Another Express video from GK, this time w/1962 Les Paul SG

[geetarpicker]

I just did a new Youtube video playing a 1985 Ken Fischer built Trainwreck Express and thought I'd post it here. I'm playing something different, an original and somewhat rare 1962 "Ebony Block" Gibson Les Paul (SG) with PAFs.

I went back and forth with the settings and input cable on this but I ended up with two Mogami 18' cords in series, the bright switch was in the full on position, volume 2/3, treble 1/3, the others on 1/2. It was miced with one close mic, and one distance mic in the next room with the door propped open just a tad. I added just a little reverb at mix down, and used NO pedals.

GK

https://youtu.be/O05EM1JVSxM

[Colossal]

Really great!! As always. Love the dynamics. What a beast.

[joeboo88]

Wow that's sweet, nice blues, love that neck pickup.
Watching your videos, I've wondered how loud is it in that small room playing the express at 2/3?
Do you have to wear earplugs?
Thanks again for the new video.

[stretch2011]

god I wish I was in person. Either your mic or my speakers or distorting XD and it still sounds awesome!

[geetarpicker]

Wow that's sweet, nice blues, love that neck pickup.
Watching your videos, I've wondered how loud is it in that small room playing the express at 2/3?
Do you have to wear earplugs?
Thanks again for the new video.

Yes it is very loud (probably in the 110-115db range) and I am wearing Hearos -33 db foam ear plugs inserted DEEP. Still it's not as loud as a Marshall 50 or 100 that is for sure. The speakers are also 25 waters which are less efficient than most. Thanks!

[stretch2011]

I just watched your ROCK STUDY video on youtube, and I must say it sounds great.

But I have to ask.....Do you have to push a wheelbarrow around to pack the balls it must have taken to wear those pants on camera?

In all seriousness I really like how your tone and phrasing has changed over the years.

[geetarpicker]

I just watched your ROCK STUDY video on youtube, and I must say it sounds great.

But I have to ask.....Do you have to push a wheelbarrow around to pack the balls it must have taken to wear those pants on camera?

In all seriousness I really like how your tone and phrasing has changed over the years.

Ha ha! a relative made those pants for me back in the late 80s. They sure beat the spandex that was popular perhaps only a few years prior.

[norburybrook]

Lovely playing Glenn, really enjoyed that

Looks like it was mic'd with a Royer 121 ribbon. That's a lovely mic that has a fig 8 pattern and a very natural un hyped top end, all of which will contribute to the great sound you're hearing here.




Marcus

[guitarmike2107]

Love it Glen!

[cbass]

Sounds great. Benchmark tone for sure.

[redshark]

I like it!! Sounds awesome but explain me this.....

why use two mogami cables to roll off highs instead of not using bright switch?

I rather use a 15" lava soar and get all the rich full guitar signal and don't use any switch. Somebody close to Ken told me that he HAD to put that switch because in the 80's high gain pickups like the duncan JB and dimarzio super distortion were popular and yes MUDDY!! but for some customers using single coils or vintage PAF sometimes he didn't even wire the switch. Not neccesary.

Seems to me you try to somewhat attenuate the highs to allow the use of the bright switch....what do you like about the bright switch vs. no bright switch?

I remember one day I had to use light bright for someone playing dirty finger pickups but that was the only time. It was in a jam so to avoid eq'ing for that guitar I just hit the up position

Anyway I would love to read your comments Glen.....I'm just curious if it's just preference because I feel the use of bright switch add harshness and a tad more gain....is it that you like that extra edge and rather compensate with more cable capacitance?

[Littlewyan]

Great playing as always Glen

[dkochan]

Really nice clip! This is a boot in the rear to me to finish my Express build! Such a dynamic amp.

The other thing this clip tells me is that maybe I need to spend less time building and more time practicing. Really nice playing, Glen.

Thanks for sharing this.

Dave

[jaysg]

I like it!! Sounds awesome but explain me this.....

why use two mogami cables to roll off highs instead of not using bright switch?

Not trying to answer for Glen, but having built a Liverpool and some other amps, different ways of rolling off highs sound different even though it doesn't seem like they should...accumulated capacitance vs. a cap.

When KF was building these amps, it was more likely that a guitarist had no buffers and an unsophisticated pedal board with a few pedals and terrible high end losses.

[geetarpicker]

I like it!! Sounds awesome but explain me this.....

why use two mogami cables to roll off highs instead of not using bright switch?

I rather use a 15" lava soar and get all the rich full guitar signal and don't use any switch. Somebody close to Ken told me that he HAD to put that switch because in the 80's high gain pickups like the duncan JB and dimarzio super distortion were popular and yes MUDDY!! but for some customers using single coils or vintage PAF sometimes he didn't even wire the switch. Not neccesary.

Seems to me you try to somewhat attenuate the highs to allow the use of the bright switch....what do you like about the bright switch vs. no bright switch?

I remember one day I had to use light bright for someone playing dirty finger pickups but that was the only time. It was in a jam so to avoid eq'ing for that guitar I just hit the up position

Anyway I would love to read your comments Glen.....I'm just curious if it's just preference because I feel the use of bright switch add harshness and a tad more gain....is it that you like that extra edge and rather compensate with more cable capacitance?

The bright switch (500pf) actually effects the upper mids as well as the highest range, perhaps effecting things from 4k on up. Also the treble control on the amp is in a slightly different band too. Anyway the 2 cord trick dampens the very top range in the 8k to 16k area getting rid of some of the fizz and harshness. SO the net result is a little more upper mids, without the nasty stuff way up top. I guess a cut control added could do a similar thing. I used two Mogamis in series here, being about 600pf each I think. I also tried my old cable used on my CD and that cable is almost 4000pf! With this SG though that cable sounded awesome for thick bridge pickup tones (with the amp bright ON) and it almost added a little of that Tube Screamer honk, but the clean up clarity was lacking considerably. It's all a balancing act!