Thanks for all your replies! Actually, I don't think I really want to try and emulate that kind of sustain yet, I have lots of other things which I need to work on first; mostly, I was just curious.
Regarding attenuators, low-power amps etc: my tube amp, a Galaxy 10 (with JJ tubes substituted) is already fairly low power. It is only 10W. (I could have gotten a 6V6 power amp tube, which would have made it even lower power). Even so, if I really crank the gain, it is really lound, that's where the thinking about an attenutator came in. But, I don't plan to do that soon anyway. The main reason for getting the G10 was to get that slightly breaking blues tone, which I love. I can get a reasonable version of that tone with the gain about half-way and the volume at about 7 or 8, without being too too loud. Would be nice to get that breakup at lower volumes, but it is ok. At this point, the amp does most of what I want, and between that and the VOX, I have plenty of capability in the amps for my level of playing :-). The weakest link it the chain is definitely me, by a long long shot! And on the equipment side, probably a semi-hollow guitar with some P10s or humbuckers would be more of what I need for that bluesy tone (I love B.B..).
But, once again, thanks for all the suggestions. It has been very informational, and I may plan to get a compressor and attenutor some day when my playing has reached a level where those things make a difference.
--vink
"Life is either an adventure or nothing" -- Helen Keller
To add to what wes said: a low wattage amp is WAY prefferable over a high wattage amp with an attenuator. Attenuators typically change your sound quite a bit, not just the volume, and by lowering the volume you aren't driving your speakers as hard which is a big part of the sound. If you do try it, go for a speakerdriver-based attenuator instead of the resistence/indcution network-based ones, they change your sound least.
ok, what's the difference between the 2? and where can one get a speakerdriver-based attenuator?
I don't want you to play me a riff that's going to impress Joe Satriani; give me a riff that makes a kid want to go out and buy a guitar and learn to play.
— Ozzy Osbourne
The difference is in the way they try to lower the energy send towards the speakers. Examples:
1) Resistence, Koch Powersoak
2) Induction, THD Hotplate
3) Speakerdriver, Weber Mass
If you are really serious/anal about your tone get neither of these and build an isolation box instead.
I pretty certain that most of his infinate sustain is simply controlled feedback.
He never uses a sustainer pickup, although a compressor maybe, not sure
The difference is in the way they try to lower the energy send towards the speakers. Examples:
1) Resistence, Koch Powersoak
2) Induction, THD Hotplate
3) Speakerdriver, Weber Mass
If you are really serious/anal about your tone get neither of these and build an isolation box instead.
The Hotplate has to be predominantly resistance or it would likely damage an amp -- regardless of what the marketing BS says.
Putting a driver (speaker cab) in an isolation box will alter its tone -- unless that box is quite large.
-=tension & release=-
