I've read through lots of threads and posts regarding effects pedals 'n stuff. I was reminded of it by the Wah thread in this room.
The funny thing is, and this is about true bypass effects, is that, well, with most of the artists with 'enviable' tone, Hendrix and some of the other older cats, they got tone from the equipment that was available at the time. And it was great tone in some cases, and lots of people cop it and use it.
But...the original artists didn't have true bypass as far as I know. It wasn't an option; heck, it wasn't even thought of in the old days. And now there's a sort of need for everything being true bypass (which isn't a bad thing at all, don't get me wrong), and this need's sorta become a 'default setting' for any discussion about, well, anything regarding effects pedals and gear. There's this dichotomy that's just beneath the surface in most folks, where there's this desire to achieve the tone of some of the masters, while at the same time trying to 'improve' the tone of the masters by making sure every little piece and circuit is working at optimal range - even moreso than what was originally available.
It's just a funny insight, is all I'm saying. Like trying to duplicate a cake recipe but using only the best of this and the best of that and measuring precisely, baking with digitally control ovens, using the latest mixers and the best and most expensive pots and pans...and then the thing doesn't quite taste like you remember. It's like, now it's *too* perfect, you know?
Like say with Jimi: He had pretty much a stock Strat (before the 5 position switches, really), stock pickups, pretty much stock everything, then that horrible thin coily cable, a non-true-bypass wah, a non-true-bypass FuzzFace, then the Marshall - with no master volume. Then that went out through some basically crummy speakers that would overheat and get 'flabby' after an hour or two, and that was it.
Theoretically, with all the tone sucked out of it, and yet...
Just funny, is all. Like, in getting everything perfect, everthing got lame or something. Not pointing fingers or anything, or cutting anyone down, but...it really is like some people have said; gear-focus has really gotten in the way of the Music. It's all about 'tone' and not about playing. It's all about technique and not about playing music.
Just my point of view - an observation - this particular Monday morning.
Take care all. :)
Heh, good point. :) I agree with you espesially on the fact that GAS has taken over the music sometimes with us... You can have all the greatest gear in the world, but your music is still gonna suck... With that said, there is no such thing as too much gear... :lol:
Stairway to Freebird!
haha. i agree, in my case its easy to become fussy about your tone when your playing sucks. :)
I've been imitated so well I've heard people copy my mistakes.
- Jimi Hendrix
I totally agree - I have a Pandora PX4 with 50 presets. I use about 4 or 5 of them. I've set up two of my own, but that's all. It's too easy to get involved with effects and buy piles of pedals that you use a couple of times, before realising that it doesn't belong in "the tone" that you've got in your mind.
Don't get me wrong, the Pandora is a great piece of gear - it offers far more than just effects in a battery driven box.
However, if I'm going to play into an amp and have "my sound", I'm going to buy dedicated pedals - but only those that are needed for "my sound", not a whole raft of stuff that finds it's way into a box after a few days.
That's the beauty of a multi-fx box - you can get a very good idea of what sound you want to achieve, before you splash out on the pedals.
Once you have the effects, the amp and the guitar to produce the "your sound", what more do you need? Just the application to go and learn the music - which what I need to do - NOW!.
I started with nothing - and I've still got most of it left.
Did you know that the word "gullible" is not in any dictionary?
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your absolutely correct. I read this thing about how everyones trying to copy Jimmy Page's #1 pickups. Someone brought up in the article that page played everything stock, he didn't really have that many mods on his guitar. All he did was change the tuners on his #1 and all the icnredible sounds he creates were from his stock 59 (or was it 58?) les paul
im guessing but this thread was about what i posted, and after reading what you said, it made me realzie what youre saying. I was asking about the bypass also necuase I heard alot of people say that it cuts off ALOT of the higher frequencies and changes whatever sound you had while in the "off" position. now that i think about it, if i would ever use the wah, i would jsut turn it on and play, no real need for a bypass.
