| Visit Our Catalog at SteelGuitarShopper.com |

Post new topic David Lindley's Tone
Reply to topic
Author Topic:  David Lindley's Tone
Mitch Druckman


From:
Arizona, USA
Post  Posted 16 Jun 2006 6:05 pm    
Reply with quote

What does (did) Lindley use to distort his lap steels? It doesn't sound like an overdrive or fuzztone alone. The overdrive seems to have a filter or something on it, like a mild auto-wah. How did he do it? How can I get that tone?
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Richard Sevigny


From:
Salmon Arm, BC, Canada
Post  Posted 16 Jun 2006 6:27 pm    
Reply with quote

I read somewhere he's got custom made/rewired amps..



..this pic is from his website
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Keith Cordell


From:
San Diego
Post  Posted 17 Jun 2006 2:17 am    
Reply with quote

That pic is a Dumble Overdrive Special. I have been to see Uncle Dave a few times, even got to speak with his tech once, and got no real insight into his electric sound; once he was using a red knob Evil Twin, the other time it was all acoustic stuff and he had a short rack that he was hooked up to. Never saw any pedals, though I am fairly sure that he has something in the signal chain for a few things I have on live discs. Either way his tone is always incredible. I'd love to see an interview where someone talks with him about devices and tone.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
John Dahms

 

From:
Perkasie, Pennsylvania, USA
Post  Posted 17 Jun 2006 6:30 am    
Reply with quote

I don't know what he uses, but it would seem to me that anyone who uses a Dumble amp would not put anything else in the chain. It would be like putting glass-pack pipes on a Ferrari- what's the point?
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Terry VunCannon


From:
Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
Post  Posted 17 Jun 2006 6:42 am    
Reply with quote

I read in an interview, & talked to him after a show, and he considers his Dumble to be "His" sound on lap steel. He says when he was younger, he played "Real Loud". Pictured above is his main National Dynamic(For E & D tunings), he also has Panda Ric that he played on "Running On Empty" tuned to open A(yes A with the open E position, A-E-C#-A-E-A,)and I think his double neck is a Supro.
For his acoustic work, he is using Ultrasound amps with built in FX, two of the 50 watt versions.
I have a National that is the twin of Lindley's that I had him autograph at one of his solo show...I now call it "The Lindley".

[This message was edited by Terry VunCannon on 17 June 2006 at 07:44 AM.]

View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Brad Bechtel


From:
San Francisco, CA
Post  Posted 17 Jun 2006 8:06 am    
Reply with quote

Last time I saw Mr. Dave with El Rayo X, he played a Supro doubleneck through a red knob Fender Twin. He was using some kind of Ibanez Tube Screamer, but I couldn't see which one. I know that his classic sound with Jackson Browne relied on the Rickenbacker B6.

Here is a description of his acoustic instrument lineup as of 2000, via Acoustic Guitar magazine. He used a Roland Jazz Chorus JC-120 amp for many years; that might be part of the sound you're hearing as well.

I'd suggest a bit of overdrive, a small bit of chorus effect, and a lot of practice!

------------------
Brad's Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars

View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Jon Light


From:
Saugerties, NY
Post  Posted 17 Jun 2006 8:18 am    
Reply with quote

OK--it's probably been asked before but........any recommendations of a CD for the best collection of his best electric playing? I hate not knowing his music beyond "Empty".
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Terry VunCannon


From:
Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
Post  Posted 17 Jun 2006 8:38 am    
Reply with quote

Yeah Brad, he talked about really liking the Roland, but that lately he had switched to the Ultrasounds, smaller & easy to set up & move around...he said that the Ultrasound did not color the sound of any of the acoustic intruments, even with the FX on. I saw a picture of him with a Tube Screamer also...I carry a tube screamer with my rig in case I have to play someone else's amp...go from the lap to the TS, then into a clean channel of a amp & dial up your sound. If is a loud amp(Like a Fender Twin), you can get a good Lindley sound without being to loud...with a low watt amp, just plug in & turn it up.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Tom Baylis

 

From:
Portland, Oregon
Post  Posted 17 Jun 2006 9:12 am    
Reply with quote

ToneQuest did an interview with David in July 2005 which, coincidentally, I found is available as a freebie if one orders a trial subscription. I haven't read it yet, but recalling the info was enough for me, as a big fan of DL's tone, to just sign up for a trial subscription to read this. I've been meaning to subscribe anyway. Backorders are also available in pdf download format for $10 too.

http://tonequest.com/

[This message was edited by Tom Baylis on 17 June 2006 at 10:15 AM.]

