When Did Hendrix Switch To Silicon?

[Crawford354]

Calling everyone here who loves hendrix and knows some info on him. When did hendrix switch to silicon fuzzes? I know Are You Experienced was germanium, and Band Of Gypsys was Silicon, but when do you guys think he switched. I just ordered to fuzz faces("Jimi Mod" Fuzz and a 1 off silicon 1969 clone) from these guys, and I can't wait to try them. Check them out if you like hendrix.

Sonus Pedals - Home

Also, what in your experience is a clyde mccoy clone that really nail's hendrix's tone?

Thanks.

 

[dexter74]

Calling everyone here who loves hendrix and knows some info on him. When did hendrix switch to silicon fuzzes? I know Are You Experienced was germanium, and Band Of Gypsys was Silicon, but when do you guys think he switched. I just ordered to fuzz faces("Jimi Mod" Fuzz and a 1 off silicon 1969 clone) from these guys, and I can't wait to try them. Check them out if you like hendrix.

Sonus Pedals - Home

Also, what in your experience is a clyde mccoy clone that really nail's hendrix's tone?

Thanks.

Hendrix switched during his 'Band of Gypsy's' days, is what I have heard. Pretty sure the Ge fuzzes weren't too reliable back then. But also have heard Roger Mayer modded his pedals too. Those arbiter round fuzzes look great on the Sonus site, but $349 is a tad much for my wallet. They will probably be hearing from Dunlop soon.

 

[Crawford354]

Yeah that was too much for me as well, that's why I got the one that was cheaper, because it's the same electronics, you're paying more for the cosmetics I think. Thanks dexter.

 

[yladrd61]

Calling everyone here who loves hendrix and knows some info on him. When did hendrix switch to silicon fuzzes? I know Are You Experienced was germanium, and Band Of Gypsys was Silicon, but when do you guys think he switched. I just ordered to fuzz faces("Jimi Mod" Fuzz and a 1 off silicon 1969 clone) from these guys, and I can't wait to try them. Check them out if you like hendrix.

Sonus Pedals - Home

Also, what in your experience is a clyde mccoy clone that really nail's hendrix's tone?

Thanks.

I have the Sonus 1968 Jimi Fuzz with the NKT275s it totally nails the early Jimi sound.... There is speculation that the Woodstock/BOG fuzz was a combination of Ge and Si....The Blue Dunlop BC108 Jimi Fuzz Face gets pretty close if you lower the bias to the Q2 to around 5.2V....(mini pots under board) Sonus also makes a dead nuts Clyde Wah clone, the Area 51 Drop in kit is very close also....however the closest wah's I have heard to Jimi are the early 70s, Thomas International, Vox V846 with the TDK 5103 Inductor = Voodoo Child (Slight Return) ...

 

[Metroman]

Roger Mayer Devoleped the Silicon Fuzz sometime in 67.

It is used on the.. Axis Bold as Love Album. 1968

Mayers sells this pedal in modern design with the RF engineered out.

Its called the.. Axis Fuzz.

For guitar effects Mayer is My #1 go to.

DFor experimental sounds I like to combine Both MOOG and Mayer products. I don't need anything else and if I don't have the money for a particular Moog/Mayer effect ?

Ill wait and save money instead of buying a Compromise.

There is a Used 1 on Ebay for 225.

The Axis Fuzz was developed in early 1967 to give an additional series of tone colours for Jimi. This guitar effect is named after it's most famous use on the title track of the album "Axis Bold as Love". It can also be heard extensively on the "Band of Gypsies" and various other post 1968 recordings by Jimi. Since it's reissue it has become a firm favourite by guitarists who demand rich fill range quality fuzz tones with plenty of bottom end but that can also be used on chords and riffs. It cleans us very well from the guitar volume control and retains its large range of tone colours. The guitar does not loose identity and is truly a modern classic used by many leading performers today.

