Accurate observations and great playing too. Tuning a strat down a half step to E-flat changes the timbre and the feel. SRV got that from Hendrix. Play that loud enough so that the sound begins to feedback or resonate in the guitar, and you've got a different instrument. SRV's speaker cabinet early in his career was a 15" -- nowadays usually only found with bass amps -- but that gives extra depth to the otherwise bright stratocaster. Put all these together and you're almost there. Just need to play like your life depends on it.
Nope. SRV was using 11s at the end of his career, and tuned down as he always did, it was more like he was using 10s. The heavy string myth needs to go away. It gave him tendonitis, and he had hands built for chopping wood.
Practice is the only way to SRV. his timing and articulation are from years of practice alone and with a band. Love your vids and love young dudes keeping SRV alive.❤❤❤
I think one of the frustrating things (there are many) about chasing Stevie's sound is that folks buy Fender re-issue amps etc but dont realize his amps were heavily modified... speakers, transformers, etc. So, what you are buying is only shall i say, in the spirit of his tone. Plus he played insanely loud. It was intense to hear him live. So, we play at home or in our buddies garage or your average club gig and it's usually not feasible to play that loud and pedals are needed to get those sounds at manageable volumes.
The biggest problem with tone chasing is your listening to a recorded sound and trying to duplicate from your amp in the room. His tone in the room would not sound like what your hearing and then if you record your tone that you've gotten on your amp it sounds different, so it kinda makes no sense. And yea I've seen Stevie live (no pun intended) and he played LOUD, blew Jeff Beck outa the venue.
The main thing is volume. The JBLs, SS rectifiers, disabling normal channels.. those were just to sharpen that cranked Bf tone. Most players are in their bedrooms or sitting in front of a computer and can’t figure out why they can’t get that tone. Even with pedals promising that sound.
@@thomasguerra6810 Yes, that's a point I've been trying to get across for years. It's the physics of what a speaker does at high volume and nothing can simulate that. All the talk about attenuators, that simulates what the electronics does but you've still eliminated what the speaker is doing. My point tho was people are listening to a recorded sound and trying to get that from their amp as if the recorded sound was what was coming from the artists amp. I discovered this years ago when I listened back to my tone when recorded with a band, wasn't the tone I had when sitting in front of my amp.
@@bradt.3555 Yes. The amount of air and tonal characteristics of the speaker working to its optimal performance. I know it’s hard for alot of people to get to that volume level, but it’s really the only thing that’s going to get you there. There is clearly a market for these pedals or low volume options, but I promise anyone, those will never get you as close as you want to be, tone wise.
I think one thing you may have missed is SRV's use of the Roland SDD-320 Dimension D Rack Chorus. Vertex Effects has a video on it called "The Secret Behind SRV's Tone."
Sear diaz modded the Stevie's amp, he pulled out the 2.Break the fire and put a solid state rectifier in.He also removed the speaker and put in a JBLfifteen Not withstanding that, he took the bright switch and rearranged it for a midboost.
You’re a legend, Chris. Oddly enough, I like warming up with the fat end of the pick, because it’s quieter, & when I’m ready to play, I use the sharp end. To each his own, be yourself as you said.
You are an INCREDIBLE Guitarist. Well versed in so many styles. Full enjoy your abilities and chops with the Stevie Ray licks along with all of your stylings! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🎸⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I have had a lot of success with his tone with the tone king imperial. Use an OD and the Duellist. I bought your gypsy vibe recently, really happy with it. I will be purchasing the fuzz pedals soon.
Yes, watching blind tests of different types of woods, or different gauges of strings, there’s never any noticeable difference. It’s a Strat, with a couple of 15’s, a couple Super Reverbs, sometimes two tube screamers and two wahs played at the same time. switching to the right combination of pick ups, then a lot of natural ability and creativity… this would be a great start! 😝🤘🏻🎸🇺🇸
I think picking dynamics (from your right-hand technique) and the actual pickups themselves matter more than the string guage. Usually, a good set of low wind single coils (especially some that are mid-scooped, yes mid-scooped. That helps you get that top-end chime. Your amp and the TS will already provide plenty of mids).
@@PedalPawn And just a quick clarification as well! I know Fender-style amps (especially blackface Fenders) tend to be a bit "mid-scooped as well, but that changes once you crank them, especially a super or vibroverb.
Ceased modified his pups extensively. Stevie played really loud and Ceaser modified the pups to still have relatively clean tone. He worked hard to get the same pickups with the standard SRV signature Strat with Fender and finished with the Texas Specials. He used heavy gauge string as they didn’t break as easy. He had a ferocious right hand and big bends. Tuned down to e flat to get some tension out of the strings. His whole rig was a giant treble booster.
