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Topic: Surf music and steel guitar - recommendations for gear? |
Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Posted 8 Jun 2018 7:27 am |
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Hey steelers who enjoy playing surf music, what amps, effects, etc. would you recommend for getting the classic sounds on a (in my case) lap steel?
I know there are pedals that can replicate the classic Fender spring reverb sound but not sure exactly which ones. Appreciate any tips as I'm working on a book of surf arrangements and would like to add gear info into the mix. Thanks!
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Steel Guitar Books! Website: www.volkmediabooks.com |
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Brian Hollands
From:
Geneva, FL USA
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Posted 8 Jun 2018 8:41 am
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The classic Fender spring reverb pedal is the Boss FRV-1.
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'81 Sho-bud LDG, 2 EMCI's |
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Brad Bechtel
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Posted 8 Jun 2018 9:58 am
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The classic surf guitar effects are reverb and tremolo. The BOSS RV series does a very good job providing the reverb you'll need if you don't already own a Fender reverb amp.
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Brad’s Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars |
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Posted 8 Jun 2018 12:07 pm
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As far as amps, a Fender tube amp would be the ticket. For the home player, a Princeton Reverb (12 watts) should be plenty. Next larger: Deluxe Reverb (22 watts), and then the Vibrolux Reverb (35-40 watts)... etc, etc. Fender tweed amps from the 50s are also great for surf, but there is no reverb onboard so you'd need some kind of a reverb stomp box. I use a Holy Grail Plus (spring setting) with my 1959 tweed Deluxe. The HG is very affordable and it sounds good IMO. I've used one on all of my recordings and videos. For mucho specs on vintage Fender amps, check this page --> http://www.thevintagesound.com/ffg/
As others have said, tremolo and reverb are the main effects for surf. Tremolo was introduced in amps in the late 50s, early 60s. Reverb, early 60's I believe. There are probably a lot of cool sounding amps from the early-mid 60s with onboard reverb and tremolo. I played through an old Ampeg Reverborocket with rvrb/trem that sounded awesome. Also a Sears amp that was great for surf.
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25 Songs C6 Lap Steel / 25 MORE Songs C6 Lap Steel / 16 Songs, C6, A6, B11 / 60 Popular Melodies E9 Pedal Steel |
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Travis Salisbury
From:
Illinois, USA
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Posted 8 Jun 2018 1:31 pm
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This is my first forum post after lurking for over a year. I'm about one year into playing pedal steel, but for the longest time I've been playing surf/spaghetti western inspired music with guitar. Reverb is super important for that sound.
Steel guitar isn't really a feature of surf music or even spaghetti western, but I think it could fit well and there a few artist doing it like The Vanduras. Where I love it used is for bands like Calexico that adapt it to different styles that still have that connection to traditional southwest American music.
I love to geek out on gear, so here are my thoughts.
I use a Fender 6G15 Tube Reverb clone that I built. There's nothing better than that, IMO. It's way more dynamic and drippy than digital or even small real spring reverb pedals. It's basically a single ended amp driving a reverb tank instead of a speaker. Because of the strong input signal, the circuit is able get more dynamics and physical artifacts(drip) out of the tank. They are not really cheap and are like hauling around another amp head. The next best thing is the SurfyBear Reverb. It's an analog clone of the 6G15 circuit using FETs and a real tank. It's still large but more affordable and can go on a pedal board, but not sure it will fit in a seat. You can also buy a kit that has the circuit, you just have to supply the tank and enclosure. It's sounds fantastic and many surf guitarist are using them in-lieu of hauling around a tube unit.
As far as compact pedals, at the moment, the Source Audio Ventris Reverb has the most accurate Fender 6G15 algorithm ever created. They call it the Outboard Spring Engine. It's pretty darn close to how a real 6G15 sounds. It's not a cheap pedal, but it also has many other "engines" that will get you any reverb you need for pedal steel or anything really. I really want to get one but I'm saving for a new steel so, I can't speak from personal experience.
Here's a good demo of the Ventris: https://youtu.be/1eJnelzPqVs
What I'm using is an Empress Reverb for steel right now and I mainly use the hall program. It's spring is okay for onboard spring reverb sounds, but not great for that surf style. I'm not playing with a surfy style band right now and I need don't the splashy reverb. Otherwise, I would use my tube unit or get the Ventris.
As far as amps, I use a Blackface Showman with either a 2x15 cab or a 1x15 cab. I use it for both Steel and Guitar. The classic surf amp are the blonde Fender amps from 61-63. Those had the brownface style circuits which were between the Tweed and the Blackface. They had a nice mid range push and girth that isn't present in the later blackface and silverface amps. But honestly, any vintage Fender amp that can stay clean at the desired volume is great for surf or steel.
It sounds like you have an interesting project. I'd love to hear what you're doing when you have stuff to share! |
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Posted 9 Jun 2018 3:20 am
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Thanks for all your insights. Very helpful.
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Steel Guitar Books! Website: www.volkmediabooks.com |
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Cartwright Thompson
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Posted 9 Jun 2018 3:40 am
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What Travis said.
