Best Fender Amps for Shadows Sounds

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Re: Best Fender Amps for Shadows Sounds

Postby Stu's Dad » Tue Mar 13, 2018 10:32 pm

I'm with Abel on this, he echoes what I've been thinking as I've followed this thread. I use a Valvetronix amp and I've got Classic Vibe 50s Strat and a Zoom G7 with EFTP on board, and with that gear I can make a very passable Shadows sound. But that's got me thinking, why do I need to replicate so exactly something that's already done. Some years ago I had a Fender FM 100 head with the 4x10 cabinet, and I loved the clean tones out of it even though they came nowhere near the sound of Hank playing through a Vox. Apart from the Valvetronix I've also got a Blackstar ID 30 TVP, and even a nifty little Orange Micro Terror. I enjoy playing through them both just as much as I like playing through the Vox, albeit with different guitars. I've been toying with the idea of playing some small gigs again and I'm too old to be lugging valve amps around, so I'm giving serious consideration to a Fender Champion 100, the nearest thing to a Frontman amp that you can get now. Audiences don't really care half as much as us.

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Re: Best Fender Amps for Shadows Sounds

Postby petercreasey » Thu Mar 15, 2018 10:25 am

Stuart wrote:Referring back to the original question about which Fender amp to use for the Shadows sound...... I would say none of them. They have their own distinctive sound but generally have contrived EQ sound which gives an over emphasised treble and bass response and a shaped mid range which sounds very clean and impressive but is more suited to Country and country rock or blues players. Try playing a fender amp directly alongside an AC 30 and you will hear that they are poles apart. Both have their good and bad points and each is preferred by different players but I have yet to hear a fender amp that is close to the original Shadows sound.


Try this one


Down to the player I would say
Take care
Peter

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You grow old when you stop playing
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Re: Best Fender Amps for Shadows Sounds

Postby abstamaria » Thu Mar 15, 2018 1:16 pm

Of course, a good player will always sound better than a mediocre one and will come closer to the “sound.” But voices are voices, the good player in my view will come closest to the vintage Shadows sound using a Vox. The tonal qualities differ, even from one Vox model to the next.

If the objective is to sound like the Shadows, why try to do that with a Fender?
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Re: Best Fender Amps for Shadows Sounds

Postby Iain Purdon » Thu Mar 15, 2018 6:19 pm

If I have understood the question correctly, we are not being asked what is the best gear to get a Shadows sound, the question is which Fender amp gets closest?
Mike may have other reasons for choosing Fender equipment!
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Re: Best Fender Amps for Shadows Sounds

Postby abstamaria » Thu Mar 15, 2018 7:03 pm

You are right, Iain. In that case, perhaps a modeling amp - a Fender Cyber-Deluxe - might be best. Not ideal and a compromise, but I suppose that’s the solution.
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Re: Best Fender Amps for Shadows Sounds

Postby Egelund » Fri Mar 16, 2018 1:25 pm

Maybe I am not qualified to give my opinion here, not being from UK.

The original sound of many bands, were created with the gear available, and for Beatles and Shadows, also of the contract they had with JMI/Vox.
We often return to the discussion of the gear, but why is that good players often, if not always, get a good and quite authentic sound, with the gear that is present in a studio or a live gig.

I play in two different 60.s bands, and do a lot of tribute performance at clubs and ´Shadows gathering, 16 gigs last year..
The set list is early 60.s and a great number of instrumentals

One of my amps is a JMI 15 handwired in UK, with a Blue alnico speaker, I guess it would qualify for getting the Shadows sound.
But I have other amps, including a Fender super sonic 22 pro serie, and I use one just as much as the other.
Though I can say that the Shadows fans, like the look of the JMI, and the sound.
But I have never ever heard any comment about the sound when I used one of the other amps.

I love JMI and Vox, but I love Fender as well, I even have a Roland JC 4o, sparkling clean sounds.
Honestly the players here using a expensive Fender reverb, vintage amp, will get just a decent sound as the ones using a wannabe tube amp.
I think that the never ending search for that sound, ( which we all have been a part of) Will take away the focus from playing, enjoying music, and finding your own sound.

So practice - play guitar - and give it a go with a audience - And have fun

regards
Niels
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Re: Best Fender Amps for Shadows Sounds

Postby Iain Purdon » Fri Mar 16, 2018 1:59 pm

Egelund wrote:Maybe I am not qualified to give my opinion here, not being from UK
You have every right to share your thinking, Niels. Any site member can do that. :)
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Re: Best Fender Amps for Shadows Sounds

Postby abstamaria » Sat Mar 17, 2018 1:17 am

If you’re my age, you must have started out a Ventures fan. I did.

Yes, at most gigs, parties, and shows, no one will note or much care that one’s “sound” isn’t accurate. In most circumstances, the venue, the mic’d house system, the acoustics would be far from ideal anyway. The audience will be happy so long so long as one plays reasonably well and they identify with the music.

The quest for the “sound” for me is a personal one, with the only critic being myself. I know i sound closest to Hank though a Vox and the right echo box, and I assume that a very good guitarist (I am a terrible one) who sounds close to Hank using a Peavey will sound even more authentic through the right Vox.

The original question didn’t specify why a Fender has to be used and for what purpose a Shadows “sound” was needed. For gigs, for instance, when one has to play Dick Dale as well? That is why there were so many answers.

When I began to try to capture the early Shadows sound, I started with a Jazzmaster and a Twin Reverb. (As I mentioned, I started out a Bob Bogle fan.) I could not figure out why I sounded so far from Hank. Thank heavens for this forum.

Best regards,

Andy
(I lived in the USA for three years decades ago.)
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Re: Best Fender Amps for Shadows Sounds

Postby kipper » Sat Mar 17, 2018 7:10 pm

abstamaria wrote:If you’re my age, you must have started out a Ventures fan. I did.

Yes, at most gigs, parties, and shows, no one will note or much care that one’s “sound” isn’t accurate. In most circumstances, the venue, the mic’d house system, the acoustics would be far from ideal anyway. The audience will be happy so long so long as one plays reasonably well and they identify with the music.

The quest for the “sound” for me is a personal one, with the only critic being myself. I know i sound closest to Hank though a Vox and the right echo box, and I assume that a very good guitarist (I am a terrible one) who sounds close to Hank using a Peavey will sound even more authentic through the right Vox.

The original question didn’t specify why a Fender has to be used and for what purpose a Shadows “sound” was needed. For gigs, for instance, when one has to play Dick Dale as well? That is why there were so many answers.

When I began to try to capture the early Shadows sound, I started with a Jazzmaster and a Twin Reverb. (As I mentioned, I started out a Bob Bogle fan.) I could not figure out why I sounded so far from Hank. Thank heavens for this forum.

Best regards,

Andy
(I lived in the USA for three years decades ago.)

hi andy I'm simler age to you but the Ventures seemed to pass me by in my youth and in my adult life I don't now why no reason I can think of just one of those things. peter
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Re: Best Fender Amps for Shadows Sounds

Postby Egelund » Mon Mar 19, 2018 4:44 pm

The Ventures were a huge guitarband, probably one of the greatest-
Formed in 1958.
Credited for having had a major influence on every surf band and other guitar music
Sold over 100 million records
Rock and roll Hall of fame in 2008

Most of the original members has passed away.
But they are still doing concerts and touring, the drummer being a son of the long time and famous Ventures drummer, Mel Taylor.

Had great succes in USA as well as Europe, but their fame in Japan was second to none.
They were extremely popular and up to this day, Japan is crowded with tribute bands, playing music of The Ventures.
Often using the signature guitars Mossrite, made famous by The Ventures.

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