Stones - Can't You Hear Me Knocking tone...

[MetalGod]

There was thread recently about getting that gnarly tone Keith had on Sticky Fingers.  Anyway, I recently built the Sam Ash fuzz and can report it performs very well in this setting.  I used the neck humbucker on my Tele into a the clean channel on my 5150 mkII with the bright switch disengaged.  Set the fuzz on the pedal to 3 o'clock, volume on full and tone halfway (tone is VERY subtle though).  I also dialled in a short slapback echo that they seemed fond of during this period. 

Just thought this info might be useful for those out there looking for some dirty Stones tones 

[Bernardduur]

I know from a search I did a long time ago that the "normal" Stones tone comes from pushing the speakers.

(Keiths tone)

[MetalGod]

I think all Stones tones (with the exception of Satisfaction) are cranked amps - I'm just trying to get close as possible without having to crank the shit out of old valve amps 

[petemoore]

  Tube Amps 'n Speakers. Stone Tone.
 Here's what I think happened...
 engineers picked speakers for responsiveness, sensativity, frequency response, tone, I don't know what brand, but have had best results using 'Radio' type speakers, or rather a beefed up version that the Celestion Alnico Blue is reportedly fashioned after, pricey, used as example, but lower wattage, lightwieght cone, blowable / not 'increased power handling' type. In my exp., tweeky-speakers like this are responsible for a great deal of the tone of an amp, and get as loud as a 12'' speaker can without breaking up funny. Figure out how much [1x12'' or 2x12'' etc.] you need to get them in the 'sweet zone' [they sound different when pushed too hard or not hard enough] in the application you'll be using them..ie figure out how many sounds the right volume when pushed to near center of the 'sweet volume zone'.
 The thing is this is also part 'tube amp loaded' tone, having different amps to try on the speaker configuration you chose [for speaker volume/tone sweet zone], I would guess 1x12'' fairly high effeciency guitar upgrade type speaker would work' a tube output section capable of 12w - 22w, much smaller wattage output per 12'' and the speaker won't get pushed, much bigger than 22w and the tube amp won't get as much loading effects, then double as necessary to achieve volume.
  Many 'bought' amps put in 'power handling' speakers, and amps that are higher powered, this makes for a louder [not necessarily sweeter] sounding, more rugged amp which is capable of driving ext. cabinets, and a wider range of volume levels with less tonal differences, I prefer the 'right' amount of volume level with big tonal differences between when the amp is pushed [like when attacking a low note or chord, inserting a booster or OD, etc.] and when it's seeing a lower input voltage [like turning the guitar volume down some].
  If the amp distorts kind of easy, it may be impossible to get a louder, pristine country clean type 'spank', louder notes will have accompanying distortion....we're not talking here about clean-spanky tones, a good example of that is a Twin.
 

[MetalGod]

I'm already a (long time) low-wattage speaker convert - I use creamback G12Hs with 55Hz bass cones (yes, they are SWEET).  I agree that speakers need VOLUME to sound best.

[Mandrake754]

MetalGod: any chance you can record a clip of the intro with that fuzz? i just wanna hear how close it gets before i put other projects on hold to breadboard that bad boy up. thanks for the tip btw.

Petemoore & MetalGod: I play through a clone I made of a '59 twin, it's a head sitting on top of a marshall 1960a. I am going to be replacing the g12t-75's soon, and was probably going to go with the lower voiced vintage30's you can get, the hellatone 60l. now that you guys mention lower wattage speakers sounding better, would you recommend I load my cab up with 4 of:
-hellatone 60L which is a v30 with lower bass cone, 240w
-g12h30, making for a much lower 120w cab
-greenback's, putting me at a 100w cab...fairly close to what the amp puts out (=hot speakers)... lower efficiency however, so not quite the volume boost the previous two would get me (not that i need it)

petemoore, what you said about clean spanky tones, does that mean lower wattage speakers are gonna hurt my twin's clean tones?
I'm still leaning toword the 60L's, but up for suggestions. I play alot of classic-esque rock, right from clean to 'boogie' high gain.

[MetalGod]

I'll see what I can do over the weekend to record a wee bit of the Sam Ash fuzz.

[elliold]

In the soundclips section of the wiki one site has a clip of someone playing "Can't you hear me knocking" on a squarewave.  It sounds really close to me, although I am not a tone expert.

[Traintrack]

Dollar to Donuts it was a Fender Bronco amp or a Champ dimed.

[Dragonfly]

Being in the proper tuning...Open G...helps too. I see people try to pull it off in standard tuning, and it never sounds right.

[legomaniac4040]

Love that Early Stones sound, Where can I find that sam ash fuzz.

[Dragonfly]

Love that Early Stones sound, Where can I find that sam ash fuzz.

The crazy thing about Google is that if you type in "Sam Ash Fuzz schematic", the first page that pops up has a Sam Ash Fuzz schematic on it ! 

http://fuzzcentral.ssguitar.com/schematics/ashfuzzschem.gif 

[MetalGod]

Being in the proper tuning...Open G...helps too. I see people try to pull it off in standard tuning, and it never sounds right.

agreed, most of Keiths stuff is like that - I'm playing this song in open G capo'd at the 5th fret.  There are other songs on Sticky Fingers that seem to have the same setup.