Electronically the Axis uses a discrete circuit configuration that is completely unlike the simple and crude Fuzz Face configuration. Both PNP and NPN silicon low noise transistors are used in an unique configuration that is temperature stable, free from radio interference and producing more output level and sustain than the Classic Fuzz. It produces a distinctive rich-biting sound that makes solos extremely noticeable but not thin sounding and weedy like so many popular mass marketed effects. The unit has a high input impedance to keep the guitars character and quality of tone whist providing great sustain. It is definitely best described as fuzz rather than distortion but has the ability to be used on chords as well as solos

 

[poeman33]

I just watched a documentary on him the other day on an offbeat Roku channel. There were talking about when he was making Electric Ladyland how people were always coming in and bringing effects for him to try. It might have been around then.

To me Hendrix's sound is the melding of Strat and Marshall though...not the effects. Those just add to his sound, not define it. IMO anyway.

 

[yladrd61]

The Sonus 1968 Fuzz Face with Roger Mayer's Jimi mods totally nails all the Fuzz tones on AYE and Axis, the guy who builds the Sonus Pedals is a Hendrix fan of the highest order... I am sure his '69 Si Fuzz Face will be of the same quality. He also builds a killer Clyde Wah .... Listen to some of his clips on his You Tube Channel he totally Nails Jimis early and later fuzz and wah tones....

http://youtu.be/TRDcwvw7km4
http://youtu.be/Wzgq38bQqDo
http://youtu.be/CMLGNxUc4Aw?list=PL201673CD8E24A7C5
http://youtu.be/Drv0sFbZvuI?list=PL201673CD8E24A7C5
http://youtu.be/9hLfcC0zUiA?list=PL201673CD8E24A7C5
http://youtu.be/G71mxjtnpFg
http://youtu.be/1V44e0uoO7g?list=PL201673CD8E24A7C5

 

[Crawford354]

Yeah I can't wait to get them. Their customer service is great, they put in DC jacks for free and built it in a mini box for no charge as well.

 

[Crawford354]

The Sonus 1968 Fuzz Face with Roger Mayer's Jimi mods totally nails all the Fuzz tones on AYE and Axis, the guy who builds the Sonus Pedals is a Hendrix fan of the highest order... I am sure his '69 Si Fuzz Face will be of the same quality. He also builds a killer Clyde Wah .... Listen to some of his clips on his You Tube Channel he totally Nails Jimis early and later fuzz and wah tones....

Alternate Video Bold As Love Solo -Jimi Hendrix - YouTube
Vibratory: Bold As Love Solo - Jimi Hendrix - YouTube
Tax Free - Sonus Pedals - Jimi Hendrix Cover by Vibratory - YouTube
Ain't No Telling (rhythm & lead) - MOST ACCURATE ON YOUTUBE!! - Jimi Hendrix - YouTube
Burning Desire - MOST ACCURATE ON YOUTUBE!! - Jimi Hendrix Cover - YouTube
http://youtu.be/G71mxjtnpFg
Hey Baby - MOST ACCURATE ON YOUTUBE!! - Jimi Hendrix Cover - YouTube

It also nails some eddie hazel tones, who I am a huge fan of as well.

 

[alhayesmusic]

I know I'll get crap for this, but JH's tone was never that stellar. Leslie West, Johnny Winter, Billy Gibbons, etc all had much better tone.....at least on recordings. Let the hate begin....

 

[Crawford354]

I know I'll get crap for this, but JH's tone was never that stellar. Leslie West, Johnny Winter, Billy Gibbons, etc all had much better tone.....at least on recordings. Let the hate begin....

I respect your opinion, tone is in the eyes of the beholder. I think tones like mick mars and the like suck, because I don't like them, but also because they don't really interest me.

 

[Metroman]

Hendrix had many tones. But you always knew it was him.

And if you've never listened to him on a Great stereo with good separation cranked so you can hear all of the Phasing and guitars going from speaker to speaker. Wild Sonics.

Billy Gibbons and those guys are wishing they had the sonic ability Hendrix had.

I love this and the Totality of the Sound is Unsurpassed to me, in the Guitar World and in the Experimental Guitar Category.

This is all Guitar and about 45 years old too. All Very Realistic and sounds Huge on a Good Stereo.

http://youtu.be/E8nb0a2Je7Y

 

[alhayesmusic]

I've listened to JH on 180 gram vinyl, through tannoys....LOVE the music, but his tone was nothing I would model my tone on. Just an opinion, and no slight on him. The producers had more say so than the artists back then. Still, there were many guitarists in that time frame, that may not have had the licks, but their tone was truly killer. Albert Collins come to mind.

