Ed's Main Marshall - ADKOT

The man, the band, and everything else

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garbeaj
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Re: Ed's Main Marshall - ADKOT

Post by garbeaj » Sat Feb 25, 2017 5:47 pm

Off topic somewhat,...but to the point about modern recording not being able to capture a great guitar sound...

Here is great guitar tone and great playing...and a great band that is happening right now.

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Re: Ed's Main Marshall - ADKOT

Post by Star*Guitar » Sun Feb 26, 2017 1:17 pm

Not bad.. Refreshing to hear.
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Re: Ed's Main Marshall - ADKOT

Post by mr.twistyneck » Wed Mar 01, 2017 5:30 pm

engage armchair quarterback mode
VelvetGeorge wrote:<snip>My personal opinion: it's 2017, there's no technical reason why we can't capture great old plexi tone. If Ed wanted that VH1 tone, he could have it. I think he has moved on and simply prefers his signature amps. george
From a completely uneducated perspective, it seems like EVH through trial and error came up with a ton of stuff that a lot of people considered innovative. hack up guitars. paint them funny ways. drill holes in them, mess with wiring and pickups. run amps the "wrong" way. The EVH of the '80's, who paired off with Kramer is much different than the EVH of today who holds a lot of patents and brands everything he can get his hands on - guitars, effects, amps, clothing, accessories, etc. No matter how bad anyone wants his VH1 or VH2 rig, or the shark guitar, or other "Ed-ish" early gear, the simple truth is, he either can't sell it with his name on it, or even if he could partner with a manufacturer, there might not be a way to market the product.

Take Ibanez for example. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to buy a reissue Destroyer? That's not going to happen because of Gibson. And if you change the design enough to avoid a cease and desist, then it's not like an original, right? So, let's hack it to death, paint it and install turnbuckles. Well, then we have a 25K guitar, and there won't be many of those sold. If Ed had played an RG550, it would have been a wet dream for Ibanez, but since that didn't happen, they went with Paul Gilbert, Frank Gambale etc for whom they could design artist models that didn't step on other manufacturers' toes, and ultimately were more marketable to the masses.

How many Marshalls or copies thereof have been purchased because of Ed? Marshall is quite aware of this. But the Ed "superlead on a variac" rig isn't... appealing to the masses like a signature head would be. okay, to run this Ed signature marshall, you have to have this extra piece of equipment. And if Marshall integrated the variac into the head... well, you'd need a crane to lift it, and could you make it attractive enough to sell enough for good ROI? Not to mention that Marshall probably doesn't want their equipment run outside of suggested voltage, and warranty claims might spike. All theory of course, but tone-obsessed Ed trying to form a relationship with Marshall doesn't seem plausible.

So what do you do? You just use the contacts you've made in the industry during your career, and you start making your own branded stuff. People are going to buy the crap out of it, simply because your name is on it. Like any manufacturer, some stuff is probably better than others, and there's always a fail rate. but who cares if you're pocketing the margin you would have lost if you weren't essentially the manufacturer? or you were the topmost dog on the food chain below the overseas factory that produces the gear (like Epiphone for example)?

I think it's cool that he got it together and started making his own stuff - there's lots of people clamoring for it. Never tried any of it, but someday I expect i'll run across it. :-)

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Re: Ed's Main Marshall - ADKOT

Post by jape88 » Thu Mar 02, 2017 8:03 am

mr.twistyneck wrote:engage armchair quarterback mode

How many Marshalls or copies thereof have been purchased because of Ed? Marshall is quite aware of this. But the Ed "superlead on a variac" rig isn't... appealing to the masses like a signature head would be. okay, to run this Ed signature marshall, you have to have this extra piece of equipment. And if Marshall integrated the variac into the head... well, you'd need a crane to lift it, and could you make it attractive enough to sell enough for good ROI? Not to mention that Marshall probably doesn't want their equipment run outside of suggested voltage, and warranty claims might spike. All theory of course, but tone-obsessed Ed trying to form a relationship with Marshall doesn't seem plausible.
The Blankenship variplex 50 addressed the variac sometime back but didn't really take off :what: , maybe lack of evh association in it's look and marketing? I've never tried one just listened to youtube demos, but most of those aren't with an evh twist... imo Dave F should take this further, he seems to of struck gold with his range! maybe an aged (or even replica) headbox, no logo (no fuss from Marshall then) and an ohmite style variac case :whistle:

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Re: Ed's Main Marshall - ADKOT

Post by echoplexi1974 » Thu Mar 02, 2017 8:52 am

jape88 wrote:
mr.twistyneck wrote:engage armchair quarterback mode

How many Marshalls or copies thereof have been purchased because of Ed? Marshall is quite aware of this. But the Ed "superlead on a variac" rig isn't... appealing to the masses like a signature head would be. okay, to run this Ed signature marshall, you have to have this extra piece of equipment. And if Marshall integrated the variac into the head... well, you'd need a crane to lift it, and could you make it attractive enough to sell enough for good ROI? Not to mention that Marshall probably doesn't want their equipment run outside of suggested voltage, and warranty claims might spike. All theory of course, but tone-obsessed Ed trying to form a relationship with Marshall doesn't seem plausible.
The Blankenship variplex 50 addressed the variac sometime back but didn't really take off :what: , maybe lack of evh association in it's look and marketing? I've never tried one just listened to youtube demos, but most of those aren't with an evh twist... imo Dave F should take this further, he seems to of struck gold with his range! maybe an aged (or even replica) headbox, no logo (no fuss from Marshall then) and an ohmite style variac case :whistle:
That would be awesome! Design the variac to only go up to 120VAC and down. That way no one is blowing up their amps!

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Re: Ed's Main Marshall - ADKOT

Post by mr.twistyneck » Thu Mar 02, 2017 4:46 pm

Mojave has the Dirty Boy with a built in variac. HA

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Re: Ed's Main Marshall - ADKOT

Post by Berlin » Mon Mar 13, 2017 5:17 pm

Off topic a hair- but in line with talking about the Variac + Amp combo - ala the Blankenship VariPlex... Motrock, I believe, was one of the first to bring that amp to folks attention here- granted, eons ago now 2010-earlier... He had one that was modded up a bit by Dave Friedman and his clips were outta sight! There were a few others that had em as well around the same time. But Motrocks was pretty special as I recall !
I still look for them to surface on any of the instrument pedaling sites... There's one on reverb right now I believe but without the Variac.
Any way- if these were ever re-released I'd love to try one- I remember when Motrock posted his clips Mark A. Saying- that was how he heard Van Halen 1/2, that the VariPlex had thee sound!-
I concur*
Well... one of MANY options to THEE sound anyway*
:wink:

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Re: Ed's Main Marshall - ADKOT

Post by plexified » Tue Mar 21, 2017 11:08 pm

I feel the outcry man , if we were to pause for a moment and realize that the tools used to record these days are containing weak links in the chain. And I am sorry to say that its digital. Not because digital is bad, but because you have to be very keen on what you are doing to get it to sound right. You also have to be resigned that it will not sound as good as pressed vinyl on a tube amp.

So whats going wrong? FIrst thing to understand is that digital has a domain that it operates in aside from being converted into ones and zeros. Its mathematical. If you want to play in that realm you need to be aware of the perfect need of digital to play in the sand box. You talking terms like 64 bit or whatever it works well with whole tones and 440 hertz traditional A tuning. In that matrix. Good quality digital has good quality converters Digital to analog and analog to digital.

Ok , that's the very very simplified version.

The next thing to realize is these transport systems like files or mp3 or whatever are very limited. Think of drawing a curve with an etch a sketch. BUT, your a robot!

Now , take a great live sound, it has different sweet spots as you move in the room and you can find a good spot for every band member. That goes to tape without an interpreter. No person translating high German to Scottish Glaskow English. Or Human to Robot and back to Human.

When you use analog you get what you expect and you may have to eq, Templeman and Landee would use mics to Eq or additional tracks. Like steal the cymbal crash mic to pull a tone for a guitar eq.

Those are the obvious , but what has happened is that engineers are now lazy. They have gotten so use to easy tools to tweak and mask and save time and money and they SKATE. Why paint with oil when you can just float a few photo copies.

