Sean McFly thoughts

[dirtycooter]

So listening back still to this guy and his Soundcloud.
I know he got the mod 5 rocktah. Made a bunch of clips of it. Its pretty bad ass!
But Sean.... I think I have to eat some crow here on the A2 78 p/u.
For some reason, maybe its the gear, the whole thing you had goin on then vs what you got goin on now... But dude... You had some EVH/Eric Johnson "violin tone" goin on with the old sound you had.
Not a rip on the mod 5 or Rocktah's legacy at all. But Inam hearing some tasty awesome stuff in his tracks he threw down. All of it good. But there are a few that really hit the bone for me.

I just think you worked the tone better for yourself as an individual and shined better without the Rocktah.
How do you feel Sean? I think brown is a state of mind. And I think the state of mind you were in with your older gear was..... Better for you. Where do stand now?
I listen back to both New Strat tracks and Post Con Pick Me Up... And you shine like one bad mofo here!!!! Awesomeness!!
Just my thoughts and observations. All subjective. All with a grain of salt. But... You had so much more of a vocal inflection with the old set-up. I feel your "own brown" thang.

Sometimes I think we all walk right past bad ass tones, discarding them on the "search". This is one of those times.

Now Metro memebers... Jump in and "fuck'em up!"
Lets get this place rollin again for the passion and the love of it all
And Sean? Good on you man, I can hear the Vaj just a drippin out on those old tracks of yours

[chrisom]

I have a 2:15 Instrumental I listen to that is my favorite Sean McFly VH-style jam. On my player it's called "Van Halen Jam'. I don't know if that's his title or just what I named it on the player. It starts out with Alex's hi-hats, then some early VH style rhythm guitar, with DLR scats and yowls from 'Runnin' With the Devil' over it. I don't know if anyone knows which one I'm talking about, but it has GREAT TONE and VH-style PLAYING...

[EJSLPlexi]

this dude nailed the VH I tone! https://youtu.be/j211mJ7aRSw?t=54s
it just does not get closer than that! ended my journey that's for sure!
when he hits that last F power chord i die a little more each time i hear it!

[Sean_McFly]

Okay, this is quite an honor to have an entire topic discussing my tone, first of all, so here comes a long ass gushing post lol And second, I'm so glad to hear you actually go back and relisten to my clips. When I was starting to experiment with my tones and posting clips, I tried to make them as entertaining to listen to as possible (kinda like David Bray's clips, which I could seriously listen to all day).

Honestly at first why I moved away from that early tone was that it needed so much extra upper mids in post production that I felt I was faking it. When I heard that Mark (RIP) and Dave didn't use plugins to tweak their dry signals, I felt like I was doing something wrong (keep in mind I didn't know how to produce back then either, really, lol). Plus, I had a bit of a lust for JCM crunch (which I've now since gotten over). So I started using the Mod5 and barely put plugins on my tracks. Also, my mod 1 had started to lose a lot of gain, and even when I changed all the tubes, it didn't do much. That "VH Jam" even had a slight overdrive on it (a TS9 Anniversary model, I believe) because of that reason. I wanted that boost, but with a full "guitar to amp" tone and nothing in between the signal. The Mod5 offered me that at the time, as well as both added upper mids and gain. And I mean, I was gonna be kicking myself later if I didn't get an authentic Mark Mod 5 before it became virtually impossible to do so (authenticity issues, price hikes a-la-Jose amps, etc.). But what I didn't realize at the time was that I had lost a lot in my tone, too. I lost the vocal quality, the sustain, the controllable feedback, and most important, the girth. It wasn't as even. I wanted more low end and lower mids, and frequencies all over the place that jump out in all the right spots. I missed my Bray, and my old mod 1 wasn't giving me what it used to.

