Mark2Bra
Joined: Sep 01, 2013
Posts: 248
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Posted on May 23 2015 01:23 PM
I can't remember any video of Surf music where the 2 position is being used (saw 4th only once , on Flamenco by B Sea Surfers , if I'm not mistaken)
I tried getting close to DD sound , which is tricky because the reversed strings/piuckup relation.
Accidentally the switch on my Strat went to 2nd position and i got a sound which, to me, sounded quite close to old DD sound , like this old Wedge
Does anyone use 2nd position? Or have any idea if DD ever used it?
Mark.
Last edited: May 23, 2015 14:31:01
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Brian
Joined: Feb 25, 2006
Posts: 19195
Des Moines, Iowa, USA
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Posted on May 23 2015 02:27 PM
Second position? Second fret? Oh, I think you are talking about pickup selector switch, on a strat, I presume. 5 way or 3 way? What do you mean exactly? Which pickups are on in this position? And what guitar?
Dick would have originally had a 3 way switch. I don't know if he now uses a 5-way, which came much later.
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Mark2Bra
Joined: Sep 01, 2013
Posts: 248
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Posted on May 23 2015 02:32 PM
My fault Brain.
Edited.
DD has 3 way switch , but has another toggle that activates the middle pickup with on of the other (or both?)
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Melvin_Udall
Joined: Mar 13, 2014
Posts: 21
Thessaloniki
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Posted on May 25 2015 04:35 AM
I think i have seen some old ventures videos featuring Gerry McGee, where he uses second position (I suppose you mean bridge & middle with that). The sound on these positions is smoother with less aggression in the attack, so I suppose you could use it in smoother songs.
Personally I use the middle pickup, for it provides a good balance between fatness and roughness in the sound.
— Surf Rock from the Northern Greece seas
http://meanwhileinmexico.gr/
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IvanP
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 10321
southern Michigan
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Posted on May 25 2015 12:14 PM
I'm not sure if by 2nd position you mean the bridge and middle or neck and middle position. It's sometimes hard to distinguish those two on a recording anyway, but yes, DD definitely started using that a lot in the '70s, and to this day (I don't think he used it on any of his recordings in the '60s, though, but I could be wrong). The Wedge you link above is a good example of his 'in-between' sound - and yes, that extra toggle switch on his pickguard was installed so he could have immediate access to that setting. He's always had a 3-way main pickup switch.
Another guy that used that neck-middle pickup setting a LOT - actually, exclusively - was Jim Messina. Check out his stuff with the Jesters. I can't really think of anybody else in the first wave, though I'm sure there were some others.
In the revival, I guess one band that comes up with is the Varatones from the '90s (though it's possible they used more of the bridge/middle, I don't remember now). The Aqua Velvets on occasion, as well. That's all I can really think of.
I don't think those settings are all that popular for surf music, it's more for blues and more 'sensitive' kinds of music.  Jim Skiathitis of the Atlantics told me a story that the Atlantics' drummer Peter Hood so despised the in-between sound that if he heard one of the guitarists switch to it even accidentally, he'd stop the song and demand they change it!
— Ivan
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Badger
Joined: Nov 16, 2013
Posts: 4536
Wisconsin
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Posted on May 25 2015 01:42 PM
IvanP wrote:
Jim Skiathitis of the Atlantics told me a story that the Atlantics' drummer Peter Hood so despised the in-between sound that if he heard one of the guitarists switch to it even accidentally, he'd stop the song and demand they change it!
Having seen him in a couple of interviews that can be a helluva scowl.
— Wes
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DISCLAIMER: The above is opinion/suggestion only & should not be used for mission planning/navigation, tweaking of instruments, beverage selection, or wardrobe choices.
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RaistMagus
Joined: Mar 30, 2011
Posts: 388
Copenhagen
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Posted on May 25 2015 03:24 PM
I've used the bridge-middle position in all the lead parts of this song https://m.youtube.com/watch?_e_pi_=7%2CPAGE_ID10%2C9460999237 (I hope the link works, I'm using a cell phone).
I've also seen Oleg from Messer Chups at Surfer Joe after party. He was playing "The Shadow knows" on a strat and I believe he used the 2nd position.
— https://zakandthekrakens.bandcamp.com/
https://www.dirtyfuse.com
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Mark2Bra
Joined: Sep 01, 2013
Posts: 248
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Posted on May 28 2015 02:36 PM
Thanks for the replies!
Another guy that used that neck-middle pickup setting a LOT - actually, exclusively - was Jim Messina.
Indeed. "The Jester" from "Dragsters" is a good example for that. (I guess "The Cossack" was played on mid as well)
(I don't think he used it on any of his recordings in the '60s, though, but I could be wrong). The Wedge you link above is a good example of his 'in-between' sound
So I guess it was played with neck+mid then?
I've used the bridge-middle position in all the lead parts of this song https://m.youtube.com/watch?_e_pi_=7%2CPAGE_ID10%2C9460999237 (I hope the link works, I'm using a cell phone).
Link takes me to YouTube main page.
Cheers,
Mark.
Last edited: May 29, 2015 03:02:27
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RaistMagus
Joined: Mar 30, 2011
Posts: 388
Copenhagen
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Posted on Jun 01 2015 02:15 PM
Sorry for the link above, I was out of town. Here's the track whose leads I recorded playing at the 2nd position. Strat -> 63 RI reverb -> Super Reverb + VOX AC30 (You can mostly hear the Super Reverb, the Vox is mixed quite low).
— https://zakandthekrakens.bandcamp.com/
https://www.dirtyfuse.com
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revmike
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 3743
North Atlantic
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Posted on Jun 01 2015 02:20 PM
This tune was recorded with position 2. Strat > Reverb Tank > Kalamazoo Model 2. I rarely use this position, but liked the sound it produced for this track.
Rev
— Canadian Surf
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Nokie
Joined: Oct 06, 2008
Posts: 549
So Cal
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Posted on Jun 01 2015 03:22 PM
RaistMagus wrote:
Sorry for the link above, I was out of town. Here's the track whose leads I recorded playing at the 2nd position. Strat -> 63 RI reverb -> Super Reverb + VOX AC30 (You can mostly hear the Super Reverb, the Vox is mixed quite low).
That's a real nice tune and one of the best examples of the 2nd position strat sound as applied in a surf recording. -Marty
— "Hello Girls!"
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Nokie
Joined: Oct 06, 2008
Posts: 549
So Cal
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Posted on Jun 01 2015 03:24 PM
revhank wrote:
This tune was recorded with position 2. Strat > Reverb Tank > Kalamazoo Model 2. I rarely use this position, but liked the sound it produced for this track.
Rev
Wow, another very cool example though the reverb masks a bit of the 2nd position characteristic sound. It makes for a very nice blend though. -Marty
— "Hello Girls!"
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Mark2Bra
Joined: Sep 01, 2013
Posts: 248
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Posted on Jun 03 2015 10:45 AM
Great songs!
Thank you both.
Cheers,
Mark.
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