AgentClaret
Joined: Jan 30, 2024
Posts: 129
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Posted on Jan 30 2024 09:23 PM
Hey guys! So I've been playing for over 20 years now but I come from a world of metal/punk/prog and a lot of the classic Fender stuff is kind of new to me so I hope I don't sound stupid here...
I'm having a hard time finding great surf tones. I'm new to amp modeling stuff and the sheer amount of possibilities is kind of overwhelming. I've been trying the silverface, blackface and Bassman tweed models but I have no idea what to set everything at.
Same with the Oceans 11... I'm using the spring reverb getting drip but something is just not clicking for me... it sounded great when I first got it but I've played with the settings too much and can't get back to what I heard before!
I'm playing a Fender Player Strat on the bridge pickup... maybe I need the Jazzmaster P-90 sound?!?
I guess I'm shooting for a sound like the Surfrajettes or Penetrators.
I'm playing around a lot and slowly getting better and better tones, I just thought I'd see what settings you guys like to run those classic amp models at and maybe find someone who uses the Oceans 11 a lot for some tips...
Thanks, I hope none of this is too obnoxiously surf noobish for ya...
Last edited: Jan 31, 2024 06:46:48
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Redfeather
Joined: Jul 30, 2016
Posts: 883
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Posted on Jan 31 2024 03:33 AM
I think the Surfrajettes use simple amp reverb so that should be easy.
The "classic" surf amp sound is generally said to be the Fender brownface circuit, which is pretty mid heavy, so don't go scooping your EQ out a bunch. Beyond that, I say don't worry about being "right" with your sound. If it sounds good to you, it's right!
Continuing on with your rundown, your Strat is perfectly good. In fact, I know one guy who would insist that it's the ONLY guitar suitable for the surf sound. He's wrong, of course, but as he goes by the title of King, some people attribute more weight to his words than they may warrant.
As for your guitar settings, don't be afraid of the middle pickup. Also don't be afraid of the neck/middle position. Jim Messina used the latter to great effect and Dick Dale used the middle a lot. I've only recently come to appreciate the middle pickup and I like it so much that I swapped the neck and middle pickups in their holes in my main surf Strat--without changing the wiring--so that the neck pickup is a quick flip to the top position rather than having to aim for the middle switch detent. The added bonus of this trick is that the previous bridge/middle sound is now bridge/neck, which I find much more valuable. The "tele" sound.
And of course no response is complete until it includes the recommendation that you get yourself an actual Fender 6G15 reverb circuit in some form. There is no substitute.
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Samurai
Joined: Mar 14, 2006
Posts: 2238
Kiev, Ukraine
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Posted on Jan 31 2024 03:47 AM
Does Spark has the same modelling as BIAS FX? I find nice tone there using Blackface and 60 Reverb. I guess with Ocean 11 it will be even better.
— Waikiki Makaki surf-rock band from Ukraine
https://linktr.ee/waikikimakaki
Lost Diver
https://lostdiver.bandcamp.com
https://soundcloud.com/vitaly-yakushin
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AgentClaret
Joined: Jan 30, 2024
Posts: 129
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Posted on Jan 31 2024 06:45 AM
I don't think Spark has as many different models and effects as BIAS. spark definitely does NOT have a good drippy reverb, in fact it doesn't have spring reverb at all!
I've got my eyes on a Surfy Bear sometime down the line...
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AgentClaret
Joined: Jan 30, 2024
Posts: 129
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Posted on Jan 31 2024 06:47 AM
Redfeather wrote:
The "classic" surf amp sound is generally said to be the Fender brownface circuit, which is pretty mid heavy, so don't go scooping your EQ out a bunch. Beyond that, I say don't worry about being "right" with your sound. If it sounds good to you, it's right!
I tried the Bassman model on the Spark and hated it! Maybe I'm not EQing it right? It just sounded muffled and dead and seemed to break up too easy... I'm not sure if Spark has any brownface models, I'll have to look...
Edit: the Jimi Hendrix expansion pack has a dual Showman, I'll have to play with that after work...
Last edited: Jan 31, 2024 06:53:28
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