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November 2001 Issue - Guitars, Amps and Effects Used On The New Recordings

By Larry Meiners

Whenever I meet a recording artist, I invariably ask what gear they use in the studio. I always want to match the sound I hear on the records with the type of guitar, amps and effects they used. Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick told me he has used tweed Fender Deluxe and Orange amps on some of his recordings along with original Gibson Explorers, Bursts and conversion Les Paul models. Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top has also used tweed Deluxe amps, as well as many others, and mostly Pearly Gates (his original flametop Les Paul). Although, Billy has performed some mighty awesome slide and lead guitar on a few vintage Strats and Teles along the way as well.

So, if you are curious about the gear I used on my recordings (you can listen to them by clicking on the "Click Here to Listen" button on the Home Page of the FLYINGVINTAGE.COM website), the list is shown below. You may want to listen first and guess what kind of equipment was used and check the list below for the answers. All of the songs were recorded at Pyramid Sound Studios in Ithaca, NY.

Pray For Rain

Rhythm Track 1 - Gibson Lonnie Mack Flying V, Mesa Boogie ½ stack

Rhythm Track 2 - Parts Strat (late 1950s-1980s combination), maple neck, refinished, with Lindy Fralin single coil pickups, Gibson GA-79 Stereo amp (1962)

Lead Track - Parts Strat (late 1950s-1980s combination), maple neck, refinished, with Lindy Fralin single coil pickups, Gibson GA-79 Stereo amp (1962), Dunlap Crybaby Wha Wha pedal, Expandora overdrive pedal

Hey Girl

Rhythm Track 1 - Gibson Lonnie Mack Flying V, Mesa Boogie ½ stack

Rhythm Track 2 - Tokai Les Paul replica with original Gibson PAF pickups, Gibson GA-79 Stereo amp (1962)

Don't Tell Me

Rhythm Track 1 - Gibson Lonnie Mack Flying V, Mesa Boogie ½ stack

Rhythm Track 2 - Tokai Les Paul replica with original Gibson PAF pickups, Gibson GA-79 Stereo amp (1962)

Lead Track - Parts Strat (late 1950s-1980s combination), maple neck, refinished, with Lindy Fralin single coil pickups, Gibson GA-79 Stereo amp (1962), Univox Superfuzz overdrive pedal

This rock music CD I am in the process of recording should be released early next year (2002). We recorded many songs over the last two years and hopefully captured the best ones for the record. Being a gear-nut, I like to try many different guitars, amps and effects in the studio. Here is a partial list of the other gear I used on the rest of the recordings:

Guitars

  • Gibson Historic 1959 Flying V (2001)
  • Slab-board parts Strat (1960s-1980s combination) with Seymour Duncan pickups
  • Martin 000 acoustic (1990s)
  • Martin D-18 (1990s)

Mandolin

  • Ibanez F-5 replica (1977)

Amps

  • Fender Deluxe Reverb (blackface, 1964)
  • Fender Bassman head and bottom (blackface, 1966)
  • Marshall ½ stack, JMP 50-watt head (modified by Voodoo Amps) and slant 4-12 bottom (mid-1970s)
  • Oahu (new) combo amp and separate head

Effects Pedals

  • Maestro Rhythm N' Sound machine (1970s)
  • Electro Harmonix Small Clone (new)
  • Electro Harmonix Micro Synth (new)
  • Mutron Phase II (1970s)
  • Ibanez Analog Delay AD-80 (1970s)
  • Ibanez Tube Screamer TS-808 (1970s)

    • Copyright © 2001 Larry Meiners All Rights Reserved