The Pick Click Humbucker Thing (a la Jimmy Page & Ace Frehley)

[Pink Unicorn Horsey]

This is a sound I've loved since I first started listening to Led Zeppelin and Kiss, and I'm not 100% sure how it's achieved.

Check out the start of the solo (2:04) on "Firehouse" off Kiss's first album. (It's just as pronounced on their live version from "Alive.") I can't think off the top of my head which songs, but Jimmy Page does it on occasion as well and I'm guessing it has something to do with the pick or humbucker. Something like that. iDunno.

Can anyone clue me in on what's going on? Am I making sense?

- Keith

 

[ErikH]

Re: The Pick Click Humbucker Thing (a la Jimmy Page & Ace Frehley)

At first I was thinking of the 3-way toggle trick but I know what you're talking about. It's hard to explain without actually seeing it. There's a subtle mute going on during the downstroke and then a clear upstroke. That's how I do it anyway.

 

[WICKED LESTER]

Re: The Pick Click Humbucker Thing (a la Jimmy Page & Ace Frehley)

This is a sound I've loved since I first started listening to Led Zeppelin and Kiss, and I'm not 100% sure how it's achieved.

Check out the start of the solo (2:04) on "Firehouse" off Kiss's first album. (It's just as pronounced on their live version from "Alive.") I can't think off the top of my head which songs, but Jimmy Page does it on occasion as well and I'm guessing it has something to do with the pick or humbucker. Something like that. iDunno.

Can anyone clue me in on what's going on? Am I making sense?

- Keith

it is a technique where you mute and un mute with the thumbs flesh while hitting the string
ace did this a lot:
the "ank ank ank a ank, ank ank ank a ank ank" sound effect is cool as balls i do it all the time as well

 

[Rev Donzo]

Re: The Pick Click Humbucker Thing (a la Jimmy Page & Ace Frehley)

I noticed a sound unique to humbuckers as well.
its when the strings contact the cover and or poll pieces..

I've heard it on that stuff as well as when Roy Buchanan played a Humbucker Les Pauly..

 

[Pink Unicorn Horsey]

Re: The Pick Click Humbucker Thing (a la Jimmy Page & Ace Frehley)

I noticed a sound unique to humbuckers as well.
its when the strings contact the cover and or poll pieces..

I've heard it on that stuff as well as when Roy Buchanan played a Humbucker Les Pauly..

I actually thought it might be the same thing but wasn't sure.

 

[ErikH]

Re: The Pick Click Humbucker Thing (a la Jimmy Page & Ace Frehley)

Touching the strings to the pickup cover or pole pieces is not the same thing that Ace did/does (explained by myself and Wicked Lester).

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: The Pick Click Humbucker Thing (a la Jimmy Page & Ace Frehley)

I know what he means. The pick makes a prounounced "click" against the string just before you hear the note. I've been able to get this sound accidentally from time to time but it seemed to really depend on the rig more than playing technique per se. Definitely a medium-high to high gain situation, probably a high-ish output pickuup -- in other words, high sensitivity to touch -- in a guitar and/or amp that is somehow predisposed to putting out that particular frequency.

At least that's my best guess. It may also depend on the kind of pick.

It wasn't a sound I particularly liked so I was always trying to alter my technique and gear to get RID of it.

 

[Pink Unicorn Horsey]

Re: The Pick Click Humbucker Thing (a la Jimmy Page & Ace Frehley)

It wasn't a sound I particularly liked so I was always trying to alter my technique and gear to get RID of it.

So funny! Ace is probably the reason I play guitar today and I remember as a kid thinking that sound was specifically cool.

I'm still lost as to how to pull off this sound. The description sounds almost like doing a pinch harmonic, which is something altogether different.

- Keith

 

[ErikH]

Re: The Pick Click Humbucker Thing (a la Jimmy Page & Ace Frehley)

I'm still lost as to how to pull off this sound. The description sounds almost like doing a pinch harmonic, which is something altogether different.

- Keith

Exactly, except without the harmonic and with an upstroke to hit it again. It sounds really cool when you start with a full step bend and come back down doing this trick. I call it the chicken pluck cause that's what it can sound like.

 

[Pink Unicorn Horsey]

Re: The Pick Click Humbucker Thing (a la Jimmy Page & Ace Frehley)

Exactly, except without the harmonic and with an upstroke to hit it again. It sounds really cool when you start with a full step bend and come back down doing this trick. I call it the chicken pluck cause that's what it can sound like.

Yup, that's how the "Firehouse" solo starts. Chicken cluck pluck. Do you have an audio clip of yourself doing that?

 

[zionstrat]

Re: The Pick Click Humbucker Thing (a la Jimmy Page & Ace Frehley)

i'll get flammed, but ace is one of the most underated inovative of the classic guitarists- if they had done the same music without makeup a lot of other guitarists would have to take a step or two back to make room for him.

Off topic, dont waste time on a visit to the library to read simmons' book- as you might guess, it was all about his incredible genious in bed and in business, doesn't mention gear at all, and has page after page about what a mess ace was-

Doesn't really mater if it is true or not, he's just not giving credit to a guitarist who wildly inovative for the mid 70s

 

[ErikH]

Re: The Pick Click Humbucker Thing (a la Jimmy Page & Ace Frehley)

Yup, that's how the "Firehouse" solo starts. Chicken cluck pluck. Do you have an audio clip of yourself doing that?