So I put down a good almost $3k (because I freakin believe in that Bray sound more than ever, and believe me, $3k for a 22 year old HURTS lol) in November on a Bray 4550 Deluxe Combo that I will be also using as a 4550 head with my 4x12 and EVH 2x12. So, needless to say, the Bray's BACK. I'm definitely a Bray player and, Dirtycooter, you're absolutely right, Bray plexi's fit my original (meaning non EVH) sound and my playing choice better than anything I've ever played before. I'm finally gonna be able to have my cake and eat it too. It'll have all the gain and presence I need, while keeping and adding onto my old mod 1 tone (and in plus mode, maybe take some good aspects of the Mod5 tone)! I'm just glad that people are getting excited over what I'm doing. Guitar is now my full time career, and my band, Bandita, is going to tour as soon as we gain a tad more momentum (and I'll be using the Bray on my future full length albums and live gigs, too). It makes me feel like people actually get what I'm trying to do, even with simple ass tone clips. This stuff is my whole life, tone included, and I'm fucking stoked to see what is going to come out of this new Bray. There will be clips soon, I assure you.

This whole topic has made my day, just so you know. Let's all keep the tones we love alive!!! You guys are the best

[EJSLPlexi]

Bray's amps are insanely good! you made a great and wise decision
I liked your playing on ANY amp but i agree with what DC said.

[Sean_McFly]

Bray's amps are insanely good! you made a great and wise decision
I liked your playing on ANY amp but i agree with what DC said.

Thanks dude! Honestly two of my favorite EVH tones are from VH II ("Somebody Get Me a Doctor" and "Light Up the Sky") and honestly, Bray's amps sound identical to the VH II tone (I guess because most people play them with no pedals in front of it). So, needless to say, the Bray is even the best amp for me in the sense of what type of "EVH brown sound" I prefer out of an amp! And then the "Plus" mode allows you to get more gain in the most natural sounding way possible (no extra tubes, etc.) without losing any tone, and that in itself makes it a remarkable amp. The 4550 Deluxe combo was such a great idea for Dave to make, as well, because no modders have made a combo that has been designed around an amp head instead of designing the head to sound better for a combo housing (which is what Marshall did for their JCM 800 combos). He's even putting a push pull pot on the bass pot that tailors the bass tightness for the combo setup when pushed in (pulled out is the bass setting for 2x12's and 4x12's).

[efraser68]

Yeah agreed, "Van Halen Jam" is quite awesome. Love it
Great improve leads and the rhythm is ballsy and very VH-esque. Reminds me of the Roland Chayer mashups!

[chrisom]

Reminds me of the Roland Chayer mashups!

That's what I thought too! Good stuff!

[Tone Slinger]

For sure Sean's Bray Marshall kicks ass on his Mod5....I've told him that all along. I have been impressed by Sean from the first time I heard him (youtube vid with a red Kramer and his Bray Marshall before he posted here.That Video has been down awhile). It's SOOO nice to hear a young guy play distorted guitar and NOT play cold, lifeless sweep picked arpeggio's through a generic high gain/scooped sound. I finally gave in and bought a Duncan '78 a couple yrs ago, and it was because of Sean's use of one I did so . Imo its totally the best hb'er I've had, regardless of it's ability to do EVH (Obviously does, listen to Sean or Echoplex1974), this pickup never sounds 'Cheesy Heavy Metal' like most of the higher output pickups do. I wish Sean the best of luck in his future musical endeavors, he certainly is carrying the torch with gusto

[dirtycooter]

Educational indeed! But yeah the VH Jam is knock out too! Fricken clever as hell! And I like how you mentioned it was the "control" over the sound. Like feedback and all those little things one can "work" to their advantage. Very cool This stuff actually counts big to me. Its like a fine balance of the universe here. And you had it glowing! Don't be all bashful and shit You rock pretty damn hard bro Just love the breakdown harmonic tapping, that is sooooo fricken cool on the new strat. From that, to rollin it up to full on fry with the volume on the guitar.... Wicked!
Your are only gonna get more bad ass as time goes on, and thats scary. Keep pumpin it out there for us to hear
You have that reckless and directionless feel Ed seemed to evoke. You just surf on that shit like "ok, I will stop when this bitch folds over and gives up and says she needs callouses for that kinda intensity!" Ridin it like you stole it

That feeling of just testin the limits and goin any which way but loose is "Ed" in a box

People always judge by the original tone. I kinda tire of that. You DO have your own brown sound, and its totally your own. You were whoopin serious ass, and I could feel what you were in the tone, it just poured out. Isn't that the thing we all wish for? A sound that just carries us over the top?

