Michael Schenker

[Tone Slinger]

I agree. This forum has really helped me with understanding those great tones of the past. And as you mentioned, all the different specs of the great Marshall's of yesteryear. On this forum, all the particular's, concerning why some Marshall's from the same year can sound different have been discussed, like different value coupling caps in certain area's or different batches/brands of resistors and caps being used half way through a production run. It's great to be here on a forum full of knowledgable and passionate people.

[Capt Vemo]

Hi new member on the forum Ive been a Schenker fan since way back in the early UFO days. This is a guy that knows all about tone. I love that he basicly just plugged into his Marshalls with a Gibson V and a crybaby. This is exactly what I do my V straight into for now my Marshall AVT 50 combo amp. But hoping to find a metro wired to the 69 Marshall specs at some point. In my opinion nobody plays with as much feeling as Michael Schenker did. I like his new stuff too but the UFO and early MSG damn that stuff is great.

[Tone Slinger]

Welcome aboard ! I have to agree with you. Michael Schenker was the ORIGINAL Slash. He achieved all that tone in his UFO day's. The 'Obsession' album still rules for lead guitar tone in my mind. If you want to hear a guy TRYING to get the sound on 'OBsession', listen to John Norms lead tones on the Europe album 'Wings Of Tomorrow'.

The studio solo on 'This Kids/Between the Walls' off of 'Force It' still Kills me everytime I hear it.

[Capt Vemo]

Yeah as far as Im concerned he was the best and had the best tone of anyone. Alot of guys are trying to find that Eddie Van Halen sound. I love Michaels tone way more than Eddies and I liked his playing better to. He played with so much feeling did matter if he played fast or slow it was great. Hes probably the most underated guitarist out there too I forgot how many UFO songs my bands used to do in the old days. Its refreshing to listen to him again I just noticed some of the Gary Moore stuff sounds alot like his older stuff too. I started playing bass for years and still played a V bass. I just recently sold my base and bought another Gibson flying V and am relearning all that old stuff from him in UFO and the early MSG albums.

[Tone Slinger]

I tell ya, Michael was/is DEEP ! Even at 15 yrs old on the Scorpions 'Lonesome Crow' album, he played the most psychotic 'stoned' type vibe I've ever heard, using those eastern european type modes.

I have been into alot of Jazz/fusion type stuff over the yrs (though I'll ALWAYS be a ROCKER), and Al DiMeola play's with that very alternate picking style and gets into alot of runs/scales on those '76-'78 era albums of his. Many 'SNOBS' love this stuff, but I got to say that Michael's solo on 'Stranger's In The Night' 'Rock Bottom' demonstrates that he could definately hold his own (with DeMeola) .That solo has the best blend of technique and 'feel' as I've ever heard. His melody's are second to none. That solo had/has a musical maturity that most Rockers never attain. He was only 23 when he played it.

[Capt Vemo]

I agree Strangers in the night is one of my favorite live albums. Allthough Im still parcial to KISS alive but Schenkers playing on SITN especially Rock Bottom is amazing. I recently picked up Dave Celentanos DVD on Schenker and Michael plays the live version of rock bottom on that just him with a backing track. Fantastic stuff its also cool to see Michael doing the songs on there with just backing tracks. I wish I was in Cali when he advertised guitar lessons in the paper years ago.

[Tone Slinger]

I just saw some photo's of Michael from a few months back. He was holding up his MARSHALL '11' award (which goes to a rocker who has lived hard/fast). Slash, Ron Wood and lots others were in attendance.

Schenker looked VERY thin. I mean I noticed he had put a little weight on in the '90's - millenium, but not much. He is thin as hell now. Maybe he is just on some sort of Vegan health kick. I worry about Michael sometimes. Great abilities are NEVER left without shortcomings.

Schenker (along with Roth) are the two guy's I've got left to see/meet live. I've seen all my other 'hero's.

[Capt Vemo]

Yeah hes clean and sober and on a health kick and Im glad that hes finally doing better. He has got quite thin but he was real thin back in the day. I still like his new stuff alot but have always liked the UFO stuff the most.

[rd2play]

I have to agree with you. Michael Schenker was the ORIGINAL Slash.

Slash is a poor man's version of Michael And I like Slash a lot... I saw MS last summer and he was amazing. Looking great and his playing was jaw dropping. Thanks to him I realized the Flying Vs are actually fun to play, contrary to my earlier misconceptions.

[Tone Slinger]

Yeah, Slash is NO Michael Schenker, that is for sure.

I guess I meant the Marshall/Gibson type sound. Also Slash (especially the 'Sweet Chid 'o' Mine' solo's) had a VERY melodic feel along with the fast 'bending' type pentatonic licks, that were VERY Michael Schenker-esque.

I also couldnt get a good feel/balance with a V back in the '80's. Now, it's weird. I am a strat man, but A V is my favorite Gibson type (To me they play better than a Les Paul).

Michael Schenker is amazing. Still being very creative.

[Ian1eh]

I was working in Tokyo in 1999, and I was staying at a great hotel for the first 2 months. One day, I got back to the hotel frm the office, and was waiting for the elevator. When it opened, there was Michael Schenker!

I was shocked, and didn't believe it at first! He was in town for some publicity stuff, and he was with his then-wife (forget her name, but she was the asian girl who fucked him over).

I asked him a few questions, and he was really gracious. We ended up having a drink in the hotel bar, and I picked his brain for a few minutes.....I'm sure he thought I was a total geek, but he was cool about it.

for me, the Obsession album has always been a benchmark for great tones.

Cheers

[Tone Slinger]

Cool Ian ! Michael (along with Uli Roth and maybe EVH) are the ONLY people in this world that I would truly like to meet, especially Michael.

I agree that 'Obsession' is great. I think it probably has his best TONE.

'Lights Out' is also a fav, though he used a pignose on it !


I think that when you roll up all the things that 'move me' in a guitar style, Michael has the best combination.

He has the thematic/melodic approach of a Blackmore, BUT, he has a better tone and vibrato, with a bit more 'flow' (my opinion).

He has blues feel and dynamic,

He has great timing,

His vibrato and energy transfer is amazing. Very 'intonated' bends and vibrato.

He has some of my favorite riffs.

Meat and potatoes along with refinement.

[Bunnest]

still to this day, I use the opening to Natural Thing to see if my Marshalls are cookin'! Didn't THAT sound define the 80's? just ask the guys that were actually there doin' it. MSG 1 is just an amazing conglomeration of songs, tone and, well, tone! Not to mention some amazing chops...

[Tone Slinger]

Yeah, when I think of old UFO era Schenker , I am thinking of those El-34's just being pushed real hard,, and that super TONE !

' Lost Horizons' is amazing ! He just builds that solo up to huge proportions, and Cozy's drumming just kept on pushing him.

[guitar007]

So when you guys say he used a pignose...you're talking about that little transistor amp?