I have always played with my picks on te side since the day i started at 14. I never knew srv played with his like that till now so thats cool. Love your vids keep up the hard work.
Lots of good points. The thing about the guitar pick is funny. I've done that exact same thing since my early 20s and to me it does give a completely different sound. Especially when you're strumming or even better when you're "scratching" your strings, then you can really lean into it and still get sort of a smoother sound. Usually I go for using the "wrong" edge on the pick and then I also tilt the pick about 45° to get moore of a scratchy pick sound rather than a picking pick sound.... if that makes any sense, haha. Don't know if SRV did that aswell but to me it gives a nice sound.
Something I discovered on accident. If you want the Stevie tone, wire in your single coils with 500k pots and a .022 cap. It brightens the sound and makes it much more gritty just like Stevie’s tone. Or at least that’s what my ear tells me.
Really interested to learn more about attenuators. What's the difference between the type you use, amps with in-built attenuators and the little JHS one? Covering that kind of ground would be great
The little JHS Black Amp Box is not an attenuator, It's just a volume controller in a small black box, which can only be placed in an effects loop (if your amp hasn't one, then pls. don't buy it). I'm using one for my Marshall SV20H. It simply controlls the volume running from the preamp section into the poweramp section. Thats all. It works great and for me it's the only way to get the distortion from the amp, without killing my neighbours ;-)
Awesome video and info💥🔥 I think Stevie developed calluse on his finger tips that became very very hard and to couple that with his strength it created a huge tone along with all the gear you mentioned, wish they can make an epic big screen movie about Stevie, growing up, his detailed gear, his faults and victories, etc
You didn’t mention his use of rest strokes, probably one of the biggest Stevie tone tips out there. It’s the one constant tonal aspect from when he played acoustic to electric. Marbin did a video on that, it seems to really be the secret sauce behind Stevie tone.
I would absolutely love a thorough video on the THD HOT PLATE! I own the 2 ohm version myself (I run it through a 1964 Super Reverb.. it sounds fantastic..) PEACE & BLUES 🙂
Put fender 59 pure vintage pickups in my strat. Got the ts9 and pride of Texas by denelctro and fuzz face. Completely transformed my sound. Not that I’m any good but love the sound
I sold Cesar a Grey FF for 495. many moons ago. He later told me he used it on in step. Working at a guitar store in NYC for many years it was common to see Cesar especially at local guitar shows.
SRV tone is straight forward. Strat with overdrive at break up sprinkled with somewhat generous amounts of reverb. The secret sauce is a decent tube amp but some modelers will get you there as well.
Guys try a steinless pick (as thin as you can) with the rounder side of it to easily naile the bite, the attack and the smoothness it is a major change to my playing and at no cost!
Great job. You got it right. Down to the pick. I hold my picks this way and it has advantages. Thanks for mentioning the fender Leslie cabinet as well. Lots of people miss that. It was almost always on. Cheers from Hawaii
Something that might help ya is a dimension D after the microphone. It adds a good chorus and a lot more thickness. If you listen to the cleans in Texas Flood and songs like Riviera Paradise or Tightrope youll clearly listen such (not sure if Rivi. Or Tightrope are just the Leslie Cab but im guessing along)
I tried everything to come close. Besides a nice American strat it's in the amp and speakers. The missing link in my personal experience was a good vintage super reverb. Even on lower volumes (3 or 4 on the dial) the tone is there if playing is close enough. I don't use tube screamers. Blues driver works for me because with cranked gain I have a fuzz and with low gain a slight mid boost much nicer than TS
Been playing old fender amps for decades.A good black panel super reverb.(with good tubes,filter caps)etc is as close to his older sound you can get with just one amp…
Ive done the same thing with my pick since day one id use like a 60mm pick usually nylon and only use the tip for tremolo picking and the edge for almost everything else i broke alot of strings early on cause i also used super thick strings but now i use hybrid slinkys and haven't broken one in years
I think it would be cool to do an even deeper dive then here on things like his actual dial settings... some of it is well known (like the 663 amp settings) some not- I never knew how to set up a Tube Screamer- but apparently having the drive way down and the volume and treble way up or all the way up gets you much closer to Stevie's tone (although the taped pedals pic from El-Mocombo would argue otherwise)- but generally a clean Fender amp and a Tube Screamer to start is well known- so a deeper dig with maybe some A/B comparisons would go a long way. I also think it's REALLY important to discuss how to get there WITHOUT insane volume levels. SO much of his tone is there because it's loud- but really- there is almost nowhere anymore that you can play loud at all. Gig stage volumes or so low now you'd never be able to turn up the way he did. Even in big venues- the stage volume is low and then it's all up to the house to get it louder.