I would add that JBL D and K series speakers, especially 15” ones, are another part of the classic surf sound equation.
I have a Ventris and can honestly say that all the hype is true. I actually like the drip that it produces more than a 6G15...something I never thought possible! |
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George Redmon
From:
Muskegon & Detroit Michigan.
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Posted 10 Jun 2018 5:57 pm
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I know pricey. But a Fox Reverb head if you can find one, or.....one of Tim's new 6V6 Milkman Reverb heads. Either one of these units sound the way pedal reverbs wish they could sound.  |
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Mel Bergman
From:
Camarillo, California, USA
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Posted 11 Jun 2018 7:41 am
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Andy,
Way cool project you are doing. I have played surf music semi-professionally with rhe same band all over the worldf for 30 years, and gear is a subject I am well acquainted with.
The classic set up is a Fender Showman with either a1-15 or 2-15 JBL D130 cabinet. Add to that a Fender outboard reverb. A high powered amp w a 15” speaker is needed. It really is an integral part of the sound And contrary to popular opinion, most clean Fender tube amp will be okay. I have three Showman setups, and have had seven! But the “15” speaker is essential.
I can highly reccommend a Peavy Session 400. Really. It surprised me too. I have one for steel, so i plugged in my Jazzmaster, and darned if it wasn’t terriffic. Scoffers can scoff. Reverb is pretty good also. And the 15” Black Widow was a great JBL impersonator. i paid $300!
Regarding reverb, the sound that most shoot for is The Astronauts doing Baja. Which reverb to use will spawn endless debate like what color steel sounds best. I have tried dozens of pedals to use on fly dates. The thing most don't get right is the “drip”. It is subjective, but you know it when you hear it. The Surfy Bear is a kit you have to assemble, so that is not real practical.When I demoed it at NAMM, despite the hype, the Ventris outboard algorithm is just not quite right.
I highly recommend the Catalinbread Topanga. You can usually get a used one on reverb.com for $140 ish. It is excellent. If you do nothing else, please get this pedal.
Hope this is helpful. It’s not often I get the chance to yap about this arcane slice of music geekdom. And thanks for doing your B-11 book. It really helped me with that tuning.
Mel |
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Posted 11 Jun 2018 11:17 am
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Thanks, Mel, really appreciate your insights and glad my B11th book was helpful. I wish more players would try it out as it's an easy tuning to get with more or less the same strings as C6th and it offers a whole 'nother box of colors to paint with.
I agree, Doug, Baja is THE surf tune!
Here's Green Sea, a tune from the book in progress. Just arranged it the other day so only in MIDI right now, so the steel part is a poor computer facsimile of a lap steel but you get the idea.
http://picosong.com/wcXJ7/
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Steel Guitar Books! Website: www.volkmediabooks.com |
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Jim Sliff
From:
Lawndale California, USA
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Posted 12 Jun 2018 5:56 pm
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Either a Fender Tube reverb unit or a Van Am ps "Sole Mate". The Fender does every bit of the combo reverb sound - but even better, as it processed the full signal - and the "Sole Mate, while a solid-state unit, uses a real spring reverb tank and also processes the entire signal through it.
Pedals always come up a bit short as they are attempts at "emulating" a real spring reverb sound, which is not easy to do. Nearly every company attempts to clean up the signal and avoid "washouts" - and if you want to play surf music that's exactly what you DON'T want!
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No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional |
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Garry Vanderlinde
From:
CA
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Posted 23 Jul 2018 9:48 am
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| Mel Bergman wrote: |
I highly recommend the Catalinbread Topanga. You can usually get a used one on reverb.com for $140 ish. It is excellent. If you do nothing else, please get this pedal.
Mel |
Thanks for the recommendation on the Topanga, just got one.
I never knew about the "Drip". I'd heard it but couldn't figure out how to get it.
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Skip Ellis
From:
Bradenton, Fl USA
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Posted 23 Jul 2018 12:28 pm
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I also play surf music whenever I can. Although it's nice to have the authentic sound, I can't afford to keep a dedicated rig for something I only play once every couple months, so go with whatever I've got. The reverb in my Boss Katana 50 sounds pretty good and can be tweaked with their software. I also use my MB200 with an Earthquake Devices Dispatch Master because I like a little delay (I know, not authentic). I run it through an open back cabinet with an old 15" CTS speaker from a 60s Plush amplifier (anybody remember those?) and have no complaints. I don't play for the purists (not many around here, anyway) and with most audiences, if they hear reverb, they're happy. YMMV
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2022 Brook Lyn, 2014 Martin 000-18, 2022 Ibanez GB-10, two homebrew Teles, Evans RE200 amp, understanding wife of 49 years. 'Steeless' at the moment |
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Lee Baucum
From:
McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
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Posted 24 Jul 2018 5:03 pm
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This sounds a bit surfy:
Click Here |
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Garry Vanderlinde
From:
CA
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Posted 25 Jul 2018 4:53 am Mr.Moto
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I love it! Mr. Moto plays Mr. Moto.
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