sound alright but the Rockmans sounded a bit better.
I could take my guitar and this unit to the beach in Florida, play anywhere, it is a cool device.
Re: Rockman Tone in 2017
Geez! I forgot about the 2x8 GK combo. Sounded amazing for its size and had switchable analog chorus/delay. I wish SR&D would have made the chorus/echo module to where you could combine both effects... Had they done this, I'd construct a single space head-box with a class D amp inside.
Geez! I forgot about the 2x8 GK combo. Sounded amazing for its size and had switchable analog chorus/delay. I wish SR&D would have made the chorus/echo module to where you could combine both effects... Had they done this, I'd construct a single space head-box with a class D amp inside.
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JMP/HBE
Well-known member
Re: Rockman Tone in 2017
I was in a band {dual guitar} with a guy that had the GK 2x8 combo, he ran a XLR out into the PA, Big sound !
I was in a band {dual guitar} with a guy that had the GK 2x8 combo, he ran a XLR out into the PA, Big sound !
beaubrummels
Well-known member
Rockman Tone in 2017
The rhythm player in my band from '86-'89 used one of those. Biggest sound I've ever heard out of the smallest real amp/cab I've ever seen for guitar. That G&K sounded like a concert hall standing in front of it with the stereo chorus and reverb on.
I was in a band {dual guitar} with a guy that had the GK 2x8 combo, he ran a XLR out into the PA, Big sound !
The rhythm player in my band from '86-'89 used one of those. Biggest sound I've ever heard out of the smallest real amp/cab I've ever seen for guitar. That G&K sounded like a concert hall standing in front of it with the stereo chorus and reverb on.
JMP/HBE
Well-known member
Re: Rockman Tone in 2017
Iron Maiden used them live & in studio on the "Somewhere in Time" album.
Iron Maiden used them live & in studio on the "Somewhere in Time" album.
Sirion
Well-known member
Re: Rockman Tone in 2017
http://www.stagecue.com/rockman.html
Now this is kind of awesome. A guy has reconstructed his Rockman headphone amp into a rack unit, with better components, and all the tweakability the original unit was capable of but didn't offer. I wonder if Tom Scholz has ever gotten to see this?
http://www.stagecue.com/rockman.html
Now this is kind of awesome. A guy has reconstructed his Rockman headphone amp into a rack unit, with better components, and all the tweakability the original unit was capable of but didn't offer. I wonder if Tom Scholz has ever gotten to see this?
Sirion
Well-known member
Re: Rockman Tone in 2017
A pity, but not unexpected; it seems like a large operation. It might be the same guy, but I know there is somebody over at the Fractal forum who had one installed in a rack as well. Apparently, Pete Cornish was brought in to get hold of military-grade components for it.
From the drawings it might be possible to recreate the project, though. I have a friend who would probably have been game, but I really shouldn't tangle myself into Rockman gear.
A pity, but not unexpected; it seems like a large operation. It might be the same guy, but I know there is somebody over at the Fractal forum who had one installed in a rack as well. Apparently, Pete Cornish was brought in to get hold of military-grade components for it.
From the drawings it might be possible to recreate the project, though. I have a friend who would probably have been game, but I really shouldn't tangle myself into Rockman gear.
Sirion
Well-known member
Re: Rockman Tone in 2017
Probably. He might have wanted one for himself, or to see how much it was possible to make the unit do. By the way, by now I suppose it would actually be legal to create reproductions of these, as long as no trademarks are being infringed, since the patents must be more than 30 years old now. Not that I think it is going to happen, but legally it should be unproblematic.
Probably. He might have wanted one for himself, or to see how much it was possible to make the unit do. By the way, by now I suppose it would actually be legal to create reproductions of these, as long as no trademarks are being infringed, since the patents must be more than 30 years old now. Not that I think it is going to happen, but legally it should be unproblematic.
Re: Rockman Tone in 2017
True, but why would Jim Dunlop not just renew the patents? btw... Tom Scholz did not sell the entirety of the Rockman patents to Dunlop, so there are key features in the circuitry that Dunlop cannot reproduce. I believe it has to do with the compressor and/or overdrive. This is why the Dunlop Rockman products don't sound as good as the SR&D products.
I just got through putting my Rockman head back together tonight. I was going to sell the modules off in favor of a Synergy system, but came to my senses. I love the sound of the VOX AC (Morgan) and Fender Tweed modules, but I can approximate those tones using my Guytron GT20. The Rockman + Tube Screamer tone is among my favorites, and nothing that I've heard reproduces that sound. The Rockman chorus and echo modules are as close as I've ever gotten to getting a Roland RE-301 sound from a bb format.
True, but why would Jim Dunlop not just renew the patents? btw... Tom Scholz did not sell the entirety of the Rockman patents to Dunlop, so there are key features in the circuitry that Dunlop cannot reproduce. I believe it has to do with the compressor and/or overdrive. This is why the Dunlop Rockman products don't sound as good as the SR&D products.
I just got through putting my Rockman head back together tonight. I was going to sell the modules off in favor of a Synergy system, but came to my senses. I love the sound of the VOX AC (Morgan) and Fender Tweed modules, but I can approximate those tones using my Guytron GT20. The Rockman + Tube Screamer tone is among my favorites, and nothing that I've heard reproduces that sound. The Rockman chorus and echo modules are as close as I've ever gotten to getting a Roland RE-301 sound from a bb format.
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voggin
New member
Re: Rockman Tone in 2017
Oh, man, I wanted one of those soooooo badly when they came out.
The 80s were such a great era of innovation in gear, esp. solid state stuff. My pal had one of the little Rockman headphone amps. We used to record with it all the time into a little Fostex cassette 4 track. I used to love the clean setting direct with a little delay.
I was in a band {dual guitar} with a guy that had the GK 2x8 combo, he ran a XLR out into the PA, Big sound !
Oh, man, I wanted one of those soooooo badly when they came out.
The 80s were such a great era of innovation in gear, esp. solid state stuff. My pal had one of the little Rockman headphone amps. We used to record with it all the time into a little Fostex cassette 4 track. I used to love the clean setting direct with a little delay.
Re: Rockman Tone in 2017
If you want to record with a Rockman XPR, they have one in the Beat Production Studio at Starsound Studios, located in North Royalton, Ohio:
They have a studio tour up on YouTube:
Here is the link to their web site:
http://starsoundstudios.com
If you want to record with a Rockman XPR, they have one in the Beat Production Studio at Starsound Studios, located in North Royalton, Ohio:
They have a studio tour up on YouTube:
Here is the link to their web site:
http://starsoundstudios.com
Re: Rockman Tone in 2017
You've managed to make a perfectly good Rockman Sustainor to sound awful! The key to dialing-in a Sustainor for 1st album tone is to place an EQ in the Sustainor loop, and then an expander (or additional EQ) in between the Sustainor and the stereo amplifier. You're never going to duplicate that sound using a Sustainor, but you can get close. Placing a clean boost before the Sustainor helps as well. Also... Dump the digital processing.
You've managed to make a perfectly good Rockman Sustainor to sound awful! The key to dialing-in a Sustainor for 1st album tone is to place an EQ in the Sustainor loop, and then an expander (or additional EQ) in between the Sustainor and the stereo amplifier. You're never going to duplicate that sound using a Sustainor, but you can get close. Placing a clean boost before the Sustainor helps as well. Also... Dump the digital processing.
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