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It is ironic that Ian has posted a very entertaining ''own arrangement'' of Peace Pipe just as I had decided to dig out the old Vox Long Tom for some ''back to my roots'' recording!

The recent topic of ''which echo is the best'' inspired me to fire it up to see what it sounded like recorded. I wait, like the rest of you, with anticipation for Phil Kelly's Meazzi sound.

I put this on the forum to let other members hear what the Vox sounds like with no added extras - reverb; extra EQ; shaping or shifting, but just the guitar straight into the echo and then purely into Cubase which doesn't taint the sound at all. To my hearing the echoes just blend together except at the tail-off, but they are emphasised, especially in this number, when the strings are muted giving a lovely ripple effect. These are all variable in strength and tail-off. Also, once the valves have warmed up, you get a lovely thick warm sound that makes using the Vox a real treat. The machine is in great condition and is working silently with no hum or other mechanical noises - maybe I'm lucky!

Hope you enjoy the sound and watching the video which was produced by my friend Phil McGarrick. We took the opportunity to record another Shads tune - ''Frightened City'' - which I will publish in the next week or so once Phil has had time to process it. This number gives a better indication of the extra bite that the Vox gives to the notes.

Thanks for looking - hope you enjoy the video.

Cheers, John

Hi John
Sorry to steal your thunder with my oddball PP.
This is more like it! Spot on playing showing clear it the fingering needed to create those flowing notes.
Great tone too and loved the echo unit.
Cheers
Ian

Thanks for this one John...THE sound....right guitar and right echo....Cheers, Paul

Spot on sir. Well done!

Thank you all.

Ian: Thanks for the comments, very much appreciated. You haven't stolen anything, I've rather interrupted your post a little prematurely, but its great to hear other people experimenting and arranging with numbers. I inevitably add a little something or just a couple of notes, as Hank usually does, to break it from its original form and add a ''tweek'' of variation to something we know off by heart. It refreshes the number and adds interest. Pleased you liked the Vox.

Paul: Like Ian, another respected guitarist who enjoys not only Shads music, but other songs that make great instrumentals. Thanks for the nice comments. I am pleased you liked the Strat/Vox combination and it just shows that these old units have something a bit different from non-valve units.

Steve: Thanks for watching and commenting. A pleasure to have let other members hear what the Vox sounds like (at least mine) and that they are still worthy of a place in our favourite sound.

I will be posting another number next week - ''Frightened City'' - using the middle pick-up which gives off a thicker sound.

John