Stevies sound was truly channelled from a higher spiritual place. Just when you think you're getting close to it you realize that it's not really there
Excellent video. There are a few of these now but yours is very comprehensive and ur sound is really close. I'd love to see some song tones recreated as close as possible, eg tightrope vs Lenny vs Couldn't stand the weather. And go through the various sections of the song for each case. Eg is their vibratone on the CSTW riff or just for the rhythm?
Step 1: genuinely desire to engage in foreplay+ with your guitar. Step 2: as with a lover, pay attention to how your guitar responds during said foreplay. Occasionally, she will make sounds that tell you you're on the right track. Step 3: when she makes the sounds that tell you you're on the right track, for the love of God keep doing what you're doing.
Love the video very much. :) UHM!!!!! The difference the 13 gauge strings made when I tried it was that it ripped the tremolo system out of the tremolo well. LoL. And Oh by the way - you are not an average guitarist. I am just average, you are a cut above us average guys. I have embraced the fact that I will never ever ever ever get close to that tone and thats just life. Outa all the cooking tubes I use, I still sound like solid state. :( -- and I will say that at the end of the video, you proved yourself wrong. You sound very much like SRV
I was at the El Macombo show in Toronto, you know the one with all the videos on the Internet, we’re sitting right in front of the stage so when the show is over, I quickly jumped up and gingerly, put my hand around his guitar neck, which was sitting on a stand right in front of me, and yes, that neck was like a half a baseball bat. It was huge, also shook his hand later, I’m 6 foot one and have pretty big hands, he was a little short guy, but when we shook hands, his hand dwarfed mine it was huge, as for such a small guy, when they say, your tone is in your fingers, well, this guy big hands big sound, by the way, after the first song, I don’t think I caught my breath till the next day
Hi Chris. Great channel,mate! I reckon you & your pedal- making team should bring out the “Tokyo ‘85” pedal cos that is the most “fave-melting” Stevie tone. If you like that sorta thing🎵🎶🎼😁🎸🌅
And to his use of 13's as to where you say in your tests they didn't make much of a difference, could it be a physical thing, so he could hit and play hard without breaking or ripping thinner strings out of tune
Excellent video. If I could give one piece of unsolicited (but I believe quality) advice: in videos like this, include excerpts from the artist's performances wherein they use said equipment/techniques. But, again, great video!
@@PedalPawn ah, I totally get that. I did one video "playing along" to John Lee Hooker and thought that I cropped his footage and edited enough, but alas - video was taken down for copyright reasons. 🤷🥺
What’s your opinion? Do Texas special pickups help creating the sound or are you better off with a 60’s style pickup and amp/ pedals? I have a stray with TS pu’s but find those a bit to harsh. Great video, great playing!! Like your pedals , saving up for the gipsy vibe! 🔥🔥☔️
Texas specials are some of the worst strat pickups you will ever use in your whole life if you're trying to get srv tone Stevie used underwound pickups Texas specials are overwound
No massive tone difference in using the fat end of the pick - but it's does stop the pick getting hung up and allows the thumb edge to be closer to the strings which helps with minimising string noise.
A big big thanks for this video ! I would have like this video when I started to be close to the srv tone !! It helps a lot to understand where do you have to go to be the closest of srv tone ! But I hope that you’ll soon do a pedal to have srv’s hands lmao😂
There have been a lot of videos on this topic which are all really frustrating. They are all talk vests that never let you actually hear SRV’s tone nor any effort to define his tone in contrast to a clean tone. The best advice is if you play like Stevie you will sound like Stevie.
I'm a guitarist and I saw SRV 3 times. I have to be careful that too much of his sound doesn't leak into my own. They only made one of him and there are too many imitators now.
@@mynchux Sorry you have no idea what I'm talking about. So you're an SRV imitator, huh? We don't need that, we already have several. MY POINT, nut sac, is that we all need to bring our own sound to the forefront instead of being a hack imitator of any other guitarist, no matter how much we love and admire them. We've all heard Texas Flood 500 times so it's obvious when someone tries to blow minds by mangling his riffs. I've been playing longer than you've been alive, I'll bet.
