Replicating the Buzzcocks
- stevejamsecono
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 4552
- Joined: Tue Oct 17, 2006 10:55 am
- Location: Brooklyn, NYC
- Contact:
Replicating the Buzzcocks
It's pretty well known that the Buzzcocks used those delightful H|H amps to get that lovely squarewave distortion we hear on most of their stuff (prior to moving to Marshall JMP Master Volume heads which seemingly sounded... the same). I've been digging into a lot of Another Music and Love Bites since Pete Shelley's passing and have been chasing some of those tones for fun. To me, they kind of sound like "fuzz pedal-direct in" in that it's fuzzy without a lot of low end, but still has some top-end clarity. That being said, my current gain pedals (OCD, Boss SD1) aren't really doing it.
What would you use to get that kind of fun blocky distortion? Maybe it's time to dig out a DS1? I feel like I'd need something with a good eq section to sculpt the (lack of) low end appropriately.
What do we think?
What would you use to get that kind of fun blocky distortion? Maybe it's time to dig out a DS1? I feel like I'd need something with a good eq section to sculpt the (lack of) low end appropriately.
What do we think?
And you find out life isn't like that
It's so hard to understand
Why the world is your oyster but your future's a clam
Resident Yamaha Fanboy
COYS
It's so hard to understand
Why the world is your oyster but your future's a clam
Resident Yamaha Fanboy
COYS
- Larry Mal
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 19673
- Joined: Mon Nov 29, 2010 4:25 pm
- Location: Saint Louis, MO
Re: Replicating the Buzzcocks
I don't think this will help in the slightest, but I was happy to see the use of a Gibson Marauder on some early Buzzcocks.
Back in those days, everyone knew that if you were talking about Destiny's Child, you were talking about Beyonce, LaTavia, LeToya, and Larry.
- stevejamsecono
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 4552
- Joined: Tue Oct 17, 2006 10:55 am
- Location: Brooklyn, NYC
- Contact:
Re: Replicating the Buzzcocks
Indeed! When he wasn't using his Gordon Smiths or the weird cut-in-half guitar, he definitely did have one of those.
And you find out life isn't like that
It's so hard to understand
Why the world is your oyster but your future's a clam
Resident Yamaha Fanboy
COYS
It's so hard to understand
Why the world is your oyster but your future's a clam
Resident Yamaha Fanboy
COYS
-
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 5151
- Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2007 8:30 am
Re: Replicating the Buzzcocks
Gordon smith + HH combo + Olympic studios + Martin Rushent
The picture on the front of SGS is them recording at olympic..
When I worked for Buzzcocks they used Marshall JCM800 then later JCM900, which I was constantly repairing. Petes favourite guitar was still a Gordon Smith..which Pete had smashed to bits on a US tour...it was repaired the next day by Pearl Jam's guitar tech who did an amazing job of gluing it all back together!
The HH IC100 I think was the amp...also Daniel Ash's favourite. I actually have one buried in the garage
The picture on the front of SGS is them recording at olympic..
When I worked for Buzzcocks they used Marshall JCM800 then later JCM900, which I was constantly repairing. Petes favourite guitar was still a Gordon Smith..which Pete had smashed to bits on a US tour...it was repaired the next day by Pearl Jam's guitar tech who did an amazing job of gluing it all back together!
The HH IC100 I think was the amp...also Daniel Ash's favourite. I actually have one buried in the garage
- stevejamsecono
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 4552
- Joined: Tue Oct 17, 2006 10:55 am
- Location: Brooklyn, NYC
- Contact:
Re: Replicating the Buzzcocks
I always forget that your life has essentially been living out my daydreams. First owning McGeoch's SG and now this!eggwheat wrote: ↑Wed Dec 12, 2018 8:37 amGordon smith + HH combo + Olympic studios + Martin Rushent
The picture on the front of SGS is them recording at olympic..
