Marshall 50 watt (1987)

[maltone]

Steve, the fact is, THAT SOUND, Malcolm's sound, has already been done before him by Humble Pie. Now there's Chris Chenney with the same sound, I don't care for his music, but is SOUND is still very good - to me.

What can I say - I like that sound - the Gretsch tone over say a Kramer or Ibanez. I like the spank it has. I'm not so much trying to get EXACTLY his gear - I can't afford it in the first place.

I've heard some great 18 watt amps with EL84's that have some of that tonal signature, the spank if you can call it. I don't think ANYONE in the world can develop their own "SOUND". It's all been done before. Everything after the 70's as far as classic rock tones go - has already been done. Playing style is one thing, sonic quality is another. That's why Fender's don't sound like Marshall's and vice versa. Or Mesa Boogies like Vox's for that matter.

I heard a fantastic clip today on the Matchless site - KILLER amps. I can't afford one, and besides it's beyond my playing ability to justify ever owning one. It's kind of a Vox sound, meets.. Fender sort of. Either way, I love it.

Look at the 60's and 70's genres of music - same gear, different styles, playing styles etc, but many of those bands had similar tones - just some better than others (depending on who you ask). I totally understand your Slash argument, or the Kerry King sound, and on and on it goes.

Quite simply put, Mal's tone to me is a "classic" tone. It's not modern or new age (which I also like at times - the Edge etc). But, you look at guys like Tom Petty, and to me, his sound is very much like the Byrd's sound - only, in his own way. I guarantee you there were critics of his sound before he made it "oh, great, another Byrds 60's sounding guy". But, I LOVE his sound, and the Byrds too, and the Kinks, and The Hollies, the list goes on.

Forget amps, it's really a "Gretsch" sound, slightly over-driven - and sounds just as good cleaned up through several different amps. I might be splitting hairs - my apologies. It comes out of frustration - hearing so many people say (here's the sound) and I think, Ahhh, no it's not.

SOLO DALLAS - I've seen your clips - and on your It's a long way to the top you tube video - you absolutely NAILED Mal's tone on that recording. So that's kind of where I'm going with this quest. I'm a bit of a purist - with an open mind. And I just simply love those older classic tones.

I saw a band once in my city do AC/DC, big Marshall's the guy on stage had an SG, the other rhythm player playing Mal's parts was also playing a Gibson Les Paul. And they just didn't have THE SOUND. Half of that tone is the Gretsch tone.

So enough of that argument - but I can see how copy cats can get on your nerves. I'm not a Mal copy, I just love the Gretsch sound, pretty much through anything. But, through a Marshall, it's Killer.

True sir, but what do you think Malcom or Angus did the same thing, chasing another players EXACT setup? I do things because of my heroes too, dont get me wrong. But dont base every little thing off of someone else's sound.

This is all too common with the Slash debate... I know i will get crap for this, but honestly whether he's on AFD playing the "secret" amp, his 800, his 2550SL, his AFD, his VM, IT STILL SOUNDS LIKE SLASH to me. switching pics to the same ones warren haynes uses just isn't going to give you his tone...

 

[maltone]

SOLO, I could care less if you sound "Angus-esque". You're a damn great guitar player. You definitely have the feel and the rock n' roll in your hands. I'm a simple, simple player - but I can nail Mal's feel, because I've been listening to those records for over 25 years.

Look at some of the "best" guitar players from the UK from the late 60's, early 70's we know who they are. They're all blues based players for the most part. And some critics of their time would have said. "Oh, they're simply playing over-driven loud blues music" So what, it sounds GOOD!.

And that's all I care about.

Both things you state here are true.
The first one, I agree to it wholly.
The second one, not entirely.

I DO sound a bit (and some may say more than so, gratifying me immensely lol) like Angus Young, but I also do have my style. Bits and pieces coming from other sides. You're not stuck if you don't want to be stuck.
We always progress, we never stop, even if we wanted to be stuck, frozen, we couldn't, for the worse or for the better.

But anyway, I think we've come to understand each other closer than anticipated previously. It's been a good talk