Looking for that garage sound

[Herr Masel]

My amp is a Halilit (anyone heard of  them?), it's a jcm800 clone made in the 60s. I want to be able to get bright cleans like on the old garage punk and maybe some surf records, like the oblivians or the cramps and a million other bands without having to buy a real fender amp (yea I know, not realistic. When I feel ready I'll build the california-dreamer from ax84.com). Is there a stompbox that can get this? I was thinking the fetzer valve booster from ROG maybe, or the proffessor tweed. My guitars are a lespaul that needs fixing and an eastwood hi-flyer, which has p90s but might still be a little dark, or maybe I haven't tried it with the right amp yet. By the way I built the ruby and did the bassman mod, but it sounded really dark, changed the input resistor, helped a little.. Thanks.

[Yun]

no, a booster Essentially is a volume boost that CAN be used as a sustainer. 

Try getting an EQ pedal, man.  10-band is the best.  You'll need lots of highs (trebble) and some sort of reverb. 

i use marshall stacks; and with an EQ (again, 10-band) You can pretty much acheive any tone you desire, man.  I personally have my Marshall sounding like a fender, believe it or not....

[Yun]

PS:  If the P-90's sound to dark, or "muddy"  Try replacing the capacitor, dude.  It'll probably be .047uf-.022uf (stock) .  You'll wasnt to change it to .01uf - .001uf ....

[gtrmac]

How about a Rangemaster Treble Booster. These are great for a 'gar(b)age sound'! I love mine with a Les Paul and a Marshall.

[bwanasonic]

Try to look at the whole signal chain, including tubes and speakers. There are also aspects of the guitar's basic setup that need to be considered (pickup height, pot  and tone cap values, etc.). Have you experimented with tube types, or new tubes in general? I saw the Cramps back in the mid 80's, but I have no memory of the equipment they used. I was too hypnotized by Poison Ivy! If you have a dark sounding setup, a Rangemaster is worth experimenting with for sure.

Kerry M

[PenPen]

.... My guitars are a lespaul that needs fixing and an eastwood hi-flyer,.....

As a side question, how do you rate these guitars? I've really been considering buying one of these, solely because they make them LEFTY with a fixed tail bridge, which is awesome. I've long wanted a hi flyer or a mosrite, but they were all right handed, and since I finally bought a nice lefty guitar, I can't go back to playing upside-down right handers anymore. My main concern about them though, is the neck looks pretty thick, like a Gibson neck. I have small hands and I really prefer small Fender necks (my Jaguar is almost perfect, not exactly but close). How does the neck compare to your LP in terms of width and thickness?

[Herr Masel]

Hey guys thanks for the advice, I don't know if an eq can make my amp sound like a fender, but I'll give it a go.

PenPen, I've only had the guitar for about two weeks but I like it, on the other hand I'm not that picky - even though I am critical. I don't know if say the majority of people at harmony central would like it (if you search for threads about it it's pretty 50/50), but I don't care because that forum is based on a lot of fashion. It's a little heavy and the neck IS quide wide like a lp but I don't mind since I learned to play on a lp and I have big hands. Like I said the pickups could be a little brighter but I might try changing the capactior in there, I've already potted the pickups and (sort of) set it up myself, which are firsts for me. Overall it's really comfortable, really rocking with distortion, and hopefully will be good for clean once I mod it. I got it because I was looking for something with p90s, a vibrato, cheapish and looks cool. I say get it, if you are in the US or canada (unlike me) you can return it if you are not satisfied.

By the way, I think Poison Ivy played a gretsch and a twin reverb. I think most if not all garage/blues-punk bands played fender amps, or their workalikes. Was marshall too expensive back then, or maybe they just liked the sound?..

[AL]

My amp is a Halilit (anyone heard of  them?), it's a jcm800 clone made in the 60s.

Well, I know the sound you're looking for but that statement has me curious. JCM800's weren't made until the 80's. If you're amp is a Marshall clone made in the '60's it's more than likely a JTM45/Plexi clone which would be a Fender Bassman. So with that in mind... you could possibly swap out some tubes and use a different speaker cab/configuration. What kind of tubes are in your amp?

Bassmans also have a set mid - no control on the blackface heads - so try backing off the mids some and see if that helps. My bassman is kind of dark and I usually run the bass way down (around 2) and put the treble around 8 or 9.


