You Vote: BOG EL34 vs. 6550

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Thu Jun 12, 2008 7:07 am

Hendrix' vibrato is actually pretty damn wide too. Especially tuned down a step. Maybe moreso then Zakk but its the way he does it that makes it sound less- metal.

Mynameisfritz · Post by **Mynameisfritz** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 12:26 am

Martin, Uli's tones have alway's intrigued me, but I think I know pretty much what he was using now.

Thanks for sharing. I didn't knew that.

I feel ambivalent about using a fuzz too - always thought that I haven't found the right one yet and the KR BOG fuzz would be the way to go...
It's a lot easier to find a good octavia in my opinion - my Proctavia (VoodooLab) f.e. really delivers. Just perfect.

Roe · Post by **Roe** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 12:30 pm

basile865 wrote:.. .

To me lately it seems he made playability pretty easy and used his amps for the mammoth tone he was getting. Ive heard alot of accounts of him using 9's, and Ive also heard that 68 necks were actually quite thin, smaller than a medium C. Even the univibes article on his black strat said the neck was quite thin.

Its funny because this goes against the SRV tone approach of a thick neck, huge strings, huge frets, and hot pickups. Jimi was on the opposite side of the fence using tiny strings, skinny necks, and weak output pickups. Yet, Jimi gets these massive sounds, obviously the hands have a part but I think his sound was heavily reliant on the amp.

I think its a legend that SRV used hot pups. it sounds low output vintage pups to me.

basile865 · Post by **basile865** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 4:22 pm

i duno, texas specials are pretty hot and also get in the stevie ray territory pretty easily

demonufo · Post by **demonufo** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 4:34 pm

basile865 Posted: Fri Jun 13, 2008 3:22 pm Post subject:

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i duno, texas specials are pretty hot and also get in the stevie ray territory pretty easily

Until you play them with 13's and then dig in hard. Then they sound waaaay OTT.

basile865 · Post by **basile865** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 12:11 am

Oh well, SRV's tone is pretty easy to get close. I used to be an SRV nut until it came out in all my playing, enough for people who didnt know me could hear me play and be like oh so I can tell you like SRV. haha - and Ive spent years since trying to get away from his licks. Being a strat player and listening to SRV is dangerous for me now - cant do it. Too many SRV wannabes out there - even John Mayer. John Mayer doing hendrix songs even sounds like Stevie Ray doing hendrix songs. Its so strange how a great player like SRV is pretty much bad news for me now. Thats almost why I got back to Hendrix, my first hero. Nobody has really ever sounded like him to me. So many people can do the SRV texas blues thing but its like Hendrix you cant really sound close to. Unless theres an obvious cover with univibes and fuzz and wah and crap. Ive been trying to break down his style and playing more so lately to incorporate into my playing.

Roe · Post by **Roe** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 12:09 pm

basile865 wrote:i duno, texas specials are pretty hot and also get in the stevie ray territory pretty easily

texas specials are hot - to hot for SRV

questions · Post by **questions** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 1:11 pm

I've been listening to the song a couple times over, and I guess here is my 2 cents...I have always been under the impression that Jimi was running his fuzz on for a majority of the time during the show. With my fuzzface, when I have the volume turned down to a certain extent, I get a little of that clean "spank" that some might be contributing to him supposedly using 6550 tubes. I just gave this a run on my amp with the fuzz volume dimed but the fuzz around 11-12 o'clock and the strat volume turned down a tad and it seemed about right. So I guess I'm suggesting he was using EL34s

Oh by the way, some concert footage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6znd7ud6Cw8

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 5:09 pm

Thats why I go by Who Knows. You can clearly hear him turn off the fuzz in the very beginning a about 15 seconds in just before the drums kick in. It starts out with that treble spank from a backed off fuzz, then all the sudden he drops out for a second- clearly he turned off the fuzz with the guitar volume too low for just the amp- then you hear him turn the volume up and its much fatter and he leaves it off for most or all of that song. It happens in the space of a second but from that point on thats the tone I go by knowing that its just the amp. And that is a killer tone. Notice I tend to use Who Knows clips and I specifically dont want to do a PoS clip because it starts out with a backed off fuzz.

There are precious few spots on those recordings where you know for absolute sure he doesnt have the fuzz on and Ive jumped all over them to compare and contrast. Doesnt mean Im right but it does mean your point is something I have actually given a lot of thought and experimentation already. Who Knows is the song I have the hardest time copping with EL34s- the low end is huge and doesnt break up at all- its tight. You wont get that with a backed off fuzz either. I mean I own(ed) plenty of fuzzes. I dont mind the counter-speculation I just dont want anyone to think I couldve possibly overlooked something that obvious.

basile865 · Post by **basile865** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 10:24 pm

yea thats the moment in time where the magic comes out. Who knows pretty much sums up the ultimate strat tone Ive ever heard. I think my problem is that i dont have 2 4x12s with bass speakers cranked up loud. Thats a bigger aspect then the tubes probably. has anyone tried building their own 4x12 cabs or is it really worth buying some crappy marshall ones and gutting them?

