RE: distortion, overdrive,fuzz,crunch,special sauce, secret goo

["L.Angulo" <labaloops@yahoo.com>]

I think the last band that excited me as far as overdrive distortion was 
Rage against the machine...the most exciting overdrive i still find are 
from cats that got them through early amps, any early kinks stuff,but also 
the sound of the early fuzzboxes,anything from the nugget compilation like 
psychotic reaction from the count 5,had too much to dream from the 
electric prunes,the strandels dirty water,interstellar overdrive from the 
floyd or summertime blues by blue cheer.Early tones from blues cats like 
howlin wolf,john lee hooker or muddy waters sound heavy as well... or take 
for instance Led zeppelins when the leeve breaks,or kashmir,heavy shit,yet 
is barely distorted,so for me is not the distortion or overdrive but the 
riffs and modes that make it sound heavy.Some early acoustic blues stuff 
like john lee hookers sounds heavier than a lot of heavy metal although is 
only his guitar and foot stomp!!

www.myspace.com/luisangulocom


--- On Fri, 12/19/08, William Walker <billwalker@baymoon.com> wrote:

> From: William Walker <billwalker@baymoon.com>
> Subject: RE: distortion, overdrive,fuzz,crunch,special sauce, secret goo
> To: "'Krispen Hartung'" <info@krispenhartung.com>, 
>Loopers-Delight@loopers-delight.com
> Date: Friday, December 19, 2008, 8:51 AM
> "The massive distortion gets on my nerves after a
> while"
> 
> I agree Krispen, I find that the distortion tone is often
> times the make or
> break point  for me, of whether an artist really  speaks to
> me, or not.
> Using distortion for many guitarists represents their lead
> voice, and in a
> way it's analogues to what a sax player develops,  when
> choosing an
> instrument, thickness of reeds, and embouchure.  Nels Kline
> has a great
> sense of effects application, and at the same time his
> heavy distortion
> sounds  can get pretty abrasive to my ears. Which I'm
> sure is the point. As
> they say one man's pudding is another man's poison.
> Give me a Scott
> Henderson, David Gilmour, Carlos Santana or Jeff  Beck any
> day of the week
> as their tones are always stellar. I think the danger with
> heavy distortion
> is that it can obscure a players personality and rob them
> of  dynamic range,
> not to mention making for a muddy sometimes indistinct
> tone.  I also realize
> that when you are trying to create sonic mayhem, distortion
> and fuzz can be
> your best friends. 
> 
>  I love overdrive as to me its more controllable and
> sweeter sounding, than
> fuzz or distortion, and  my aesthetic leans more towards
> that smoother, soft
> clipping sound.  I have been using some octave fuzz as of
> late,  though  I
> find I have to turn the treble down to get a smooth enough
> sound for my
> ears. For a while my main overdrive has been a Duncan twin
> tube which is
> very versatile, but recently I went looking for something
> in a smaller
> package I could run on batteries if needed. I've always
> been a fan of Dumble
> amps,  and the smooth creamy sound they are famous for. I
> also know that the
> Dumble design is based on black face era fender amps with a
> twist.  Dumble
> amps have a first gain stage that is essentially a solid
> state fet preamp, (
> in other words, he had the bright idea to install what
> amounts to a tube
> screamer like overdrive inside his amps.)  This circuitry
> is what gives
> dumble amps their creamy smooth overdrive sound. Recently a
> pedal called a
> Zen Drive crossed my radar, and on the recommendation of a
> work mate who
> owns one, I ordered one direct from Hermida Audio in
> Florida. All the buzz
> about these pedals is that they are as close to a Dumble
> overdrive   as you
> can find without spending $20, 0000 and up for a used
> Dumble amp. The
> designer even has a big glob of black silicone glue
> covering up the circuit
> to hide the mojo,   much like Dumble did with his amps.
> I'm happy to say
> that this is a fantastic pedal,  with great range and
> dynamics, somewhat
> like a vintage tube screamer without the annoying mid range
> hump, and a
> wider range of overdrive tones. Originally I had planned to
> buy one used on
> E-bay because traditionally, demand has outstripped
> production of these
> pedals and there was usually a waiting list of several
> months. The problem
> was that all of the e-bay sellers were jacking up the price
> $50-100 dollars
> to try and take advantage of this situation. I simply
> e-mailed the builder
> and he told me they were available and ready to ship. It
> cost me $188
> delivered to my door. If I could have found  it locally I
> would have bought
> it, but as far as I know Hermida audio has no dealer
> network. I can't say
> enough good things about this pedal, it sounds unreal, and
> it even looks
> cool to.  The rumor is Alfonso Hermida designed this box
> for Robben Ford so
> that he could get his sound, when having to use rented
> Fender amps and
> didn't have the luxury of bringing his prized dumble.
> Whether or not this is
> true, I think he really nailed the sound, and I am loving
> this pedal big
> time. This pedal rocks, and considering what a re-issue
> TS-808 costs, it's a
> bargain.
> 
> Bill
> 
>  
> 
>   _____  
> 
> From: Krispen Hartung [mailto:info@krispenhartung.com] 
> Sent: Thursday, December 18, 2008 4:37 PM
> To: Loopers-Delight@loopers-delight.com
> Subject: Re: One Guitarist, One Drummer was: Altered
> Tunings
> 
>  
> 
> Heh heh...yes. Sorry. John Morris is someone I work with.
> That was a habit
> based typo. :)  I meant Joe.  Damn, good catch!  No one
> else got that?
> 
>  
> 
> Kris
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> 
> 
>  
> 
> 
>  
> 
> Not that I know every guitarist out there, but do you mean
> Joe Morris
> instead of John Morris, Kris?
> 
>  
> 
> Joe Morris certainly kicks ass - double threat as guitarist
> and bassist.
> 
> 
>  
> 
> It is very good, but doesn't do what Interstellar Space
> does for me.  And
> clearly (with no disrespect to Nels, but more of a comment
> about the sheer
> genius of Coltane), Nels' articulation on the guitar
> does not match
> Coltrane's articulation and mastery of the sax.  Again,
> I don't think
> anyone would deny that without underestimating Coltrane.
> 
> I don't know much about Nels Cline, and have not
> listened to all of his
> material. All of it is very good from what I have heard. I
> like the tracks
> on
> the CD where he is playing clean, more than those where he
> has the shreader
> guitar tone.  The massive distortion gets on my nerves
> after a while.
> 
> I would like to hear John Morris (guitar) and Billy Kilson
> (drum) doing
> their
> take of Interstellar Space.  I saw Billy Kilson with Dave
> Holland a few
> years
> ago, and was blown away. I have never seen a jazz drummer
> play with such
> energy
> and speed.  And of course, Morris that raw jazz tone that
> do well with a
> homage
> to Interstellar Space.
> 
> Kris
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> > I think it fully earns the title. I find it pretty
> incredible. I'd be
> curious to hear your reaction.
> > 
> > Gorgeous version of "Lonnie's Lament" on
> it, too, after all
> the chaos.
> > 
> > Daryl Shawn
> > www.swanwelder.com
> > www.chinapaintingmusic.com
> > 
> >> I was not aware of this CD with Nels. I will have
> to check it out. The
> question is, does it earn the title of Interstellar Space
> Revisited? That
> album
> of Coltrane's is insurpassable, allowing only remote
> approximations to its
> level.
> >> 
> >> Kris
> >> 
> >> 
> >>> Nels Cline and Gregg Bendian's
> "Interstellar Space
> Revisited" is a superb reworking of Coltrane and
> Ali's masterpiece.
> > 
> >