When I worked for Buzzcocks they used Marshall JCM800 then later JCM900, which I was constantly repairing. Petes favourite guitar was still a Gordon Smith..which Pete had smashed to bits on a US tour...it was repaired the next day by Pearl Jam's guitar tech who did an amazing job of gluing it all back together!
The HH IC100 I think was the amp...also Daniel Ash's favourite. I actually have one buried in the garage
And you find out life isn't like that
It's so hard to understand
Why the world is your oyster but your future's a clam
Resident Yamaha Fanboy
COYS
It's so hard to understand
Why the world is your oyster but your future's a clam
Resident Yamaha Fanboy
COYS
- Jaguar018
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 8045
- Joined: Thu Nov 06, 2008 6:48 am
- Location: Burbs of Washington DC
Re: Replicating the Buzzcocks
They have the most amazing "studio-specific" sound to my ears. Eggwheat is confirming what I thought in terms of it being a magical mix of the gear, producer, engineer, and studio space. I can almost hear the mic'd up cranked amps ringing.
Seems like a pretty difficult sound to reproduce at home.
Seems like a pretty difficult sound to reproduce at home.
- timtam
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 2729
- Joined: Sun Oct 22, 2017 2:42 am
- Location: Melbourne
Re: Replicating the Buzzcocks
Oh wow. On both counts. But McGeoch's Yamaha ....stevejamsecono wrote: ↑Wed Dec 12, 2018 8:42 amI always forget that your life has essentially been living out my daydreams. First owning McGeoch's SG and now this!eggwheat wrote: ↑Wed Dec 12, 2018 8:37 amGordon smith + HH combo + Olympic studios + Martin Rushent
The picture on the front of SGS is them recording at olympic..
When I worked for Buzzcocks they used Marshall JCM800 then later JCM900, which I was constantly repairing. Petes favourite guitar was still a Gordon Smith..which Pete had smashed to bits on a US tour...it was repaired the next day by Pearl Jam's guitar tech who did an amazing job of gluing it all back together!
The HH IC100 I think was the amp...also Daniel Ash's favourite. I actually have one buried in the garage
"I just knew I wanted to make a sound that was the complete opposite of a Les Paul, and that’s pretty much a Jaguar." Rowland S. Howard.
- UlricvonCatalyst
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 7193
- Joined: Mon Dec 14, 2009 4:05 am
- Location: Glasgow, Scotland
Re: Replicating the Buzzcocks
While I defer to your first-hand knowledge, I have to say I was pleasantly surprised when I plugged into my H/H VS Musician and with a bit of knob-twiddling stumbled across what was unmistakably the Buzzcocks sound. I was playing my Mustang at the time, so it seems the amp could be more of a key than the guitar. I have an IC100 head as well, which I also love, but I'm pretty convinced it's the 'valve-sound' and 'voice' knobs on the Musician which are the key to the 'cocks tone.
OP - sorry I can't help with a pedal that'll do it - the availabilty of bargain H/Hs is one of the few upsides to living in the UK.
- stevejamsecono
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 4552
- Joined: Tue Oct 17, 2006 10:55 am
- Location: Brooklyn, NYC
- Contact:
Re: Replicating the Buzzcocks
Rub it in why don't youUlricvonCatalyst wrote: ↑Thu Dec 13, 2018 1:34 amWhile I defer to your first-hand knowledge, I have to say I was pleasantly surprised when I plugged into my H/H VS Musician and with a bit of knob-twiddling stumbled across what was unmistakably the Buzzcocks sound. I was playing my Mustang at the time, so it seems the amp could be more of a key than the guitar. I have an IC100 head as well, which I also love, but I'm pretty convinced it's the 'valve-sound' and 'voice' knobs on the Musician which are the key to the 'cocks tone.
OP - sorry I can't help with a pedal that'll do it - the availabilty of bargain H/Hs is one of the few upsides to living in the UK.
