Echo advice on YouTube...

[almano]

Actually, I have to say that I prefered to use the Boss unit with the reverb turned off and just as an echo unit - with the reverb engaged it just didn't sound right to me. A separate reverb works best with this unit in my opinion - although, as you say, it still doesn't actually recreate that early Hank sound in the same way that perhaps good vintage valved equipment would do. Still, I suppose it is really only an approximation after all, which is the lot it seems of these foot pedal digital boxes anyway. Unfortunately, I'll also have to admit that I can't quite get it all together with tweaking the controls on the Line 6 DL4 Delay Pedal in trying to attempt to get that early Hank sound - perhaps I'm probably expecting too much from these digital boxes - would you agree?
As I'm rather, sort of, newish (or is it 'reborn' into guitars again after a 30 years break?) - I was wondering what picks/plectrums I should now be using. At the moment I'm finding that the .60 Dunlops give me a good approximation - although I bet I'm probably a long way off the mark with these - any advice I can get there will be more than gratefully accepted.
I'm also a little concerned about my Strat' - as it is one of the first of those CBS three screw neck jobs. Would this guitar ever really produce an authentic HBM sound I wonder? Again, any advice would be very helpful.
Thanks ever so much for sharing your Shad's knowledge - it makes my rather out of date (time delayed preferably!) enthusiasm worth all the effort.
All the very best,
Alan.

[Amanda]

Hi,

Your 3 screw neck 70's strat should produce the same sounds as Hank,
in 1979 I think it was Hank was playing a Black 70's strat.

[rmfrance]

If you're looking for an affordable alternative to a Quadraverb, I'd recommend a Zoom G2 loaded with Charlie Hall's Echoes From The Past patches. All the band's recordings used different echo and other effects, so one unit won't do more than approximate to the sound you're after. The patches, on the other hand, are replicated (and endorsed by Hank himself) from the originals. I simply can't stretch to a Quad at the moment, but the G2 works fine for me - you can hear my sound (red Strat) and that of the other guitarist using his Quad by searching for Big Figure Band on YouTube. Not the greatest sound/video quality, but we're working on it...

[almano]

Yes, I agree, the Zoom G2 echo unit does look to be a good cost effective alternative to the Quadreverb. The big plus point with the Zoom echo is that they are available brand new.

I’m afraid that I’m rather sceptical at the prospects of buying a “used” Quadreverb off EBay – I’ve heard too many stories of various, shall we say, “problems” associated with such purchases. I’ve seen 20 series (I think they are) Quadreverbs on there, complete with the full set of Charlie’s Echo’s going for less than £300! Probably this is a genuine bargain and the sale is 100% spot on – but I can’t help this little nagging doubt that if a thing looks too good to be true – it probably is!

I would love to indulge in a genuine Quadreverb with the EFTP pre-installed – but unless I can check it out properly in an accredited dealership; with things like this, I feel that the old saying of “buying a pig in a poke” somehow springs to mind. A similar situation also seems to apply to the Yamaha Stomp Box – I can only find them on EBay as well.

So, as Roger recommends (and I agree), it’s all down to a brand new Zoom G2 box for me! And – of course, I can get Charlie Hall’s Echoes for it as well – so I think that’s most probably the best road to go down.

Thanks are also due to Amanda for giving me a little more confidence in my 3 screw neck Strat. If Hank actually played one of these, then that’s enough of an endorsement for me – if Hank was happy to use one, then - I am happy to twang a few notes out on mine!

The only question remaining is – what is that “tilt” control (or screw to be more correct) supposed to do? I haven’t tweaked it so far cos’ I know I will mess things up if I do – so I’d rather know exactly what I’d be doing if I ever touched it. Could anyone advise me? Thanks.

Cheers,

Alan.

[des mcneill]

Hi Alan,
The tilt adjustment basically changes the angle the neck presents to the body,used for helping to get the action just right. If you are happy with the guitar's action there is no need to adjust it.
Des.

[JimN]

There is also a "Neck Tilt" mechanism built into the neck pockets of original 1960s Burns/Baldwin Marvins. Burns were first with it - certainly before Fender.

But it was not carried over into the 2004 Anniversary Marvin range, and probably not into the subsequent versions of the Marvin or the Apache.

JN

[ecca]

I remember, like Charles, doing this donkey's years back to limited effect.
It was never quite there and there was a lot of faffing about.
These days there are quite a few multihead simulations to play with that would probably get closer.

[almano]

Hi Ecca, I’ve just taken the opportunity to check out your web site and I was most impressed to see that you played Flingel Bunt on a Gibson Les Paul Deluxe – and it sounded virtually the same as a Strat!

The strange thing is that I think my own mid ‘70’s Les Paul Deluxe also sounds as good as a Strat for some of the old Hank tunes. I actually thought I was probably just deluding myself with such a thought, but seeing your video has convinced me otherwise. Mind you, my bridge pick up was replaced with a Dimarzio (of rather ancient vintage) many moons ago – which probably could have some sort of effect on the Hank style sound – although in contradiction to that, the neck pick up is still the original Gibson mini humbucker, - but nonetheless, combining and mixing the sound from both those pick ups does indeed produce some wonderful HBM tones (to my ears). Unfortunately I couldn’t quite see the bridge pick up on your Les Paul in the video – would that be a Dimarzio or is it the Gibson original?

I have to say I was also very impressed with the tremolo on your Les Paul – I didn’t recognise it – is it a “special” or a standard sort of item? Whatever it is, it works rather well. It looks to me like it appears to replace the “stop bar tailpiece” – would this be correct? I’d be very interested to know what it actually is – where do they flog ‘em?

Cheers,

Alan.