Trecia wrote:That's really interesting, because a lot of the most definitive Jerry mutron sounds (77) were, strictly speaking, chronologically prior to August '79. Has this been covered before? I think this would be kind of a big deal to all those famous pre-79 tones. Because, as most of you know an un-bypassed mutron iii alters (ie sucks) tone pretty significantly. Granted the OBEL was in place, but that would mean effects were all-or-none up to that point if that how it was used. Am I wrong?Disagree, and greatly prefer the chewy, bouncy responsiveness of the post-79 Mutron tones... check out the '80-'83 Shakedowns, Estimateds, FOTMs...
However, I would not attribute the difference in sound in any way to the change in switching methods. It would come from A) the introduction of Tiger on 8/4/79, and possibly , B) the simultaneous introduction of a UGB (part and parcel of "A").
Not sure what point you mean to make about an un-bypassed Mu III. If you are hearing the filter effect, it is by definition un-bypassed, whether you are hearing an Estimated with the TB-500 in early '77 or Tiger circa '81. You would hear the tone suckage, or lack thereof, when bypassed.
Pre-8/79, he would switch the pedal off with his foot, but the Mu's gain stage would still be in the chain (possibly affecting Octave Divider or Phase sounds in the loop if engaged).
Post-8/79, the whole pedal would be taken out of the chain, cleaning up the signal considerably.
Of course there is also Wolf 9/77-to-7/78 to consider: 2.0 (same non-switchable loop wiring) and 2.1 (w/ on/off switch and Blaster line driver). I have to admit though, that I still don't listen to that much late 70's stuff... it's about my 5th or 6th favorite GD era, so it usually loses out to a hot '82, '69, '73, or '90 show... or 77-78 JGB!
re: the pic comment, I guess it was just another way of saying that the silence from his guitar is deafening...
Last edited by tigerstrat on Fri Feb 08, 2013 12:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"There, in huge black letters, was 'The Grateful Dead'. It just... cancelled my mind out."-Garcia