 

[yladrd61]

I know I'll get crap for this, but JH's tone was never that stellar. Leslie West, Johnny Winter, Billy Gibbons, etc all had much better tone.....at least on recordings. Let the hate begin....

Are You Experienced, Axis Bold As Love, and Electric Ladyland have some of the greatest electric guitar tone ever recorded....of course there are some people who don't like the sound of a Fender Stratocaster plugged into the finest Amplifiers ever built and played by one of the the greatest musicians who ever lived....Recorded by perhaps the greatest sound engineer who ever lived....

 

[yladrd61]

Yeah I can't wait to get them. Their customer service is great, they put in DC jacks for free and built it in a mini box for no charge as well.

The small box is much more user friendly. It has been my experience that Positive Ground PNP Germanium Fuzz Faces don't play nice with external power adapters...but that's ok because 9V batteries last a long time in Fuzz Faces with no LEDs if you unplug the input jack when you are not playing....

 

[alhayesmusic]

Jimi Hendrix live Stockholm 1969 rare colour video: http://youtu.be/co0Mc5CrMcc

 

[Crawford354]

The small box is much more user friendly. It has been my experience that Positive Ground PNP Germanium Fuzz Faces don't play nice with external power adapters...but that's ok because 9V batteries last a long time in Fuzz Faces with no LEDs if you unplug the input jack when you are not playing....

I agree with you. I just thought it'd be nice to have the option. If I wanted it because the battery in my now sold MJM london didn't last long. Do you have to crank the volume on the fuzz to get it to sound good or can you play at reasonable levels because I sort of had to crank the London to make it sound less "squashed" if that makes sense. Thanks for your insight, I appreciate it.

 

[poeman33]

Are You Experienced, Axis Bold As Love, and Electric Ladyland have some of the greatest electric guitar tone ever recorded....of course there are some people who don't like the sound of a Fender Stratocaster plugged into the finest Amplifiers ever built and played by one of the the greatest musicians who ever lived....Recorded by perhaps the greatest sound engineer who ever lived....

I agree. I think his best tone was on Electric Ladyland. Axis was mellower than Are You Experienced, but pure Stratty goodness. Jimi used the bridge pickup a fair bit, and that is not the tone some people like. But nothing but a standard SSS Strat will get you that particular sound. I guess I grew to like it.

 

[yladrd61]

I agree with you. I just thought it'd be nice to have the option. If I wanted it because the battery in my now sold MJM london didn't last long. Do you have to crank the volume on the fuzz to get it to sound good or can you play at reasonable levels because I sort of had to crank the London to make it sound less "squashed" if that makes sense. Thanks for your insight, I appreciate it.

Most Fuzz Faces sound best cranked all the way up or backed off a little and the good ones clean up nicely when you roll back on the guitar volume...

 

[yladrd61]

I agree. I think his best tone was on Electric Ladyland. Axis was mellower than Are You Experienced, but pure Stratty goodness. Jimi used the bridge pickup a fair bit, and that is not the tone some people like. But nothing but a standard SSS Strat will get you that particular sound. I guess I grew to like it.

And having the Strat upside down takes a lot of the icepick out of that bridge pickup by angling it farther away from the bridge on the treble side... Yes AYE is big and round JTM 45/100 KT66 tone, and my favorite Axis is Clean and Dirty Sound City and JTM 100 EL34 tone, and his Masterpiece Electric Ladyland, the only Album he had complete artistic control over used all kinds of Marshall and Fender Amp tones.... I also really like a lot of his later Studio Recordings that Would have been on his next album, with the 6550 Marshall JMP 100 Amps, Si Fuzz Faces and the Univibe .... A lot of his Live recorded tone is not the greatest, with all the technical problems, and lack of a modern PA and sometimes no monitors, as well as the use of mass quantities of various mind altering substances ... But in the Studio he was more focused and wanted to push the sonic limits of all of the equipment available to him.... Can you imagine what he could have done in Electric Lady Studios if he had lived... He made all of what the bands today have possible ... He went from starving and playing for $5.00 a gig to the highest grossing Rock band of the time in 3 years !!! But of course Michael Jeffrey made off with most of the money !!!!