[Adcandour]

I'm putting in the order for a Dano tomorrow. Choosing the specs is harder than I thought.

Check out this amazing video. I've never heard of this guy, but his tone is incredible (to me) and some of the stuff he does with the guitar is nuts - check out his wah bit (I think around the 12:45 minute mark).

Here's the sound I'm after:

I've been bouncing between a relic'd black guitar or a burst. This is what I've decided on:

 

[Alex]

That Strat/Neck pickup tone in the video is a fairly standard tone to achieve and shouldn't be a problem.

For specs, it's a personal thing. Here are some of my faves:

Jumbo frets: 6100 or 6150
Radius: 9.5" and up or compound 7.25 - 9.5" radius
Bridge pup wired to Tone pot (sharing the middle pickup)
Chunky C or Soft V neck carve
Kluson tuners

 

[Budda]

If he can nail the finish of the photo, you are off to a good start.

 

[BSTheTech]

Classic SRV tone.

 

[Adcandour]

Classic SRV tone.

I don't think so myself. SRV usually has a greasy grit to his tone that I don't particularly care for. I think since "strat tone" is so "stratty" is easy to say it about anyone who plays a strat. There's a percussive thing this guy has going on that I appreciate. He does reference being heavily into SRV tone, but he doesn't sound like him to me other than having that 'strat sound'.

That Strat/Neck pickup tone in the video is a fairly standard tone to achieve and shouldn't be a problem.

For specs, it's a personal thing. Here are some of my faves:

Jumbo frets: 6100 or 6150
Radius: 9.5" and up or compound 7.25 - 9.5" radius
Bridge pup wired to Tone pot (sharing the middle pickup)
Chunky C or Soft V neck carve
Kluson tuners

Agreed - it's that 'strat tone'. I should have said "feel" (which has a lot to do with tone, imo). The set-up and then tension on his strings, etc, are what I think I'm liking here. He has some sort of hybrid 11/12 string gauge happening along with a 1/2 step detune that probably helps. He has bigger frets to help him bend those bigger strings too. I'm going to go to capsule tomorrow and try to pick out a neck I like. I'm having a hard time choosing. I can say that I'm having fun with his smallest neck.

I wonder what kind of tuners uses. They are excellent.

 

[sambonee]

Tuning is such an important issue.

The search is part of the fun for me. Good luck.

 

[davetcan]

Classic SRV tone.

I agree but then we all hear things differently

 

[greco]

Excellent video!

I certainly recognize some SRV influences.

 

[Fox Rox]

Listen to Lenny by SRV. Absolutely a gorgeous clean Strat tone, not gritty. SRV was a brilliant player and had a wide range of tones.

 

[Adcandour]

Guys, I get it. Definitely SRV in there - it's a strat. They all have a wide range of tones - mayer, clapton, hendrix, knoefler(sp?). clean and ranges of dirty.

@Fox Rox - Lenny actually does have a lot of hair in there - can't you hear the break up? It's throughout the whole tune.

I don't like SRV (him and Bonamassa are the same to me - good players, but essentially (and understandably) taking too much from players like EJ or Freddy King, respectively), so I don't know much of his stuff, but from all the stuff I've heard to come to this conclusion, it's mostly greasy bluesy. And it's not that I don't like the tone and I'll definitely take it, but I just like what this guy's got going on in this vid - and it's not 'classic SRV'. I'm sure if I went through SRV's entire library, I could refute myself, but I don't care enough.

 

[Budda]

Tuning is such an important issue.

The search is part of the fun for me. Good luck.

Tuning will totally change the feel and sound of an instrument (more or less string length) and I think a lot of people forget that. It's why some people love les pauls in C standard and other guys need superstrats at 25.5" scale.

 

[Fox Rox]

Guys, I get it. Definitely SRV in there - it's a strat. They all have a wide range of tones - mayer, clapton, hendrix, knoefler(sp?). clean and ranges of dirty.

@Fox Rox - Lenny actually does have a lot of hair in there - can't you hear the break up? It's throughout the whole tune.

