Ritchie Blackomore Tone??

[Nicholas666]

If anybody has anything close to Ritchies tone( Man on the Silver Mountain preffered) will they pleas tell me how they got and some settings..

 

[Marshallmaniac]

Also a fellow Richie fan here.

My Marshall 1987x, 1960AX and strat do a perfect replication of Richie's tone throughout many decades. Just gotta turn it up. Theres no other 'real' way to get it. Any pedal you use is just a comprimise IMO.

 

[diesect20022000]

strat and a marshall major?

 

[Australian]

Yes a Major, but they are so rare. Strat and a Superlead will get you close. And you have to have strong hands.

 

[MartyStrat54]

There is still some confusion as to whether Ritchie used a modded Major. Regardless, that amp will not tolerate getting slammed in the front end with pedals.

Go to "Search" and type in "Ritchie Blackmore" and select "Threads" for some of the more recent threads on this topic.

Ritchie continues to be a forum favorite and I for one appreciates his contribution to rock music. A real pioneer from the early days.

 

[Lespaulnmarshall]

Regardless, that amp will not tolerate getting slammed in the front end with pedals.

Didn't ritchie use a treble booster?

 

[Papus]

Ritchie didn't record exclusively with his stage amps (modded Majors) until around Rainbow Rising or later.
Most of the classic Deep Purple albums were recorded with AC30's and 18-20w Marshall combo's, all with treble boosters in front.
It's debatable what was used from Burn onwards.
The song "Burn" sounds like a treble boosted AC30 to me, whereas "Coronarius Redig" from the same album sounds more like his Aiwa open reel deck into a modded Major.
"Man On The Silver Mountain" sounds like his Major to me.

You can get close with any SLP Marshall and a treble booster (try a Range Master or the new Aiwa open reel deck pre-amp pedal - there's a thread about it here somewhere).
For modern (i.e. 1995 Rainbow onwards) Blackmore you'll need the Engl Blackmore signature head and a strat with Lace Gold pickups.
The rest is in the hands!

 

[Strateuphoria]

Ritchie's style, choice of notes, technique is what gives him he's sound, a strat and any Marshall, if you know what you're doing.

 

[Nicholas666]

wow thanks guys!!! two of the reasons i guess i cant get his tone is probably because
1) he is rithcie
2) my pickups are a little too hot...

 

[Papus]

wow thanks guys!!! two of the reasons i guess i cant get his tone is probably because
1) he is rithcie
2) my pickups are a little too hot...

You aren't going to even be in the same galaxy as Blackmore if you're using super distortions & PAF's.......

Get Lace Gold and/or Vintage single coils and use LESS distortion

 

[MartyStrat54]

In case you didn't know, the Major was a unique Marshall amp. It used an ultra linear output transformer and was more of a HiFi amp than guitar amp. Ritchie used the Major to develop his signature tone (along with the Aiwa R to R). This amp could not tolerate any type of overdrive or distortion pedal. Those who tried had problems.

A treble booster is not slamming the front end of the Major. I was referring to those who try to get Ritchie's sound using some sort of overdrive or distortion boost with a Major. Ritchie did not use much effects, the Treble Booster and the Aiwa reel to reel (for analog delay).

I can get close to his tone with my 89 Strat Plus with Gold LACE pickups and a cleaner setting on my JMP 2203. I'm sure someone with the period correct speaker cabs and the right Strat could get close with a 100 watt NMV amp like the 1959.

 

[Marshallmaniac]

I believe it was a germanium treble booster, yes. And you know what cap they had in them? It just so happens, the very same value cap Marshall placed in the early 70's metal panel tops.. The cap that most people seem to cut out of their 1987x and 1959's..

Also, I know that Richies favourite amps were the Vox' but he required big stage volume.

Didn't ritchie use a treble booster?

 

[Nicholas666]

You aren't going to even be in the same galaxy as Blackmore if you're using super distortions & PAF's.......

Get Lace Gold and/or Vintage single coils and use LESS distortion

Yeah i know....Im a Maiden head...But blackmore has been on my list!! I do you use less distortion...This works for me usually....Clean on my AVT with mid around 5..then on my digitech hot head i put the gain on 2 and bass 5 and high 7...presence around 7..

 

[Les Moore]

I often sort of get yanked out of my playing realizing that "it sounds just like Blackmore from the Rainbow era" when I hit certain chords or notes, or play a certain way.
When this happens I play with this configuration; a homemade strat with DiMarzio DP402, Ibanez Tube Screamer, Marshall JMP 50w and a Marshall 412 cab with 25w greenbacks.
Nothing of it seems to fit what I´ve read about his sound, much of it found in posts above, and yet, the sound is definetely there.

 

[Nicholas666]

yeah i get what you mean..i can get close to there but never too close

 

[TwinACStacks]

Funny How many AC30's were used on recordings isn't it?

TWIN

 

[Marshallmaniac]

Funny you say that. I remember years ago trying to nail Yngwie's tone. I bought all the gear, down to the pickups. and sounded nothing like him whatsoever.

Plugged a strat into a hot rod deluxe one day and BAM there it was

Ritchie tone is definitely old Marshall with cab, strat and simple overdrive (if at all)

I often sort of get yanked out of my playing realizing that "it sounds just like Blackmore from the Rainbow era" when I hit certain chords or notes, or play a certain way.
When this happens I play with this configuration; a homemade strat with DiMarzio DP402, Ibanez Tube Screamer, Marshall JMP 50w and a Marshall 412 cab with 25w greenbacks.
Nothing of it seems to fit what I´ve read about his sound, much of it found in posts above, and yet, the sound is definetely there.

 

[Nicholas666]

the rest is in his fingers!!! i think..

 

[mrrstrat]

I'm a HUGE Blackmore fan!

Him, Jimi, and the sweedish meatball are the three that keep me playing strats.

 

[Nicholas666]

did you get close to ritchies tone??