View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Russ Tkac


Post  Posted 17 Jun 2006 9:28 am    
Reply with quote

I believe I read in the studio it was a tweed deluxe turned up. I got the sound with my 66 Bassman blackface 212 cab on loud! When I would record a solo my friend's wife had to leave the house.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Keith Cordell


From:
San Diego
Post  Posted 18 Jun 2006 4:29 am    
Reply with quote

Yeah Terry I heard about the Evil Twin amps he was using too. I had one and it was so loud when turned up to 2 that I was afraid the art would fall off my walls. If there was a lower powered version of that amp I'd probably bite, but yikes.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Bill Quinn

 

Post  Posted 18 Jun 2006 5:07 am    
Reply with quote

In an interview way back in the Running on Empty days, possibly in Guitar Player, he said he used a distortion pedal that he had altered in some way. The only time I saw him live was with El Rayo X, that was some incredible playing!!
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Terry VunCannon


From:
Greensboro, North Carolina, USA
Post  Posted 18 Jun 2006 6:55 am    
Reply with quote

Keith...try a Fender Deluxe Reverb(around 40 watts I think)...the bass/guitar player in our band keeps two of them on her van, & I like them a lot. Here lately, I have been using a Fender Blues JR(15 watts with a 12)& it is perfect for lap steel. I also bought(Don't laugh)a cheap Peavey Bandit 65, & it really sounds a lot like the Lindley sound...I paid around a $100 for it...I could play guitar through it, but it really sounds good for the lap steel...there is something about solid state & steel. And Bill, I wonder if the pedal had something done like the things that "The Analog Man" does...I have played through one that he worked on & it was killer...check analogman.com I think.

[This message was edited by Terry VunCannon on 18 June 2006 at 07:56 AM.]

View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Dan Tyack

 

From:
Olympia, WA USA
Post  Posted 18 Jun 2006 1:19 pm    
Reply with quote

IMHO the key to this sound is a Supro/National played through a tube amp with the volume turned way up.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Bill Blacklock

 

From:
Powell River, British Columbia, Canada
Post  Posted 18 Jun 2006 3:55 pm    
Reply with quote

National Dynamic through a Tonebone "Classic" distortion pedal , any amp will do. This pedal will give you tones all the way from Lindley to Zepplin (you shock me). About $100 bucks on e-bay
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
John Billings


From:
Ohio, USA
Post  Posted 19 Jun 2006 12:10 pm    
Reply with quote

All this talk about Mr. Daves stuff reminds me of seeing his cohort Ry Cooder on the tonight show. I think it was "Little Village" era. He had a gigantic rack behind him. I mean like 6 feet tall, crammed with stuff. On top of this huge rack sat a little old Supro type amp. He was plugged directly into the little old amp, and was using the immense rack as an amp stand! Cracked me up!
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Alvin Blaine


From:
Picture Rocks, Arizona, USA
Post  Posted 19 Jun 2006 11:48 pm    
Reply with quote

Quote:
try a Fender Deluxe Reverb(around 40 watts I think)


A stock Fender Deluxe Reverb is 22 watts.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Chris Walke

 

From:
St Charles, IL
Post  Posted 20 Jun 2006 10:25 am    
Reply with quote

On the Running On Empty album, he seems to use a Phase pedal on a couple of the tunes. The one that comes to mind immediately is "You Love the Thunder."
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Mike D

 

From:
Phx, Az
Post  Posted 20 Jun 2006 11:11 am    
Reply with quote

and was using the immense rack as an amp stand!

Mmmmmm, immense raaaackkk.....



------------------
Half-assed bottleneck and lap slide player. Full-assed Builder of resonator instruments.


View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Keith Cordell


From:
San Diego
Post  Posted 20 Jun 2006 12:22 pm    
Reply with quote

I know that song, I always thought he got that phasey tone with his bar. I've done it accidentally a few times, hehehe. Hard to control it just so, but Dave certainly has the technique.
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
John Billings


From:
Ohio, USA
Post  Posted 20 Jun 2006 1:02 pm    
Reply with quote

Gee Mike! Get your mind out of the gutter!
BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail

All times are GMT - 8 Hours
Jump to:  
Please review our Forum Rules and Policies
Our Online Catalog
Strings, CDs, instruction, and steel guitar accessories
www.SteelGuitarShopper.com

The Steel Guitar Forum
148 S. Cloverdale Blvd.
Cloverdale, CA 95425 USA

Click Here to Send a Donation

Email SteelGuitarForum@gmail.com for technical support.


BIAB Styles
Ray Price Shuffles for Band-in-a-Box
by Jim Baron