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Post subject: Where to begin for some Beatles?
Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2012 12:15 pm
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Hello Mustang users,
I am rather new to the Mustang 3. I would like to create some lead and rhythm patches that would be similar to the guitars heard on The White Album (Birthday, Gently Weeps, Helter Skelter, USSR, etc.

I am seeking advice from more experienced Mustang users about where would be a good place to start regarding amp type, cabs and effects. I will tweak as needed, but I need a good place to start.

Any Beatles players out there?
~~Thanks....


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Post subject: Re: Where to begin for some Beatles?
Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2012 3:30 pm
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Sorry can't help - but I want to subscribe to this thread because I can't think of a better set of great tones. You're totally right about them and maybe people will post some ideas.
I did read that quite a few of their sounds were from doing things direct into the mixing desk and overdriving those circuits - so not instantly easy to replicate.
(I haven't got blisters on my fingers, but I do have painfully sore string burnt finger tips today :wink: )


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Post subject: Re: Where to begin for some Beatles?
Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2012 5:09 pm
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Yes, I think you are referring to Revolution with the extreme fuzz.
I am sure that quite a bit was done in post production and mixing.

I am just looking for a starting point to try to recreate some of their tones.


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Post subject: Re: Where to begin for some Beatles?
Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2012 10:58 pm
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I believe there was use of the Bassman somewhere on one or a few of the albums.

Give that a try as a starting point, and then maybe some gentle overdrive and a hint of reverb?


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Post subject: Re: Where to begin for some Beatles?
Posted: Fri Oct 12, 2012 3:16 am
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The Beatles used Vox amps, at least in their early days, so start with the "British 60s" model. The obvious cab simulation to go with this is the "2x12" but I personally find it sounds more Vox-y with the "57 dlx" cab simulation. Also I turn off the compressor that's built-in to some of the standard presets that use this amp model - it seems to kill the tone compared to a real Vox amp. I add a small amount of reverb just to create a fuller sound.

Others are right that the Beatles used very few guitar effects (probably mainly because very few existed then). On early recordings they used the amp's natural gain for overdrive, I believe, and later used fuzz boxes; or as others have said, guitar straight into the mixing desk and overdriving that.

George Harrison used a Leslie speaker on some early recordings. You may be able to get a passable equivalent effect with one of the Mustang's stereo chorus effects, etc. Or you can buy Leslie-effect stomp boxes, I don't know how good they are.

Also, in common with other guitarists of the late 50s and early 60s, the treble is I think higher than we're used to these days, creating quite a jangly sound. This was apparently to help boost the guitar sound "in the mix" when recording equipment wasn't good enough to capture the instruments as accurately as they'd like.


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Post subject: Re: Where to begin for some Beatles?
Posted: Fri Oct 12, 2012 3:35 am
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This website may help you learn what equipment the Beatles used, and thus how you can emulate their tone: www.beatlesgear.com

Or there's the book "Beatles Gear" by Andy Babiuk.


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Post subject: Re: Where to begin for some Beatles?
Posted: Fri Oct 12, 2012 6:00 am
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and Lennon did take a razor blade to a speaker cone once - though I don't know what track that might be on and what it might do the sound!


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Post subject: Re: Where to begin for some Beatles?
Posted: Fri Oct 12, 2012 6:49 am
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Don't forget that in the '60s and '70s, Treble Booster pedals were used a lot, especially on old Marshall JTMs and the Fender Bassman. That's probably why it's so "jangly."

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Post subject: Re: Where to begin for some Beatles?
Posted: Fri Oct 12, 2012 7:46 am
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Quote:
Lennon did take a razor blade to a speaker cone once

I read that it was Dave Davies (Ray's brother, lead guitarist with The Kinks) who did that. Or maybe they both (Lennon and Davies) did it. Or maybe it's an urban myth! :D


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Post subject: Re: Where to begin for some Beatles?
Posted: Fri Oct 12, 2012 11:56 am
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Good advice here, and great web site link. Very informative.

I will be working on some of these sounds this weekend.


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Post subject: Re: Where to begin for some Beatles?
Posted: Fri Oct 12, 2012 3:42 pm
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scott-uk wrote:
I read that it was Dave Davies (Ray's brother, lead guitarist with The Kinks) who did that. Or maybe they both (Lennon and Davies) did it. Or maybe it's an urban myth! :D


very tempting though, isn't it?!


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Post subject: Re: Where to begin for some Beatles?
Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2012 7:02 pm
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Chainsaw,
Thanks for starting this thread, your questions and some of the responses got me tinkering this afternoon and this is what I found.
Preset 83-Active Clean: just change the amp setting to '57 Deluxe (thanks scott-uk)
on the guitar set the tone to 10 and roll the volume back to 8 ish. Good place to start.
Preset 79-Swirlin' Diddy (really?): for the Leslie effect, change the amp to a 65 Twin Reverb. Same guitar settings as above. These are starting places and I imagine pick-ups and guitars involved are going to effect the result as much tweaking the other settings.
But isn't that part of the appeal?
Cheers,
John.E


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Post subject: Re: Where to begin for some Beatles?
Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2012 7:52 pm
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Thanks John, thanks to all. I will continue to play around with these ideas.
Sounds good thus far!


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