#166870  by Tennessee Jedi
 
Hey Guys
Ive been getting into the Bob thing lately and am really enjoying it - its a total diff trip than the Jerry thing.
I'm having a great time w his riffs and chords - it adds so much to the jams when there is some sort of Weirdness going on ....
Id love to throw a small pedal board together to take to the jams - Ive been using my Jerry rig and dont want to step on the Jerry guys frequency range.
Need to get a Stranger / Looks Like Rain vibe going
I like that 78 - 83 type of Bob sound - chimey and percussive .....

Ive never been one to use compression - is this a staple of the Bob sound ?

Thanks guys
tom
:D
 #166871  by boobweir
 
He used compression all the time. I suggest the Wampler Ego Compressor. That plus a EQ pedal should be a good start. The crucial part is having the right guitar for it. HSH pickup configuration with single coil capabilities in the humbuckers.

Tuner>
EQ (GE-7)>
Compressor >
Phaser>
Tubescreamer
 #166874  by Tennessee Jedi
 
boobweir wrote: Tue Feb 11, 2020 11:05 am He used compression all the time. I suggest the Wampler Ego Compressor. That plus a EQ pedal should be a good start. The crucial part is having the right guitar for it. HSH pickup configuration with single coil capabilities in the humbuckers.

Tuner>
EQ (GE-7)>
Compressor >
Phaser>
Tubescreamer
Thank you
So the Phaser is the Looks like rain / Stranger sound ?
 #166876  by boobweir
 
Yup! As well as certain Sugarees! He used a chorus/flange effect during Jack Straw during a period of time. Auto-wah on Shakedown Street. Those effects aren't as crucial to his tone though.

A clean signal with the pickup config. I mentioned.
Using the middle pickup and the bridge pickup in single coil mode.
A Jazz I pick (small red ones)
Flatwound strings
Percussive attack!

Thats the basics. Add the compressor to get a little boost as well as a little more chime. Also helps even out the volumes when using a percussive attack. Finish cleaning up the signal with a good EQ and you should be well on your way to the late 70's Weir tone!
Tennessee Jedi liked this
 #166877  by mkaufman
 
Technique, technique, technique. Start here.

Then, you can probably get close using any guitar if you significantly reduce the low end.

I do like the bridge/middle single coil sound. I also like (and possibly prefer) using all three single coils as it's warmer. (Several G&L guitars have this option - any G&L fans here??). I find single coils with volume boosted can have too much high end for rhythm playing. Rolling back the guitar volume control and boosting the amp volume can help.

That being said, without technique, no guitar or effects will get you there.

Study his late 70's playing - he has a very light touch.

ace
 #166879  by Tennessee Jedi
 
mkaufman wrote: Wed Feb 12, 2020 7:46 am Technique, technique, technique. Start here.


That being said, without technique, no guitar or effects will get you there.

Study his late 70's playing - he has a very light touch.

ace
Thanks for the input.
I practice often.
 #166880  by Drybonz
 
boobweir wrote: Tue Feb 11, 2020 9:50 pm Auto-wah on Shakedown Street.
If you are trying to keep the pedalboard small, a Pigtronix envelope phaser will cover your phase effect (core sound) as well as a auto-wah-esque sound that passes on Shakedown and some others. Bobby used this pedal, not sure if he still does... I have one on my pedalboard and it's one of the pedals that really defines my sound. As a two-in-one it works for your small board... I recommend it.
Tennessee Jedi liked this
 #166883  by strumminsix
 
MK is sending you on the right path....

I'll add:
1) limiter not compressor for much of his "tone". It allowed him to keep his light touch and then get on it without jumping the mix
2) phaser, maybe. but reality is "out of phase" guitar wiring is a much better solution. Look at the Ibanez tri sound wiring with some mini toggles. I get dead on late 70s LLR putting my guitar with mini hums into OOP, rolling the tone knob and a slight boost.
3) the combination of tones you can get with trisound wiring is amazing and opens up so many tonal options you can Weir-out for days.

So my reco on a small Weir pedalboard:
Tuner
MXR M293 booster with eq (set guitar amp with both pickups series, need boost and eq when switching to parallel, single and OOP)
Keely GC2 limiter comp. Yes, after the booster since the booster will bring up to signal
Barber LTD SR great sounding, my favorite, no other reason, LOL

This plus technique will take you places further than you realize.....
Tennessee Jedi liked this
 #166915  by nopunin10dead
 
mkaufman wrote: Wed Feb 12, 2020 7:46 am I also like (and possibly prefer) using all three single coils as it's warmer. (Several G&L guitars have this option - any G&L fans here??).
Big fan here of G&L guitars, though I admit I lean more toward Jerry than Bob. The extra switch on the S-500, Comanche, and the reissue Skyhawk gives you not only all three pickups, but can give you neck + bridge on an S-type guitar, which can take you to Tele territory or hint at 335 tone (with amp settings, etc.).

I scored an '88 Skyhawk that turned out to have a maple body, and it was amazing how much Jerry tone came from that body wood, compared to swamp ash. The rest is in the hands... :-)