Real TONE is an artistic persuite void of monitary concern. It takes what it takes.

When your a young unknown kid eating ramen noodles , starving and just wanting to be heard around the world because you think you have the best tone and are the best living guitar player and want a chance to prove it, we could agree , its probably not in your best interest to try to get it to the matrix and convert it into a mp3 and float it on you tube. You could mic your plexi with a quality analog mic into a quality analog board into a tape. Be it a Tascam 388 or an old style large open tape reel.

When you do this you go all the way, You use a quality tube amplifier for playback like a Dyna St-70 and you now hear your live tone.

Digital can be done , but you have to know how to cheat. Cheating as we all know takes as much or more energy than just doing it right.

Analog gear is cheap now , its an exchange. You exchange time for convenience. If you want a convenient tone just sample it and roll with it . Digital is usually squashed and void of musicality and dynamics. Analog is gigantic and lush with extended sensory awareness that breathes reality.

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Re: Ed's Main Marshall - ADKOT

Post by Berlin » Wed Mar 22, 2017 11:50 am

Well said ^^
:toast:

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Re: Ed's Main Marshall - ADKOT

Post by fivecoyote » Wed Mar 22, 2017 9:57 pm

THANK YOU pfied! Makes perfect sense, and you have put words to something that has always bothered my ears...since digital came along.

Also this line is $$$: "Think of drawing a curve with an etch a sketch. BUT, your a robot!"
At it awhile, still learnin'

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Re: Ed's Main Marshall - ADKOT

Post by Rich_D » Thu Mar 30, 2017 5:25 pm

JimiJames wrote:Probably the (recording) industry has changed. The formats and mediums that record them are changing; along with the gear & equipment that captures it live ? Then there are other issues of duties performed, and by whom; and who gets paid and how much. The process and other details of course.
So... a new or modern model of the industry has taken over and are in the process of figuring "it" all out; with all this 2017 technology. That's because I believe that "loud" means something else now. a marketing loud
I looked and couldn't find the quote to link, but I recall an Ed interview in the lead up to the release of ADKOT where he said something like (paraphrased) the recording industry is so different now, it's hard for me to adjust to it. I really wanted to hear what he meant with some follow up. In the context it seemed like he was talking about technical stuff, the actual process of recording. Sorry, probably useless info without quotes.

That quick lead-in to Bullethead makes me cringe every time. Sounds like a kazoo. I also love the sound on Big River and Beats Workin'. Guitar on Beat's Workin' has a great whomp to the low end in the verses and Alex's snare sounds live. Only thing I never like is a wah. I'm in the no wah camp.

I'd take any tone to get another record at this point. I couldn't love ADKOT more.
Interpretation?! I thought I was playing it right!

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Re: Ed's Main Marshall - ADKOT

Post by rdodson » Thu Apr 13, 2017 2:12 pm

I think it is simple:

1. Too much gain, therefore zero dynamics and the transient snap to the notes that helped give the zing to Ed's technique is not there. Plus, the rich harmonics and bounce of VH1 and FW aren't there.

2. The production is "bricked", which only makes the problems in #1 worse.
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Re: Ed's Main Marshall - ADKOT

Post by T.L. » Mon Jul 17, 2017 10:30 pm

rdodson wrote:I think it is simple:

1. Too much gain, therefore zero dynamics and the transient snap to the notes that helped give the zing to Ed's technique is not there. Plus, the rich harmonics and bounce of VH1 and FW aren't there.

2. The production is "bricked", which only makes the problems in #1 worse.
This right here nails it...

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Re: Ed's Main Marshall - ADKOT

Post by FL6 » Tue Jul 18, 2017 7:37 am

T.L. wrote:
rdodson wrote:I think it is simple:

1. Too much gain, therefore zero dynamics and the transient snap to the notes that helped give the zing to Ed's technique is not there. Plus, the rich harmonics and bounce of VH1 and FW aren't there.

2. The production is "bricked", which only makes the problems in #1 worse.
This right here nails it...
Yes and it's too bad because the playing is stellar. Perhaps he's overbusy but man it's jam packed.

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