[garbeaj]

I agree that Sean has a lot of the important elements going. Always fun to hear his clips. And I do prefer the Bray sounds. But as the owner of one of a Mod 5 Marshall done by Mark, I have to say (as I've said since I got my hands on my Rockstah Marshall) that the Mod 5 is the best way to get a really nice Van Halen 1 style tone (and other albums when dialed in a little) at super quiet bedroom volumes. I know that the Bray amps and others can have the volume issue dealt with via all sorts of methods, and the overall tone and immediacy of the feel of Bray amps (and others) are really closer to what we are all looking for.

David can even zero in on specific VH album tones...Fair Warning...Women and Children First...what have you. Excellent work by David. We've all heard how incredibly close to the bone Chelsea Noble gets with Bray amps. Amazing.

Excellent clips Sean and I agree with cooter and everyone...excellent work. Bravo for using the vintage tremolo too. You know me and Tone Slinger are all about that!

[white noise]

I agree that Sean has a lot of the important elements going. Always fun to hear his clips. And I do prefer the Bray sounds. But as the owner of one of a Mod 5 Marshall done by Mark, I have to say (as I've said since I got my hands on my Rockstah Marshall) that the Mod 5 is the best way to get a really nice Van Halen 1 style tone (and other albums when dialed in a little) at super quiet bedroom volumes. I know that the Bray amps and others can have the volume issue dealt with via all sorts of methods, and the overall tone and immediacy of the feel of Bray amps (and others) are really closer to what we are all looking for.

David can even zero in on specific VH album tones...Fair Warning...Women and Children First...what have you. Excellent work by David. We've all heard how incredibly close to the bone Chelsea Noble gets with Bray amps. Amazing.

Excellent clips Sean and I agree with cooter and everyone...excellent work. Bravo for using the vintage tremolo too. You know me and Tone Slinger are all about that!

My vote would have to be for the Mod 5 ... Bray builds a nice amp also.
I just prefer the Mod 5 and not just at bedroom volumes either!

[STEINBERGER]

I love Flys stuff.I have not tried a bray, but i feel i do not need to look any further than my mod 5. Sounds great in front loud & soft and recorded.

But the quest for me these days is how to capture the integrity of that sound when playing live and miking up through the mixer/ sound board. Those guys with the P.a always run graphics to their systems to knock off the feedback from the vocalist mic and compensate for room acoustics and any short falls for their stage speakers. Im thinking of bypassing their 31 band graphics by using my rane splitter mixer just for my channels via impulses. Plus holding a shot gun to the live engineers head might also help.
Anyone mastered the sound live via impulses or 2 notes or whatever?

[topsportsmanta1]

agree Sean best of luck !!!!!

as far as mod5 or bray i say mod5 hands down ,dave builds nice amps but mine sounded nothing like his clips, had its own vibe and it was a good vibe, but for vh mod5 all the way !!! and not just at bedroom volume as white noise said

[JimiJames]

I agree that Sean has a lot of the important elements going. Always fun to hear his clips. And I do prefer the Bray sounds. But as the owner of one of a Mod 5 Marshall done by Mark, I have to say (as I've said since I got my hands on my Rockstah Marshall) that the Mod 5 is the best way to get a really nice Van Halen 1 style tone (and other albums when dialed in a little) at super quiet bedroom volumes...

What are you preamp tubes ?' 'cause, Seansy ain't diggin on his... Y'all modder fivers need to know that rockstah targeted ARS and one in persnikitty