Tone Slinger · Post by **Tone Slinger** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 10:26 pm

I tell ya, 7 1/4 radius fretboard for Hendrix. If you aint using that, then your missing alot of "What he felt". The friction and tension of bent notes is there with that radius, as well as the strings having a little 'fight' with the whole tuned down a whole step thing.

I agree with Rob about most people sounding like Vaughn, when they are really shooting for a more 'ASTRAL' Hendrix type vibe. John Mayer sucks Lemons, and his playing sounds just as fuckin sour. His ass is handed to him WHENEVER he plays with anyone else. Such a contrived, "I can see where its from and where its going" sorta style. He CAN write a song though.

Hendrix never limited himself. It's easy to assume he was a 'Blues' type guitarist. Fact is, he was farther 'out there' than just about anyone. He actually tried to make his guitar sound like it was fucking ! Like in that long" Voodoo chile" on LadyLand.

Thats why I like the guy's (Blackmore, Uli Roth, EVH) who were, maybe a bit more into OTHER areas of Hendrix, other than that damn BLUES aspect.

basile865 · Post by **basile865** » Sat Jun 14, 2008 11:51 pm

agreed. I mean Hendrix obviously had blues roots - theres clear connections with early buddy guy, albert king, and a few others. No doubt about that setting up the road for him to travel. Hendrix had this other side to him though that was fearlessly experimental. He clearly didnt think in boxes he just focused extremely on expression and mastered it completely in my opinion. I think thats what set him apart. I mean I love the blues all day long and will forever but I guess what made Hendrix take that one step further is his absolute fearlessness. Now, youve got to realize you have to sound like shit for a while to be that fearless, and he did way back in the day. Im talking pre-recordings, theres accounts of people firing him for just being out of control and sounding like garbage. The passion was there but the control comes with time. He always seemed to keep his expression fresh though even when he learned his "boundries" i guess u could say.

I love Derek Trucks but its like he prides himself on using "no effects" but really I think sometimes to evoke emotions they have their place when used sparingly. Not kids that go into GC and tap on every Boss pedal.

basile865 · Post by **basile865** » Sun Jun 15, 2008 3:00 am

a little listening material to help : the goods start around 2:18

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcgTnFp3nTE

frenchie · Post by **frenchie** » Sun Jun 15, 2008 3:12 am

basile865 wrote:agreed. I mean Hendrix obviously had blues roots - theres clear connections with early buddy guy, albert king, and a few others. No doubt about that setting up the road for him to travel. Hendrix had this other side to him though that was fearlessly experimental. He clearly didnt think in boxes he just focused extremely on expression and mastered it completely in my opinion. I think thats what set him apart. I mean I love the blues all day long and will forever but I guess what made Hendrix take that one step further is his absolute fearlessness. Now, youve got to realize you have to sound like shit for a while to be that fearless, and he did way back in the day. Im talking pre-recordings, theres accounts of people firing him for just being out of control and sounding like garbage. The passion was there but the control comes with time. He always seemed to keep his expression fresh though even when he learned his "boundries" i guess u could say.

I love Derek Trucks but its like he prides himself on using "no effects" but really I think sometimes to evoke emotions they have their place when used sparingly. Not kids that go into GC and tap on every Boss pedal.

something that i never heard someone say anyewhere...but anyway this is totally thrue.....fearlessness is like a wall to pass through to play very well , and weirdly the only way to pass trough it is to assume playing like a passionate horseshit for an extended period , knowing at the same time that you don't play well (some guys don't know they are playing like shit when they do this , and those are the ones that will NEVER play one day well even with a divine intervention!) ...... even if you know how to play well , i think it is very important not to fear making mistakes while experimenting , regardless of what people can think, it really is a very important step to pass through......i knew of lot of shy playing guys , they can play just right but they will never be able to reach the intensity of the emotion needed to make the audience feel it like jimi or others did ...

+1 basile .....that's exactly how i feel about jimi's playing

Mynameisfritz · Post by **Mynameisfritz** » Sun Jun 15, 2008 8:03 am

There are precious few spots on those recordings where you know for absolute sure he doesnt have the fuzz on and Ive jumped all over them to compare and contrast. Doesnt mean Im right but it does mean your point is something I have actually given a lot of thought and experimentation already. Who Knows is the song I have the hardest time copping with EL34s- the low end is huge and doesnt break up at all- its tight. You wont get that with a backed off fuzz either. I mean I own(ed) plenty of fuzzes. I dont mind the counter-speculation I just dont want anyone to think I couldve possibly overlooked something that obvious.

I tell you, I'd really like to get into a discussion about how Hendrix used his guitar volume knob and how he switched his effects in some of the BOG tunes. All the material is available, so let's throw together some serious observation and knowledge and see what comes out.

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You Vote: BOG EL34 vs. 6550

Do you feel the Band of Gypsies tone is El34s or 6550s?