Does anyone know Jerry's gear on American Beauty?

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

I seem to recall he played a ZB, but that's not a very ZB sound on "Sugar Magnolia"
Not that I'd want a steady diet of that tone, but it IS intriguing. What was he playing through?
It almost sounds like a phase shifter with the LFO stalled out.
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2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Mike DiAlesandro · From: Kent, Ohio

Here is a foto much later in his career, Jerry is playing an MCI. In the early 70's when Sugar Magnolia was recorded, it seems that would have been him on a Zb, but maybe someone like, say, Buddy Cage let him borrow his steel for the record??

Steve Hitsman · From: Waterloo, IL

JG played an Emmons at one time. If you look closely at the photo insert for Europe '72, you can just make it out on stage in one picture. Since American Beauty predated that European tour, he could have possibly used that on AB.

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

I coulda put this in Electronics. I'm pretty sure the tone here comes not from guitar, but the rest of the gear downstream. Like I said, the thing it sounds most like is either:
1) a phase shifter with a stalled (or killed) LFO (I've often wondered if that was possible, for some of the tones in the sweep would sound cool) or;
2) a wah-wah pedal set to a fairly dark spot and left alone.

Not that I'd want a steady diet of that tone, it works for some things.

Here's what I mean:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkKuhAxcH7g
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2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Steve Hitsman · From: Waterloo, IL

I always thought it was one of those combination wah/volume pedals... wah sideways, volume up and down.

Jon Light · From: Saugerties, NY

I have little doubt that there is an electronic device involved. There have been phasers with the ability to do exactly what you describe--to manually tune the sweep to whatever sweet spot you seek. No idea if Jerry used that. I wonder if his Mutron can be set, via sensitivity, to pretty much dwell in one narrow range instead of quacking. I know I have achieved that sort of result with envelope filter boxes.

Steve Hitsman · From: Waterloo, IL

Musitronics Corp. was formed in '72 and AB was recorded fall 1970... can't be a Mutron.

Jon Light · From: Saugerties, NY

Ah.

I never actually gave it much thought but I think I always just assumed it was a cocked wah.

Joachim Kettner · From: Germany

This effect seems not to be employed on "Laughing" from David Crosby's first album.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzvylMnCe3k
But has lots of reverb.
(He also plays on on the first Starship record.)
Thanks for making me aware that his tone changed during his years of playing. I wasn't aware of that.
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Fender Kingman, Sierra Crown D-10, Evans Amplifier, Soup Cube.

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

Well, according to Allmusic.com, American Beauty came out in 1970. This was right around the time I was getting interested in PSG. I started early 1971. During this whole period, he was using the ZB. And I believe he was using a Twin with JBL's at the time. Although he may have used something different in the studio. As for effects, I have no idea. Live, it was pretty much a heavy dose of 'verb and some wah. Don't remember any other effects. Of course, I'm lucky I remember this much.

Later he started using an Emmons. Never saw him play the MCI, so that must have been a lot later. I'm not sure what year he quit, but I stopped going to see them after the "From the Mars Hotel" album (1974), and he had quit the PSG, well at least performing with one, by then. The Mars Hotel album is where I lost interest in the Dead.
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Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 54 years and still counting.

chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

that's funny. ugly rumors from the mars hotel is one of my favorite.

Joachim Kettner · From: Germany

"Ugly Rumours" is not a track from that album, and I don't think they ever recorded such song.
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Fender Kingman, Sierra Crown D-10, Evans Amplifier, Soup Cube.

John Billings · From: Ohio, USA

The electro harmonix Electric Mistress can do that. Switch it to "Filter Matrix" and the LFO is turned off. You can sweep through the freqs with the knob. Very, very interesting effects can be had. I have an early one, the Deluxe, that is mint. The pedal button has never seen the sole of a shoe. It was mounted under an Ice Rink Hammond, and the button was pushed by hand. For sale soon!

"The classic analog Flanger. An array of critically notched and tuned filters gracefully sweep the sound spectrum, creating shimmering, ethereal passages that are truly out of this world. Exclusive Filter Matrix mode disengages the automatic sweep, allowing manual positioning of the filter bank to achieve chime-like metallic tones and other unique effects."

chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

it's the title of the album!!!!!!

put the album cover up to a mirror!

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

Joachim Kettner · From: Germany

I can't make out the meaning of what's printed below the album title. Is that what you mean Chris?

I've seen your explanation now, since you edited your post, amazing! (but you also have to turn the cover upside down.)
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Fender Kingman, Sierra Crown D-10, Evans Amplifier, Soup Cube.

chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

yes joachim. but you have to be on acid to see it. preferably in a sleeping bag with a hippy chick who has the crabs.

chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

that artwork stuff is cool. i just learned that the 'american beauty' album cover can also be read as 'american reality'. trippy dippy.

Joachim Kettner · From: Germany

I think Pigpen prefered alcohol, at least that's what I've read.
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Fender Kingman, Sierra Crown D-10, Evans Amplifier, Soup Cube.

Mark Eaton · Posted 24 Nov 2013 1:27 pm

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

Back in the mid '60s, before phasers or wah-wah pedals came along, I got the "phased" sound on a Twin Reverb by putting an extra jack in my volume pedal (it's still there!) and feeding into both amp channels at once. That way, working the volume pedal fed one channel or the other. Since the channels were out-of-phase, anything around the middle of the travel gave a "phased" sound. (Of course, you can do the same thing by simply connecting a jumper between the A & B channel inputs of the amp.) I got a lot of weird EFX by doing simple stuff like that! Smile

Back then, the main mantra of rock guitarists was "Use anything you can to sound different than the other guys". Cool

I don't know exactly what Jerry used to get the effect, but he was certainly inventive enough to have tried something similar.

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

I'm watching the video now, and about 6:00, you see him playing his ZB. Didn't see his amp. Sounds like a wah wah pedal in the film shots.
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Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 54 years and still counting.

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

Watched the whole video, and that is really the only shot of the pedal steel, although later in the movie, the show a little of the same shot. Good movie if you're an old deadhead. DOn't expect a lot of steel guitar though.
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Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 54 years and still counting.

Dave Grafe · From: Hudson River Valley NY

Leslie 145

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

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