No, I don't have a clip of me doing it but I could cut one. It may be a few days or so.

zionstrat, I agree with you about Ace. He is underated. However, he has his demons to deal with. I actually enjoyed Gene's book. It's his story about his life and the life of KISS. The "catches" in bed came between all those other stories, strategically placed. You are talking about "KISS and Make-Up" right?

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: The Pick Click Humbucker Thing (a la Jimmy Page & Ace Frehley)

I think he was underrated too. The songs weren't particularly deep but he had a way of giving the guitar a really melodic, vocal quality, enough that a lot of his solos are pretty hummable and memorable.

 

[Aceman]

Re: The Pick Click Humbucker Thing (a la Jimmy Page & Ace Frehley)

There was some guy in guitar player a few month's ago who said something like: "If you think Ace Frehley is the greatest thing since sliced bread, you'll be playing second generation Chuck Berry licks forever."

All I have to say is Ace was around long before that guy, and will be long after. As evidence, I didn't know who the guy who said it was, and I can't remember his name now! And I'm pretty sure we all know who Chuck Berry is too.

And the click/pluck/cluck is all in the mute unmute timing. I sometimes do that by hitting the G string while muted, stopping against the B, and then apply pressure to the B continue across with the pick. It's a sort of half-#@$ rake with an even slower fret hand response - But doesn't that sound like something Ace would do? It can also be done with an up down stroke on the same string and applying the mute on/off at the right time.

Finally, in all honesty, while I wanted to be Ace when I grew up - I'd like to think I can play a little better than that on a good day. Let's face it, his chops aren't all that (the second generation Chuck Berry rehash is pretty accurate).

However - He has a cool factor that is out of this world and a rock and roll tude when he plays that just kicks me right in the groin like a mule!!!!!!!!!!

He is the one and only reason I started playing, and will always call a Cherry Sunburst Les Paul my main axe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ACE RULES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[tone4days]

Re: The Pick Click Humbucker Thing (a la Jimmy Page & Ace Frehley)

i'll always love KISS from the first album to ALIVE II .. and nothing after ... they represent a magical emotional outburst of just happiness and good times for me ... my attachment to ACE is so strong for those reasons only ... i don't kid myself about his guitar prowess, but he rocked me and always will on that level ... plus, do we really even know how much of the recorded music is his playing? The Kulick contributions to Alive I overdubs and Alive II - side 4 playing are well known ...

oddly enough, i think you can get that clucky stutter effect uasing Seymours chirpy triplet thing as discussed in the other thread .. just turn it up and learn to control the gain ... sounds awesome

cheers
t4d

 

[frehley]

Re: The Pick Click Humbucker Thing (a la Jimmy Page & Ace Frehley)

Ace is the reason I wanted to play guitar as a kid. If I had to pick the most influential album of my life, I would say it's Ace Frehley's '78 solo album.
Every song is awesome from "Rip it out" to "snowblind" to "Fractured Mirror".
As far as him rehashing Chuck Berry, why doesn't anyone accuse Jimmy Page of the same thing? Cause he (Page) was a better writer than a soloist. Please don't start trying to defend Page now that I said that, I'm going out on a limb here,
I know and he has enough people who worship him anyway so don't attack little ol' me, this is not an attack on him just an observation.
Anyway, It's obvious how influential he(Ace) has been regardless of what some might say. The bottom line is he wrote the most catchy solos with tons of emotion. No one in rock has ever been able to pull at my heartstrings like Ace Frehley. His playing is shot now for sure but from '74 to '81 he couldn't be touched!!!

 

[frehley]

Re: The Pick Click Humbucker Thing (a la Jimmy Page & Ace Frehley)

By the way, Ace played on everything from "kiss" to "Alive I" and on "destroyer",
he didn't play the solos on "Flamming Youth" and "Sweet Pain". He played on all of "Rock and roll over" and "Love Gun" but only played on "Rocket Ride" from "Alive II" studio tracks. He played on "Dynasty" except on "X-ray eyes",
He played on all of "Unmasked" but from there on, he started to lose interest in KISS when they did "Music from the Elder" he only played the solo for "The Oath", all the guitars on "Dark Light" and "Escape from the Island". Everything else was done by Paul Stanley and finally, he didn't appear on anything from "Creatures of the Night" although he appears on the cover of the album. Paul and Gene had him do that so that the label didn't know that Ace had left KISS. They were hoping Ace would change his mind.

Obviously I have a slight interest in the career of Ace Frehley, heh?

 

[WICKED LESTER]

Re: The Pick Click Humbucker Thing (a la Jimmy Page & Ace Frehley)

big ACE fan right here:wave:

i love the guys style!
so he does not play as fast as paul gilbert or have the aggression of lynch
he had his own thing and it was and still is real cool!:beerchug:

 

[Simon_F]

Re: The Pick Click Humbucker Thing (a la Jimmy Page & Ace Frehley)

big ACE fan right here:wave:

And another one here. Ace rocks. He's an original. :beerchug:

 

[Wattage]

Re: The Pick Click Humbucker Thing (a la Jimmy Page & Ace Frehley)

Jimmy Page doesn't suck either......I love Ace as well. This is pretty much all his fault this life of mine, heehee! To think Ace Frehley made me what I am today!

Erik H's description of how to do it is right on, good job. The Rev. uses the same technique as well.

On a side note FREHLEY are you sure Ace didn't play on All American Man? I know Bob Kulick can ape Ace's thing pretty well but something tells me that is Ace. I would also guess Ace is playing the bulk of the stuff on Dynasty too.