I don't like SRV (him and Bonamassa are the same to me - good players, but essentially (and understandably) taking too much from players like EJ or Freddy King, respectively), so I don't know much of his stuff, but from all the stuff I've heard to come to this conclusion, it's mostly greasy bluesy. And it's not that I don't like the tone and I'll definitely take it, but I just like what this guy's got going on in this vid - and it's not 'classic SRV'. I'm sure if I went through SRV's entire library, I could refute myself, but I don't care enough.

Listen to the beginning of Lenny. To me that is the ultimate clean Strat tone through a tube amp. Does the song get a little gritty as the song progresses and he starts to play hard? Absolutely. That shows how dynamic his playing is and how responsive a Strat is to your playing style.

If you want completely clean Strat tones listen to Sultans of Swing by Dire Straits. Lots of Strat quack, and it is either pickup position 2 or 4.

 

[Adcandour]

Listen to the beginning of Lenny. To me that is the ultimate clean Strat tone through a tube amp. Does the song get a little gritty as the song progresses and he starts to play hard? Absolutely. That shows how dynamic his playing is and how responsive a Strat is to your playing style.

If you want completely clean Strat tones listen to Sultans of Swing by Dire Straits. Lots of Strat quack, and it is either pickup position 2 or 4.

It's just a matter of semantics then. Lenny's intro could be considered clean tone, but it's still not actually clean. Sultans is definitely clean to me - from my memory of it; I don't listen often, but once needed to learn the solo (to impress the father in law ).

 

[davetcan]

Ultimate clean Strat tone = Big Log and Wicked Game.

 

[Roryfan]

1) Assuming you go with the specs Alex listed above, I am calling dibs when the next urge strikes.

2) Please do not denigrate Stevie by lumping that wanker in with him. Clapton once described Stevie’s playing as « relentless » - - Joe B. is the Ricky Bobby of blues - « I wanna play fast »

3) Rory Gallagher kicks both their asses.

4) I’d also like to wish everyone a Stratty New Year!

5) My vote is for worn sunburst & a dark RW board (see #3)

 

[traynor_garnet]

That is the low output pickups, rolled off volume, with low pickups sound. That percussive attack with a soft body is so killer through a turned up amp.

TG

 

[Adcandour]

1) Assuming you go with the specs Alex listed above, I am calling dibs when the next urge strikes.

2) Please do not denigrate Stevie by lumping that wanker in with him. Clapton once described Stevie’s playing as « relentless » - - Joe B. is the Ricky Bobby of blues - « I wanna play fast »

3) Rory Gallagher kicks both their asses.

4) I’d also like to wish everyone a Stratty New Year!

5) My vote is for worn sunburst & a dark RW board (see #3)

I definitely lump SRV in there. I don't know. I sat down for a long dinner and drinks with Mr. Monty and he had a lot of interesting things to say about SRV's guitar playing - And Brian used to open for Freddy King (or something to that affect). Guys like SRV and JB among the bunch of others (including the guy in the OP video) will usually mention who they just took their lick from when someone comments on it.

When checking out his tone, I came across this vid where he mentions he got a grammy for actually a take off a "lightnin Hopkins" thing. He also mentions he combines the american blues of (Freddy King, etc) and the UK style of (ex. Clapton) to get his style. Bottom line for me, is that although I love playing it, hearing the licks, it's all kinda 'meh' to me (in other words, I hate listening to blues music). And, I realize the idea that they take from those before them is not a new idea, I think it justifies them being removed from the pedestal.

Bottom line is that I can't claim to know the blues - it's all shit music to me, but the tones and licks are some of the absolute best out there. Paul Gilbert says it best in a youtube video out there somewhere.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The email went out first thing this morning with that picture, so hopefully there's no issue with that finish. I haven't seen anything like it on his social media/website.
He no longer sends rosewood to canada, but I'll be getting it sent to my folks. Screw Pao Ferro (I'm sure it's nice, but I'm not chancing it on this guitar)
All right, you got dibs. But, the chance of me moving it will be slim to none. Remember Morris offered me 3 times my Monty's value and I said no.

 

[Adcandour]

That is the low output pickups, rolled off volume, with low pickups sound. That percussive attack with a soft body is so killer through a turned up amp.

TG

Yes, man!!!

To quote my lovely wife, " Thats alls I'm sayin' "

 

[StratCat]

+1 Rory Gallagher.

 

[rollingdam]

Listen to Buddy Guy