Shoutbox

sysmalakian: Birthday month starts now!
362 days ago

diceophonic: Vampiro Classics 2024 reissue
343 days ago

SabedLeepski: Sunburn Surf Fest for some scorching hot surf music: https://sunb...
301 days ago

skeeter: I know a Polish sound guy.
228 days ago

skeeter: I know a Czech one too!
228 days ago

PatGall: Surfybear metal settings
148 days ago

Pyronauts: Happy Tanks-Kicking!
127 days ago

midwestsurfguy: Merry Christmas!
95 days ago

sysmalakian: HAPPY NEW YEAR!
88 days ago

SabedLeepski: Surfin‘ Europe, for surf (related) gigs and events in Europe Big Razz https://sunb...
49 days ago

Please login or register to shout.

Current Polls

No polls at this time. Check out our past polls.

Current Contests

No contests at this time. Check out our past contests.

Donations

Help us meet our monthly goal:

100%

100%

Donate Now

Cake March Birthdays Cake
SG101 Banner

SurfGuitar101 Forums » Gear »

Permalink Ventures Live in Japan '65 amps...

New Topic
Goto Page: Previous 1 2

Here's a (not very good) pic of the "On Stage" amps from a reel-to-reel version of the album that is currently for sale on eBay:

image

Jack
aka WoodyJ

The Mariners (1964-68, 1996-2005)
The Hula Hounds (1996-current)
The X-Rays (1997-2004)
The Surge! (2004, 2011-2012)
Various non-surf bands that actually made money
(1978-1990)

archimedes wrote:

I'm sure this has been asked before but i cant find the information. What amps were the ventures using on their live recordings in japan? Are these the mosrite amps i've heard about? Also, did Takeshi Terauchi use the same amp on his albums because the tone sounds very similar to my ears? The Ventures Live in Japan sound is one of my favorite tones and i would love to be able to at least get close. I have a '72 silverface twin but im never able to turn it up loud enough to hear it overdrive or even play a mosrite or somewhat similar p90 equipped guitar through it.

Tim

Guyatone GA-950 tube amps.
image
image

Guyatone GA-950 tube amps.
image
image

It's certainly the amp that's on the cover of the Caravan/Bulldog single, and is mentioned on several Japanese Ventures forums. It has spring reverb and tremolo.

archimedes wrote:

I'm sure this has been asked before but i cant find the information. What amps were the ventures using on their live recordings in japan? Are these the mosrite amps i've heard about? Also, did Takeshi Terauchi use the same amp on his albums because the tone sounds very similar to my ears? The Ventures Live in Japan sound is one of my favorite tones and i would love to be able to at least get close. I have a '72 silverface twin but im never able to turn it up loud enough to hear it overdrive or even play a mosrite or somewhat similar p90 equipped guitar through it.

Tim

Terauchi Takeshi used Elk amps. On the record covers they look like Elk Vikings. They might be something else. He had an endorsement deal with Elk. He used their tape delay on a lot of the 70s recordings. The strange shaped white guitar that he holds on a lot of the late 60s and early 70s albums is an Elk. I believe it was a guitar they made especially for him and it was called a "Songbird". I met him many years ago and got to ask him about it in person.

As somebody who has chased that Ventures Live in Japan sound somewhat obsessively over the years I can say that while the amps are a factor, it’s the 1963/64 Mosrite guitars where the magic lies. I have a Guyatone GA-950 and a couple of brown panel Fenders, and they will all do that sound if the right guitar is going into them, and if they are turned up enough. The early Mosrite pickups are HOT, coming in somewhere around 13K, but the magnets are weak enough that there is still some articulation. Later Mosrite pickups have a bit less output (a factor of a more standardized production method if I understand correctly) and don’t seem to get that grindy tone quite as well.
That said, it’s not unattainable without one of those guitars as there are several people that make really good Mosrite pickup copies that get the tone, such as Ed Elliott or Curtis Novak.

Last edited: Sep 02, 2023 21:00:17

Goto Page: Previous 1 2
Top