I am guilty of NOT listening to this song very often (or anything on that album)...well, it came up on iHeartRadio yesterday and I realized that this is the kinda "amped" sound I am after (actually not too different than a Carlos Del Junco sorta sound, which I've mentioned before).
I have no idea the studio rig, but how would you describe it? I think it has a tube sound, but it isn't very dirty or gritty. I think it sounds like there is a bit of tweed flavor vs a Blackface kinda sound...it is either a Peavey or Mesa Boogie, I *think*.
I like that it is warm and clean. I might try to dial something similar to this in my POD HD500, but being that I am generally an amp idiot, I am trying to figure if it would be easier to dial in as a BF Twin or '58 Bassman. Preamp distortion, power amp distortion, sag, etc...I know the terms, but not the sounds.
I usually only get a few minutes a week at gig volumes, but could start a patch through studio monitors at some point. It is hard for me to play loudly at home. I have a Bassman tone on there that would work with a band, but it is more of a "blues" sound.
I am fairly sure it is a boogie he is well known to use one and 2 guys I play with here own them and they always fall short for me as they are generally afraid of presence and highs in their sound so they get a sound like this but with very litle cut.
Sugar blue uses a boogie and wireless and gets somewhere between this and straight ahead chicago blues.
Mesa boogies confuse me too many knobs and the prevalence of bad guitar sounds one can dial in.
I played harp through a boogie at 2 jams and could never get a sound I wanted. I am sort of fond of being between Jason Ricci and straight ahead blues. I am told they are very hard to dial in and my experience is that as well. Every guitar player I know who uses a boogie is too busy screwing with knobs to just play a damn show.
My desired sound is generally around The album down at the juke by jason. though I mess around with lots of random amps because its cool to jump the fence once in a while.
For guitar I am straight ahead fender usually though I prefer old ampegs.
You should demo one I think the insight might make dialing in your model better. I am not sure about the contents of poppers effects rig I remember it being complex.
According to Google and Mesa's site, the Heartbreaker was based off a Tweed Bassman similar to the Mark I (which was actually based off a Princeton). Interestingly enough, until this year, Popper was using a Lonestar, which is based off a blackface sound.
I should be fine starting with either, then, but Blackface seems to be the theme. There is a Mesa model, but it is a dual rectifier, which I assume = high gain, which I don't want.
yeah makes sense it being based on black face gear fenders are much easier to get great sounds out of for me. Couple knobs, no master volume and sometimes a mid control. probably a 12 inch modified princeton and an eq pedal and it would probably sound boogie ish. Pimping princetons with larger transformers and speakers is a common thing for guitar.
The added headroom of a larger transformer would probably do it. cleaner high wattage speaker.
the rectifier series stuff is all really high gain stuff
I can get a sound/tone/timbre pretty close to this using a 545 or SM57 or SM 58 through a Fender Super Reverb Reissue or a Fender Princeton Reverb Reissue with JJ tubes. I don't think that's what Popper is using, though.
Last Edited by on Apr 23, 2012 11:13 AM
Thanks, hvyj! I am pretty sure he sets up his amps for a clean Blackface tone. I am at the computer all day and have been listening to live clips where I know what he is using. They are all BF inspired amps for the most part, so that'd make sense.
He pretty much has a clean tubed sound live too. It isn't as warm as the recording, but it reminds me a lot of Carlos Del Junco on his live CD. Nothing is really pushing the amp real hard.
I figure a live reference is good since he could technically isolate the amp in studio and avoid feedback, etc. ---------- Mike VHT Special 6 Mods Quicksilver Custom Harmonicas - When it needs to come from the soul...
It doesn't sound like an amp at all to me. Sounds more like a mic straight to desk. Very "close", dry, no impression of "air" being pushed, or speaker influence. If I wanted to get that sound I'd use an SM57 or similar.
I guess I would aim for a BF setting as the mids are fairly scooped, there's not a lot of drive or crunch.
Mike, the Mark I Boogie was a tweed bassman circuit , plus an extra gain stage, crammed into a tolex cab & 1x12" speaker. ---------- www.myspace.com/markburness
The POD actually has a mic preamp...I might just try that. I can also add an eq to help shape the tone coming through my monitor. The amount of options are pretty amazing on the HD 500. If I knew more about how amps worked, it would probably be easier, lol. For me, it is always the volume before feedback and cut through the mix.