AL

[Garrett]

I agree with the marshall guy. I think the eq maybe the thing to do. I would put it in the effects loop on your amp if you have one.  If not I would put the eq very last in the signal chain before your amp.  I own a Mesa DC-5 head (50watt). IT has a built in eq that goes last in the preamp stage. I can dial just about any tone. I can totally get the fender sound. Another thing to do is make sure that your speaker wattage is rated as close as possible to your amp.  This also will help to achieve your fender tone.  I would also not use celestions. I love them but not to get fender cleans.  I made a two 12 cab with Jesen Mod12 speakers that sound great for fender cleans threw my boogie.  The speakers are also cheap ($36.00) a pop.


                                         Hope this helps, Garrock

[petemoore]

  At a 'certain' volume level, say like you want to play with a drummer with a 'small' kit.
  1x12'' speaker = screaming / aching
  2x12'' speakers = punchy / cranky
  4x12'' speakers = well defined / still punchy
  word...anyway there are some that sort of paint a little ]generic] picture...
  I went recently from 4x12 Marshall, to 2 x 12'' cabinet [large enclosure]...in the 'range' my amp likes [all these tube amps have a volume range 'sweet spot area']...fewer speakers means more 'speakery' tone at smaller volume...ie I notice the sound of the speakers alot more, with '2 instead of 4' they are moving alot more, and their tonal influence can be felt, the whole rig sounds different.
  Speakers, being at the end of the chain, and being that you can't hear anything without them, and they influence everything before them, are a great place to start when building a sound...like 'foundational' as in limiting or enabling all the other tonal building. [Hafta say get the good ones here for better results].
  Anyway, there's my 20c, borrowed from old Guitar Mags and JBL Manual etc. ...start at the speaker/cabinet when building for X tone / level /application.

[PenPen]

PenPen, I've only had the guitar for about two weeks but I like it, on the other hand I'm not that picky - even though I am critical. I don't know if say the majority of people at harmony central would like it (if you search for threads about it it's pretty 50/50), but I don't care because that forum is based on a lot of fashion. It's a little heavy and the neck IS quide wide like a lp but I don't mind since I learned to play on a lp and I have big hands. Like I said the pickups could be a little brighter but I might try changing the capactior in there, I've already potted the pickups and (sort of) set it up myself, which are firsts for me. Overall it's really comfortable, really rocking with distortion, and hopefully will be good for clean once I mod it. I got it because I was looking for something with p90s, a vibrato, cheapish and looks cool. I say get it, if you are in the US or canada (unlike me) you can return it if you are not satisfied.

Thanks for the info. Yes, HC reviews are usually not helpful to me either, I had also read the reviews for that guitar there and it didn't help me decide at all. I am in the US so I could always return it, I just like to play a guitar before buying it. Being left handed really sucks, the selection of guitars is really slim and many times I can't even find anyplace that stocks them so I can't try them out first. I got really lucky with my Jag, a local shop had one sitting there for years before I walked in and got a huge deal on it (the jag was listed for $1200, I got both it and a right-handed Jagstang for my wife for $1000 even after tax). But now I really would like to try out a Tele, and no one stocks anything but lefty Strats, which I don't like.

The dark tone is what I really like about the Univox HF. Maybe I should give it a go when I get the cash together after I move.

If you are looking for really sparkly highs, maybe you could try building the Vox SS preamp. There was a great thread by RDV not too long ago, with sound samples. I loved the way it sounded and saved the schems from that thread. Incredibly clean. I'm into that garage sound also, I too am a big fan of early punk bands. Look up that thread and check the sound samples. That preamp could be what you're looking for.

[bwanasonic]

But now I really would like to try out a Tele, and no one stocks anything but lefty Strats, which I don't like.

I think the secret there is to find a shop where the person buying the guitars is lefty! A local chain outlet near me (suburban boston area) has a bunch of lefty teles, and a lot of lefty guitars in general. I'm pretty sure this is because the store manager is lefty.

Kerry M

[PenPen]

But now I really would like to try out a Tele, and no one stocks anything but lefty Strats, which I don't like.

I think the secret there is to find a shop where the person buying the guitars is lefty! A local chain outlet near me (suburban boston area) has a bunch of lefty teles, and a lot of lefty guitars in general. I'm pretty sure this is because the store manager is lefty.

Kerry M

Very good point. Sadly, that isn't the case around here (St Louis area). Most shops carry no lefties, and I get so depressed going into shops anymore because I see all of these great guitars, and I can't play ANY of them.

Say there, you wouldn't mind looking up the phone # for this shop you are talking about and PM'ing me, would you?
I'd like to call and see what they have in stock, I have a few guitars on my wishlist that are really hard to find.

[RDV]

Have you tried playing in a garage?

Viola!

RDV