Alan Sparhawk on "I Could Live In Hope"?

Make it loud here.
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tdbajus
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Re: Alan Sparhawk on "I Could Live In Hope"?

Post by tdbajus » Wed Apr 03, 2013 11:49 pm

You are right- I'm mistaken. I used to have a Super-Duper, which is mono in, mono out. Looking at the Z-Vex website, the SHO pictured there has two outs.

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Re: Alan Sparhawk on "I Could Live In Hope"?

Post by 46346 » Thu Apr 04, 2013 1:15 am

tdbajus wrote:Funny- I played an old Polytone amp, and wanted to get it to run clean with a tube amp.

Those new ZT amps would be an excellent contender for that- they are cheap, light, and sound really nice.
we had the little ZT lunchbox in our studio last year, it's nice and clean, so handy for travel, but not as deep-toned as the JC.
still, i think you are right, it's a righteous partner to a smallish, grindy tube amp. i would think the POlytone could do it, too.

in this manner i'll use our JC-120, or even sweeter, my 1961 Vibrasonic brown combo with JBL D130... yeah.
Cat Museum, ACME, Malcolm Mooney, Dream Apes, The Cooling Time, Kind Hearts and Coronets, Quarks

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Re: Alan Sparhawk on "I Could Live In Hope"?

Post by 46346 » Thu Apr 04, 2013 1:19 am

tdbajus wrote:Looking at the pedals right now, waiting for them to go on.

Alan's stuff is on the left (stage right?) And most importantly, the Roland is on the left, or towards the outside of the stage. The vibrolux will direct its rock in a more central transmission. Pedals are: boss tuner, johnny octave?, Mr echo, lofi loop junky, splitter.
.

was wondering what the first z-vex pedal was. i'm not familiar with the Johnny, but that might be it. i didn't stare at the pedals for very long, as i realized he was right there after the show, ready to talk with folks from the audience.

interesting that he swapped amp positions. i like your interpretation of the more rocking amp aiming for the center.
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Re: Alan Sparhawk on "I Could Live In Hope"?

Post by 46346 » Thu Apr 04, 2013 1:24 am

StevenO wrote:Damn straight I was right about his setup. >:(

as if i could ever doubt you on such matters, steven! it's fun to see that angry face, it really doesn't see much action here... :)
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Re: Alan Sparhawk on "I Could Live In Hope"?

Post by StevenO » Thu Apr 04, 2013 3:56 am

The other Zvex pedal he uses is a Octane 3. He's been using it for years now.

The beginning of this video adequately shows his pedals:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Im9Sggd2BgQ
46346 wrote:
StevenO wrote:Damn straight I was right about his setup.
as if i could ever doubt you on such matters, steven! it's fun to see that angry face, it really doesn't see much action here...
;) The angry face just looks comical and cartoonish, like a face the Grinch would make.

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Re: Alan Sparhawk on "I Could Live In Hope"?

Post by tdbajus » Thu Apr 04, 2013 5:43 am

StevenO wrote:The other Zvex pedal he uses is a Octane 3. He's been using it for years now.



What I am sure of is I was drinking The Pinot Project.

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Re: Alan Sparhawk on "I Could Live In Hope"?

Post by 46346 » Thu Apr 04, 2013 9:40 am

tdbajus wrote:
StevenO wrote:The other Zvex pedal he uses is a Octane 3. He's been using it for years now.



What I am sure of is I was drinking The Pinot Project.

I'd say you're adjusting quite well to the NorCal lifestyle!
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Re: Alan Sparhawk on "I Could Live In Hope"?

Post by WonderCouncil » Thu Apr 04, 2013 8:31 pm

What are those knobs he has on the Mr. Echo and Loop Junkie? I mean I know, or I'm assuming it's to control the knob with his foot but I've never seen ones that look like that, just the over sized dial ones, like they have for the Digitech Whammy.

Cool shot of his pedals though, and where he has the controls set.

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Re: Alan Sparhawk on "I Could Live In Hope"?

Post by benadrian » Wed Apr 10, 2013 11:47 am

I don't know what Alan used on the records, but all the early Low gigs were done with a Fender Blackface Vibroverb combo and a tele with a mini-hum in the neck. Seeing Low in '99 is wht I sold almost all my amps and got a '66 Pro Reverb, which is the same circuit at the Vibroverb, but with 2-12s.

As for pedals back then, it was usually just a delay. It was an Ibanez AD-9 for Curtain Hits the Cast. At the '99 show it was a two button Digitech, plus he had a green Russian Small Stone phaser.

Starting in about 2001 he seemed to be swapping amps nearly every tour. I've seen that tweed Fender, Carr Mercury, Silverface Champ, Orange (for one tour Alan and Zak both had Orange amps), Pro Jr... anything else? I'm not sure.

The pisser is that Alan just sounds like Alan no matter what he uses. It's pretty frustrating.

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Re: Alan Sparhawk on "I Could Live In Hope"?

