A Serious Question for you Experts out there?

[noelford]

Don't become obsessed by a sound, just enjoy playing the music,

[Strummer]

Well, thanks guys....(Now i've got a bloody headache!!)Lol!

Seriously, I have been lucky enough in my life to have seen the both Cliff richard and the Shadows, and, just the Shadows several times. From Walthamstow to The London Palladium etc, etc.

I get a pretty neat tone from my VOX AD 30 VT, but, it isn't what I am looking for. I use (now) a 1996/97 Japanese Fender Stratocaster (Signature) Pink, with its own original Vintage pups. It sounds pretty good, but it "'aint that sound!" Know what I mean? It's driving me batty. My cousin says it sounds great, I think its Ok, but I KNOW it isn't right! It drives me crazy to be honest. I also own a semi-accoustic Memphis Tanglewood, a Burns Cobra (Fiesta Red) a Burns Marvin (white) and a Burns Apache (white with gold).

So, I have a fair range of axes to play. Just can't feel 'satisfied' for some reason?

[dave robinson]

I didn't realise that you already had an amplifier, particularly a Vox AD 30VT. I have several amps including one of those and on mine the sound is in there if you know where to 'tweak'. On stage I use a Vox AC30 with the EF86 which sounds spot on. I can tell you that my AD30VT can sound very similar to my AC30 when using the tone and volume controls in the following way :

Master volume = full on
Bass = zero - you can bring a bit of bass in if it sounds too 'brittle', but not too much.
middle = between 12 o clock and three O clock.
treble = until it bites without being uncomfortable on the high strings.
volume = full on.
gain = use as volume control on an AC30 or AC15.

Tonewise this works on mine and sounds close to the real thing, add a decent echo and it should be close.
I have achieved satisfactory results with all of my Strats, all with different types of pickups - but they are set up perfectly for the tone.
Daniel Martin of The Foot Tappers has used it with his left handed Strat with 57/62 pickups and again it sounds close.
I just figured that you didn't ought to be spending money without trying this out.
Good luck.

[ELET]

Well, thanks guys....(Now i've got a bloody headache!!)Lol!

Seriously, I have been lucky enough in my life to have seen the both Cliff richard and the Shadows, and, just the Shadows several times. From Walthamstow to The London Palladium etc, etc.

I get a pretty neat tone from my VOX AD 30 VT, but, it isn't what I am looking for. I use (now) a 1996/97 Japanese Fender Stratocaster (Signature) Pink, with its own original Vintage pups. It sounds pretty good, but it "'aint that sound!" Know what I mean? It's driving me batty. My cousin says it sounds great, I think its Ok, but I KNOW it isn't right! It drives me crazy to be honest. I also own a semi-accoustic Memphis Tanglewood, a Burns Cobra (Fiesta Red) a Burns Marvin (white) and a Burns Apache (white with gold).

So, I have a fair range of axes to play. Just can't feel 'satisfied' for some reason?

I've found that Custom Shop 57/62s' are a good reasonably priced pickups for the Shadows sound, are these the ones fitted to your Japanese Strat? The Japanese Strats that I've owned have not had these as original equipment and I've found that installing them has resulted in a much more authentic old late 50s'/early 60s' Strat tone. I also use Custom Shop 54s' in one of my guitars but these are much brighter, (some say harsher), than the 57/62s'. As I rather like Telecaster sounds the 54s' sound great to me but if you're looking for the "holy grail" sound they're probably not for you.

[ecca]

Got any Shads clubs near to you Henry ?

[Tigerdaisy]

Any reasonable Strat and preferably a moderately powered valve amp- Vox, Peavy, Fender, Blackstar etc etc. Any half decent digital delay- a Boss would be sufficient. The most important thing is not sounding like the Shadows, but playing like the Shadows... Its in the performance really. The Shadows have sounded different at different times.

[ELET]

Got any Shads clubs near to you Henry ?

Yes there are a couple within 10 miles of Teignmouth where I live. I used to belong to the South West Shadows Club but they "excommunicated" me, (no more news letters etc.), after Rick ceased to run it. I have to admit that I was rather a thorn in Ricks' side but he was always very polite and at least he didn't throw me out. I now go to the more recently formed Devon Shadows Club, this is a very well run friendly group of people and I really enjoy my visits. I even sometimes get quite a few notes right on a good day.

[petercreasey]

............................AND the Hard Work and Talent!
Failing that, I guess that "Selling your soul to the Devil", as Robert Johnson was said to do, might work!!
Regards
Paul
P.S. However, unless I'm totally mistaken, to truly achieve "That Sound", might you not also need a decent Bass Player, Rhythm Guitarist, and Drummer?

Nah,
No need for Bass Rhythm, Drums or even Keyboard.............., Use a backing track all recorded to perfection sorted!............... Oh No need for lead guitar either...... Just play the record! Simples! I'm going to bed no need to practice
Take care

[Strummer]

I didn't realise that you already had an amplifier, particularly a Vox AD 30VT. I have several amps including one of those and on mine the sound is in there if you know where to 'tweak'. On stage I use a Vox AC30 with the EF86 which sounds spot on. I can tell you that my AD30VT can sound very similar to my AC30 when using the tone and volume controls in the following way :

Master volume = full on
Bass = zero - you can bring a bit of bass in if it sounds too 'brittle', but not too much.
middle = between 12 o clock and three O clock.
treble = until it bites without being uncomfortable on the high strings.
volume = full on.
gain = use as volume control on an AC30 or AC15.

Tonewise this works on mine and sounds close to the real thing, add a decent echo and it should be close.
I have achieved satisfactory results with all of my Strats, all with different types of pickups - but they are set up perfectly for the tone.
Daniel Martin of The Foot Tappers has used it with his left handed Strat with 57/62 pickups and again it sounds close.
I just figured that you didn't ought to be spending money without trying this out.
Good luck.

Dave,

Thank you very much for that i will "copy" your post and set mine up in the format you have stated...see where it goes from there i guess. I suppose though, that I will need a footpedal won't I?

[Strummer]

I didn't realise that you already had an amplifier, particularly a Vox AD 30VT. I have several amps including one of those and on mine the sound is in there if you know where to 'tweak'. On stage I use a Vox AC30 with the EF86 which sounds spot on. I can tell you that my AD30VT can sound very similar to my AC30 when using the tone and volume controls in the following way :

Master volume = full on
Bass = zero - you can bring a bit of bass in if it sounds too 'brittle', but not too much.
middle = between 12 o clock and three O clock.
treble = until it bites without being uncomfortable on the high strings.
volume = full on.
gain = use as volume control on an AC30 or AC15.

Tonewise this works on mine and sounds close to the real thing, add a decent echo and it should be close.
I have achieved satisfactory results with all of my Strats, all with different types of pickups - but they are set up perfectly for the tone.
Daniel Martin of The Foot Tappers has used it with his left handed Strat with 57/62 pickups and again it sounds close.
I just figured that you didn't ought to be spending money without trying this out.
Good luck.

Dave,

Thank you very much for that i will "copy" your post and set mine up in the format you have stated...see where it goes from there i guess. I suppose though, that I will need a footpedal won't I?

Dave

I've just taken the details you gave me and will attempt a re-construct on my AD 30 VT tonight; "providing 'Err indoors doesn't get doing something?" Lol!

Arthur