#166112  by flavaham
 Wed Aug 28, 2019 9:34 am
I don't know how to describe the sound that I'm talking about very well, but Jerry had a sound on the low strings that was super raw. I absolutely love it and I've never heard anyone else duplicate it very well. It sounds super clean but also has an edge to it. I can't put my finger on it but if I could!! I would be super happy about it.

I don't think it has as much to do with the OBEL as it does with his amp/settings and pickup selection. I'll try to find a good example and post it. For now though, if anyone knows the sound I'm talking about and could offer any insight, I'd be very grateful! Thanks!
 #166115  by rugger
 Wed Aug 28, 2019 4:15 pm
From Dozin's site: http://dozin.com/jers/guitar/history.htm

Guitar was a Travis Bean, so you have that wormhole to try and replicate. Amp setup was the Twin preamp into Macintosh 2300. Cab was the 3x12 JBL setup.

Tons of debate over what's close enough in terms of Jerry's tone (this in fact was the basis for much of the "bad blood" that occurred on this site). Personally, a Strat with 60's flavored pups into a Twin with JBL's should get you really close, imo. Use the typical tone stack settings to help define that low string, piano like tone I think you're talking about, add a little gain to taste and you should be happy.

Good luck.

john in san diego
 #166116  by czyfingers
 Thu Aug 29, 2019 5:30 am
Personally, I think his most definitive snappy low end honk on the low strings came in the 80's. It's pretty unique and I can get it close enough with all the right gear and my best go at the technique. But I always feel like it's not quite the same.
 #166120  by bzbz
 Thu Aug 29, 2019 8:01 am
Very new strings, Fender-based tone settings should include treble up, bass way down or off - and a JBL speaker won't hurt - it works for me!
Pointclear liked this
 #166121  by joshq
 Thu Aug 29, 2019 8:19 am
+1 for new strings. I believe (imagine) Jerry had new strings pretty much every show. With all the above factors and settings my low end is never as snappy and Jerry-ish as those first few straight hours of play.
bzbz, TI4-1009 liked this
 #166122  by PurpleTrails
 Thu Aug 29, 2019 10:29 am
I've read somewhere that his sweat was so corrosive that at times they'd switch out his strings during the set break.

I'm convinced that a lot of that low end snap is right hand technique, especially on some of the fingerpicked stuff.
 #166123  by nuthatchwinters
 Thu Aug 29, 2019 10:40 am
if I'm reading you correctly I'm thinking of an 80s china cat. which has that tone i think you're describing, among many other examples. Garcias picking played a large roll. but yes as one of the other guys mentioned here, the 80s are really when that low end, bottom string tone really stood out. I dont think obel/effects has anything to do with that tone.
 #166124  by czyfingers
 Thu Aug 29, 2019 11:12 am
Yes, you are correct-early 80's China Cat is a great example. Definitely not effects/OBEL related. It was guitar and amp clean tone. I do agree that new strings gets me the closest I've come. Another related tone is even when he'd play the opening chords to Touch of Gray in the open position-Like the A>E, B>F# he had a similar sound that's closely related to that low E string honk that I cant seem to nail either. The funny thing is, to most in the guitar world, this would be considered an undesirable sound. It's like HiFi with a bit of bite. Treble with just enough low mids to make it ballsy. I've used just about every attainable Jerry like rig and guitar too, but this is one aspect of his tone that seems hard to nail completely. I will say that the closest I've come is at higher volumes...Like higher than you'd typically ever play in your house. That could be part of the missing link too.
 #166132  by NSP
 Fri Aug 30, 2019 9:30 am
I believe a key ingredient to the low string "honk" is string height.
Jerry played with very high action for an electric guitar.
 #166133  by bzbz
 Fri Aug 30, 2019 9:50 am
new strings, treble up, 25+ neck scale length - those are the most important ingredients

next would be a bright speaker (JBL type), and single coils

string height is not that important for this
 #166139  by milobender
 Sat Aug 31, 2019 8:56 am
Here's my current setup. First one's with a Strat, with custom blaster, and homespun pickups. Second one is with a complete Dimarzio DP104/OBEL/UGB/Blaster Jerry package.
I'm new to this video thing, and I can't figure out why the videos start into it... put it back to the beginning. The first one starts with a stock passive setting, then switches to using the Thick Air pedal and you can really hear the difference. On the second one, about 1:00 in, is a pretty cool low E. The recording isn't great, but you'll get the idea... I need a Twin ;o)
Those low notes are really my favorites... throughout all the different periods.
Speakers are JBL K120 and D120

strumminsix liked this
 #166222  by bzbz
 Mon Sep 23, 2019 5:42 am
yes, pick close to the bridge is a good factor. Otherwise, there is a lot of verbose irrelevancies here.

Very simple:

25+" neck scale length, new strings, eq the treble way up, single coil preferred, pick near the bridge.

That's it - that will work. Volume, string height, etc - are completely unimportant