Ritchie Blackmore

[Tone Slinger]

Ya know, I got to checking, and found that Ritchie didnt even use Marshall Majors. Seems he, like 'ol EVH, got alot of rumours and inaccracies started. See, Ritchie was the first dude who really started getting into talking about the specifics of guitars and amps and things (I have all the early to late 70's interviews). I think Eddie read them all .

From what I've gathered, Ritchie just used el-34 loaded 100 watt heads. The mod that he mistakenly described, was simply a v1 cascsade master volume. I think I read that in the Groove tube book.

[Billy Batz]

Ritchie had his Marshall majors modded with an extra output tube so they would sound more like his AC 30, so they were putting out more like 270w. He also used a Hornsby Skewes treble booster to drive the amps. Instead of turning up the amps to 10 he would set them at about 7-8 and use the Treble booster to drive them the rest of the way. His settings from made in japan were (got this from BSM treblebooster website)

P:0 B:4 M:5 T:6-7 V:7-8

The Hornsby Skewes treble booster wasn't exactly a treble booster either, even though that's what it's called it tended to boost more in the midrange than the treble. And ritchie supposedly modded his to get more drive out of it. You should check out BSM's Hornsby Skewes units that they make, according to their site Ritchie himself owns a BSM HS- Custom, which is one of the ones they sell with the "Ritchie Mod." I'm definitely going to try one because of Blackmore and Rory Gallagher both. BSM's website has a section called the tone zone and under Ritchie's name they have a tone chart for pedals they make for Blackmore tone for different periods of his career both with Deep Purple and Rainbow.

If BSM wasnt so damn expensive Id have at least 4. But I guess he really weeds through the transistors.

Im curious. How do you add 1 output tube to a Major? Wouldnt that give you.... 5 output tubes? And how does that make it sound like an AC30? Is that what TS is talking about by the mod he was mistakingly referring to? That makes a lot more sense though I still dont know how taht would make it sound like the normal channel of an AC30 which consists of one half of a 12AX7. Its doubtfull he knew anything about whats going on in an amp. Those guys back then were stoneage in the descriptions they give of their amp mods because they didnt really have a clue. To me thats where half the crazy evh shit comes from.

[Tone Slinger]

I agree, Blackmore didnt have enough knowledge to even describe what he was talking about. He said in a '72 interview that he had a little background in radio, and that HE himself told Bran, or some other Marshall tech, what to do to get his amp more 'gain' or something like that. I do think blackmore had great insights on the guitar and how it's design affected things (I loved his Gibson vs. Fender scenario's), but he gave his self away concerning his 'lack' of tube amplifier knowledge with some of his statements.

[leadguy]

Ritchie's number 1 with me. The first solo I heard was Black Night and apparently they were all drunk when they recorded it. I loved the sound he got in that solo. I don't know that much about Ritchie's gear, maybe the Marshall Majors were used mostly for live stuff.

[Tone Slinger]

Also, one can hear a distinct audible difference when Blackmore (72-75 era) used his black alder bodied strat as compared to the clear coat ash strat (Ritchie reffered to this one as his brown strat). The black one had alot more 'mid heft' especially when he was using the bridge pu. The ash one was utterly feeble in the bridge,but had a little more 'cut' when played in the neck position. Blackmore himself in an interview acknoledged this, but described the difference as being that one had strongr pu's or something.

[yngwie308]

I always thought his earlier Strat and setup sounded better, more toneful. The ash bodied one I didn't care for, or a lot of his later sounds.
Those pedals are spot on though.
I have posted about those before..
yngwie308

[leadguy]

This is hilarious and I'll leave the comments to others except to say Thank God Ritchie didn't move like that in Deep Purple.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xedBlDFj ... 0blackmore

This is the Outlaws - "Law & Order" taken from the 1963 UK film Live It Up. The lineup is Ritchie far left on Gibson, Ken Lundgren on steel guitar, Chas Hodges on acoustic and Mick Underwood (who would later play with Ritchie in other 60's lineups and session work , plus be a later member of Episode Six) on drums.

[NY Chief]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tA5cfJB1bM

[yngwie308]

Wicked slide solo there from old Ritchie, still as funky in the Night..
yngwie308

[NY Chief]

Coverdale wanted Beck, Gallagher then Bolin to replace Blackmore....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9UaXix8I0w" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[yngwie308]

This was the period that Ritchie's hairpiece glue started to seep into his brain.. !!
Ritchie gave new meaning to the term difficult..
Interesting about the AC30 stuf though, sure dosen't sound much like a Marshall Major much on the albums..
Ritchie wasn't much on the full out Marshall distorted tone anyway, not that you are likely to get that with a Major, still think those German bootik pedals come close and of course Outlier's 250 mod sounds Blackmoorish as well
yngwie308

[yngwie308]

Searching the net watching guitarists glide and up down the board as I peck at the keyboard(computer) I found some cool Japanese guitarists, this one guy is Ritchie Blackmore I swear!!:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AfRSfSnOis&NR=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Here he is a shred monster in the Yngwie mold:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I47HyhnM ... re=related" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Here is his equipment for all you Japanese speakers:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdnJGZ3R ... re=related" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Everybody has their different take on it, just can't beat the real old Strat sound!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzOBfIuh ... annel_page" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
This is how it goes:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YuQMIeK ... re=related" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFG0aWnm ... re=channel" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I think I need to move to Japan and just play Marshalls and Strats all day...
yngwie308

[Tone-Freak]

Ya know, I got to checking, and found that Ritchie didnt even use Marshall Majors. Seems he, like 'ol EVH, got alot of rumours and inaccracies started. See, Ritchie was the first dude who really started getting into talking about the specifics of guitars and amps and things (I have all the early to late 70's interviews). I think Eddie read them all .

From what I've gathered, Ritchie just used el-34 loaded 100 watt heads. The mod that he mistakenly described, was simply a v1 cascsade master volume. I think I read that in the Groove tube book.

Wow thats interesting

[nikos]

Hello guys, this this my first post here.I'm a Blackmore fan.Does anyone know how did he achieve the catch the rainbow cleans on the record and on stage?What effects did he use?
Many thsnks,
Nikos

[yngwie308]

Just go to Dawk's site and you will be even more confused. I think Ritchie was forced to use the 200's later as he made such a big deal about them. I know Majorwatt is a big proponent of the Majors. Ritchie did use the Ac 30's early on. You can many of his sounds with the appropriate BSM pedal, they are great, so is their Rangemaster for Rory stuff.
http://dawkmods.proboards34.com/index.cgi" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
yngwie308