Post by benadrian » Wed Apr 10, 2013 11:54 am

Hey, I found a picture from the '99 Low show.

You can see the PDS delay pedal, tele, and Vibroverb.

Image

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Re: Alan Sparhawk on "I Could Live In Hope"?

Post by tdbajus » Wed Apr 10, 2013 12:04 pm

benadrian wrote:Seeing Low in '99 is wht I sold almost all my amps and got a '66 Pro Reverb, which is the same circuit at the Vibroverb, but with 2-12s.
Not to pick nits here, but while the topology is similar, the Vibrolux only puts out around 30 watts- it's really not muck louder than Deluxe Reverb. Pro Reverbs are more like 40-50.

Not sure if this is because of smaller transformers, or what. To my ear, a Vibrolux sounds pretty significantly cleaner, even when cranked, and not nearly as bright as a Pro or Super. I'm sure there are others out there who could add some detail.

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Re: Alan Sparhawk on "I Could Live In Hope"?

Post by benadrian » Wed Apr 10, 2013 12:30 pm

tdbajus wrote:
benadrian wrote:Seeing Low in '99 is why I sold almost all my amps and got a '66 Pro Reverb, which is the same circuit at the Vibroverb, but with 2-12s.
Not to pick nits here, but while the topology is similar, the Vibrolux only puts out around 30 watts- it's really not muck louder than Deluxe Reverb. Pro Reverbs are more like 40-50.

Not sure if this is because of smaller transformers, or what. To my ear, a Vibrolux sounds pretty significantly cleaner, even when cranked, and not nearly as bright as a Pro or Super. I'm sure there are others out there who could add some detail.
Vibroverb, not vibrolux.

However, to derail even more, the Vibrolux Reverb and the Pro Reverb both use the smaller 125A6A output transformer, I think the Vibroverb used this one as well. The early Pro Reverbs are only 35-40 watts. The Super Reverb uses the same output transformer size as the blackface Bassman (mounts with four screws as opposed to two). The Vibrolux (as well as the blackface Tremolux heads) use a smaller power transformer, so that is what causes the 30-35 watt rating of those amps.

This is all moot when it comes to my Pro Reverb as I cooked my OT about 9-10 years ago and I upgraded to the larger version of the transformer.

I'd better stop. I can talk old Fender amps all day.

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Re: Alan Sparhawk on "I Could Live In Hope"?

Post by tdbajus » Wed Apr 10, 2013 2:31 pm

benadrian wrote:Vibroverb, not vibrolux.
D'oh.
benadrian wrote: However, to derail even more, the Vibrolux Reverb and the Pro Reverb both use the smaller 125A6A output transformer, I think the Vibroverb used this one as well. The early Pro Reverbs are only 35-40 watts. The Super Reverb uses the same output transformer size as the blackface Bassman (mounts with four screws as opposed to two). The Vibrolux (as well as the blackface Tremolux heads) use a smaller power transformer, so that is what causes the 30-35 watt rating of those amps.
So, you're saying the Super Reverb is louder than Pro Reverb (at least the early BF versions)? I do know that a '65-'66 Super Reverb is so damned loud that a Vibrolux running through the internal 2x10s plus a 2x12 extension cabinet is just about inaudible.

And also, you're saying that a Vibroverb is an early BF Pro Reverb, with a 1x15 cabinet? And that Pros, Vibroluxes, and Vibroverbs all use the same transformer set?

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Re: Alan Sparhawk on "I Could Live In Hope"?

Post by benadrian » Wed Apr 10, 2013 2:46 pm

tdbajus wrote: So, you're saying the Super Reverb is louder than Pro Reverb (at least the early BF versions)? I do know that a '65-'66 Super Reverb is so damned loud that a Vibrolux running through the internal 2x10s plus a 2x12 extension cabinet is just about inaudible.

And also, you're saying that a Vibroverb is an early BF Pro Reverb, with a 1x15 cabinet? And that Pros, Vibroluxes, and Vibroverbs all use the same transformer set?
Yes, a Super is second only to a Twin in fender combo land loudness (at least in the blackface world).

And yes, in blackface land the Tremolux, Vibrolux, Vibroverb, Pro Reverb, and Bandmaster all have the same size output transformer. The Vibrolux and Tremolux use a different power transformer so they have a lower plate voltage and therefor are slightly lower wattage. The Super and the Bassman use the same size power transformer as the Vibroverb, Pro Reverb, and Bandmaster, but a beefier output transformer, so they can carry more wattage through. Also, the Bassman has a SS rectifier, which makes it a little stiffer and louder.

Of course, speaker efficiency should be mentioned as well. Some of the later Fender Speakers (oxford and utah) just aren't as loud as the Jensen and JBL that got used in some amps.

But yes, a Super Reverb will take your damn head off!

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Re: Alan Sparhawk on "I Could Live In Hope"?

Post by Z*Z*Z » Wed Apr 10, 2013 3:28 pm

I love when people talk dirty bout Fender amps :?

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