I'm gonna keep experimenting. I'm not possessed of a desire to sound like them all the time, just wanted to try it as a tonal experiment.
And you find out life isn't like that
It's so hard to understand
Why the world is your oyster but your future's a clam
Resident Yamaha Fanboy
COYS
It's so hard to understand
Why the world is your oyster but your future's a clam
Resident Yamaha Fanboy
COYS
- shadowplay
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 25930
- Joined: Thu Sep 27, 2007 4:30 am
- Location: Glasgow. Scotland
- Contact:
Re: Replicating the Buzzcocks
I think you should bury it properly inside a Cairn garden ornament.
Didn't you pay a tenner for it or something?
D
Are you loathsome tonight?
- Maggieo
- Expat
- Posts: 13446
- Joined: Mon Oct 02, 2006 10:36 am
- Location: Nebraska, USA
- Contact:
Re: Replicating the Buzzcocks
The closest I've heard someone come to that sound was through a JHS ColorBox.
“Now I am quietly waiting for/ the catastrophe of my personality/ to seem beautiful again.”- Frank O'Hara
I am not an attorney and this post is for entertainment purposes only. Please consult a licensed attorney in your state for legal advice.
I am not an attorney and this post is for entertainment purposes only. Please consult a licensed attorney in your state for legal advice.
- stevejamsecono
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 4552
- Joined: Tue Oct 17, 2006 10:55 am
- Location: Brooklyn, NYC
- Contact:
Re: Replicating the Buzzcocks
Oooooh.
And you find out life isn't like that
It's so hard to understand
Why the world is your oyster but your future's a clam
Resident Yamaha Fanboy
COYS
It's so hard to understand
Why the world is your oyster but your future's a clam
Resident Yamaha Fanboy
COYS
-
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 5151
- Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2007 8:30 am
Re: Replicating the Buzzcocks
Haha, yes £5 out of the free ads. Had to meet the guy in a car park..he seemed pissed off at selling it for that.shadowplay wrote: ↑Thu Dec 13, 2018 5:31 amI think you should bury it properly inside a Cairn garden ornament.
Didn't you pay a tenner for it or something?
D
On the IC100 over the VS Musician.. I can only say that in photos of the time it shows the IC100..if you look closely on the SGS cover you can tell by the knobs on the front it’s an IC100.. not saying you can’t get the sound out of either though.
- stevejamsecono
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 4552
- Joined: Tue Oct 17, 2006 10:55 am
- Location: Brooklyn, NYC
- Contact:
Re: Replicating the Buzzcocks
Honestly I'd love someone to put an IC100 preamp into one of those mini class-D heads and sell it for like... 200 bucks. I'd be all over it.
And you find out life isn't like that
It's so hard to understand
Why the world is your oyster but your future's a clam
Resident Yamaha Fanboy
COYS
It's so hard to understand
Why the world is your oyster but your future's a clam
Resident Yamaha Fanboy
COYS
- mynameisjonas
- Admin
- Posts: 12695
- Joined: Tue Sep 12, 2006 5:55 am
- Location: Stockholm, Sweden
- Contact:
Re: Replicating the Buzzcocks
I can't say I did much Buzzcocks-emulating when i had one, but the VS Musician is definitely capable of a lot of those late 70s/early 80s sounds. And with an EQ plugged into the effects loop, it could do most anything.
Speaking of tiny class D amps, I had a lot of fun plugging a Red Llama clone straight into the Return of my Quilter 101 (letting the pedal act as a preamp). Not exactly the Buzzcocks sound, but I imagine doing the same with a DS-1 or a similar distortion pedal with the gain set low-ish would do the trick.
Speaking of tiny class D amps, I had a lot of fun plugging a Red Llama clone straight into the Return of my Quilter 101 (letting the pedal act as a preamp). Not exactly the Buzzcocks sound, but I imagine doing the same with a DS-1 or a similar distortion pedal with the gain set low-ish would do the trick.