SurfCat
Joined: Oct 04, 2006
Posts: 64
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Posted on May 12 2007 02:02 PM
It seems to me that one reason for the longevity of the commercial success of The Ventures is the apparent perfection of their recordings in terms of timing and qualty of sound in all of their studio albums that I have listened to.
What I would like to ask of the guys and gals who have actually seen and heard The Ventures play live is ---> "Are the Ventures live as perfect as their studio recordings?"
Thanks,
SurfCat
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bigtikidude
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 25580
Anaheim(So.Cal.)U.S.A.
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Posted on May 12 2007 05:08 PM
Perfect? probably not, really tight yes.
definetly more energy live than on cd.
but, I saw them 2 times, the 2nd time I fell asleep.
but it was after a long 12 hour work day, and a big dinner.
Ventures are a good band, just not my favorite.
Jeff(bigtikidude)
— Jeff(bigtikidude)
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IronMaiden
Joined: Nov 02, 2006
Posts: 564
Virginia Beach
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Posted on May 12 2007 08:15 PM
Yeah, Id say they were perfect live on 'Live in Japan 1965'. You cant beat the sound on that album, drums, guitar and bass all sound awesome.
I dont really like thier studio tones, too clean for me.
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eddiekatcher
Joined: Mar 14, 2006
Posts: 2776
Atlanta, GA
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Posted on May 12 2007 08:56 PM
I am on the other side of the fence, I love the studio sounds of the really early albums. I continue to strive to produce a live sound similar to those the Ventures got on those early studio albums. Don't get me wrong, I dig the live album feel too but that super smooth clean thunk.....That does it for me. About twenty years back the Ventures played here in Atlanta in small club. WoodyJ, Mitch, Wallace Reed (owns the local really cool music store) and I were all there but none of us knew each other at the time.....Both Woody and Mitch have some great Ventures stories.....I hope they will join in and enlighten you guys some.......ed
— Traditional........speak softly and play through a big blonde amp. Did I mention that I still like big blonde amps?
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SurfCat
Joined: Oct 04, 2006
Posts: 64
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Posted on May 12 2007 10:24 PM
eddiekatcher
I am on the other side of the fence, I love the studio sounds of the really early albums. I continue to strive to produce a live sound similar to those the Ventures got on those early studio albums. Don't get me wrong, I dig the live album feel too but that super smooth clean thunk.....That does it for me.
Yeah, that super smooth clean sound does it for me, too.
Several months back, I emailed The Ventures business manager, Fiona Taylor, asking her to please ask Bob Bogle, one of The Ventures original founders along with Don Wilson, details of The Ventures recording of "Beethoven Five-Oh!" from their "Wild Again! CD including how long did it take to arrange and practice it, guitars used, pickups used, and amps used.
Bob, who played lead along with Jerry McGee on this particular recording, replied back through Fiona saying that it took a week to arange and practice and that he probably used a Jazzmaster on that recording and that Jerry McGee used a Stratocaster. He also said they probably recorded it plugged straight into the board.
Bob said that The Ventures often plug straight into the board when recording which I guess helps account for their clean sounds.
Incidentally, Bob was very polite and gracious in his message to me, a true gentleman. 
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SurfCat
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Gunther-the-Go-Go-Gorilla
Joined: May 03, 2007
Posts: 8
Phoenix, Arizona
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Posted on May 13 2007 12:22 PM
eddiekatcher
I am on the other side of the fence, I love the studio sounds of the really early albums. I continue to strive to produce a live sound similar to those the Ventures got on those early studio albums. Don't get me wrong, I dig the live album feel too but that super smooth clean thunk.....That does it for me. About twenty years back the Ventures played here in Atlanta in small club. WoodyJ, Mitch, Wallace Reed (owns the local really cool music store) and I were all there but none of us knew each other at the time.....Both Woody and Mitch have some great Ventures stories.....I hope they will join in and enlighten you guys some.......ed
I agree with Eddie here. I LOVE the earlier Ventures stuff. Starting Ventures in Space, their stuff just doesn't sound as good to me.
— <a href="klzzwxh:0000" target="_blank"><img src="klzzwxh:0001" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a>
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Boulder_Bob
Joined: Mar 29, 2006
Posts: 132
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Posted on May 14 2007 11:25 AM
I love Ventures threads. I figured you guys didn't think they were surfy often enough to talk about them. I saw them in L.A. (at The Palomino) in the late 80's with Mel and Gerry on lead and went on the cruise (with Los Straitjackets) 3 years ago - Leon on drums and Nokie on lead. I think they were better on the cruise, maybe because I prefer them with Nokie.
Bob Bogle is not currently touring with them - they use Bob Spaulding for the Bob Bogle parts.
I really like the way the early recordings sound - I don't think they were going into the board - at least not for the lead guitar - since there are a lot of tunes with amp tremolo. Sounds like Jazzmasters, Tele's and Strats into Brownface amps - clean, clean clean. not at all surf.
There were a lot of tunes on the early albums with two lead guitars - lots of speculation who the other guy was - Billy Strange's name comes up a lot - there seem to be some early albums that were made by session musicians when the band was on the road - but you can always tell when Don Wilson's playing rhythm guitar - and after a few listenings you can tell when it's Nokie on lead
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eddiekatcher
Joined: Mar 14, 2006
Posts: 2776
Atlanta, GA
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Posted on May 14 2007 01:34 PM
I'm with Boulder Bob on this one with the exception that after listening to these early albums for over 40 years, I think they recorded the three guitars and added the bass parts afterward. Multitracking was just coming into its own during the late 50's early 60's and Bob, Nokie, and Don did develop some serious interplay. In the beginning the bass parts sounded like somewhat of an uinspired afterthought. On some of those early recordings you can pick out Nokie playing out of a tweed champ. Clean but pushed. Damn, those tracks sound good.........grateful ed
— Traditional........speak softly and play through a big blonde amp. Did I mention that I still like big blonde amps?
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Boulder_Bob
Joined: Mar 29, 2006
Posts: 132
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Posted on May 14 2007 06:13 PM
Hmmm - interesting concept - never thought about them adding the bass later...
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