Hey I love your videos! But what pedal would be the best for me? I hsve an Amp with pretty good gain so should I go with the Texan twang? I want the pride and joy style
Thanks very much for the nice comment and support. I would agree that the Texan Twang could be a great addition to your amp 🤠 In regards to string gauge, you can’t really go wrong with whatever feels best in your hands, as there is little to no difference in tone (as outlined in our recent 9 gauge versus 13 gauge video). 10s are a good all-round feel! 🎸🎛️
i knew a guy who played blues guitar and he could match SRV's sound exactly with a mexican squier tele, a 'mesa boogie' dual rectifier amp, a 'boss' digital delay and 8 gauge strings. there's def. more than one way to skin a cat as the say.
Not sure about the "upside-down pick" comment. I thought he used it more like rotated 90 degrees and used one of the two fatter corners. I think that technique avoids getting hung up on the strings. Plus, you can dig in with more force.
Perhaps you can help me… my Texas twang is very noisy … lots of static and it rattles when you shake it…. I ordered it directly from Pedal Pawn… I want to order the Octavia and the fuzz… but am worried the noise will be cumulative…. Thoughts and assistance??
Hi Ben, Thanks a lot for the comment. Please drop us an email as we know exactly what is going on & it’s a simple resolution. We don’t really see UA-cam comments too much since there are too many 🚀❤️
Great info dude, let me just say you keep playing those 13’s and bending like SRV on a regular basis you’re going to end up wearing out the cartilage in your hands by the time you get in your 50’s or 60’s. I love heavy strings but at 69 ain’t happening anymore
Yup. I played 13s longer than SRV did, literally. Now, my finger joints/tendons hurt. I now play 10s and I’d venture To say SRV would not have still played 13s had he lived.
I noticed you have all your pickups almost all the way down. What is your reasoning for that? Could you let us know what pups you use as well. Thx. Stevie used Texas Specials didnt he?
@@PedalPawn 😂 So can you tell us more about your pickups and the height you have them set up at ? I have some Sliders 59’ SRV Pickups and I had to adjust them really high in order to get anywhere close to that SRV tone. The Pedal Pawn has made all the difference in the world for me. Running it through a Fractal Audio Axe FX III with a preset I made based on a Dumble.
Great playing and sound, but to me sounds a bit more like Jimi tone than Stevie? I think a lot of Stevie's tone came from just how hard he hit the strings, he was brutal man!
![Carry-On Luggage Pedalboard Challenge [Dan vs Mick] - That Pedal Show](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/0ntDSUwTqGM/mqdefault.jpg)
The secret: be Stevie Ray Vaughan
💯 % 🤠
Your Reply says it all! 💯 Spot on!
that’s what he said at the end 🤷♂️🤷♂️
@@PedalPawncould you do videos on how to get Brian May's, eric clapton's and jimi hendrixes tone?
The truth hurts
Accurate observations and great playing too. Tuning a strat down a half step to E-flat changes the timbre and the feel. SRV got that from Hendrix. Play that loud enough so that the sound begins to feedback or resonate in the guitar, and you've got a different instrument. SRV's speaker cabinet early in his career was a 15" -- nowadays usually only found with bass amps -- but that gives extra depth to the otherwise bright stratocaster. Put all these together and you're almost there. Just need to play like your life depends on it.
He probably had to stay half a step down to preserve his fingertips and the guitars themselves. He already beat them like they owed him some money.
I liked his VibroVerb era. I saw him then and two more times as he built a giant wall of amps.
Fun fact Hendrix learned the half-step tuning from Buddy Guy.
@skepchica it was a Chicago blues thing that made its way to Texas.
The real secret is that a marshall plexi style amp alone will get you closer to his tone than all the tube screamers and fender amps in the world
A clean fender amp, a strat, big guage strings, a tube screamer, an old wah, and some serious practice. There you go
Nope. SRV was using 11s at the end of his career, and tuned down as he always did, it was more like he was using 10s. The heavy string myth needs to go away. It gave him tendonitis, and he had hands built for chopping wood.
Practice is the only way to SRV. his timing and articulation are from years of practice alone and with a band. Love your vids and love young dudes keeping SRV alive.❤❤❤
I think one of the frustrating things (there are many) about chasing Stevie's sound is that folks buy Fender re-issue amps etc but dont realize his amps were heavily modified... speakers, transformers, etc. So, what you are buying is only shall i say, in the spirit of his tone. Plus he played insanely loud. It was intense to hear him live. So, we play at home or in our buddies garage or your average club gig and it's usually not feasible to play that loud and pedals are needed to get those sounds at manageable volumes.
So true
The biggest problem with tone chasing is your listening to a recorded sound and trying to duplicate from your amp in the room. His tone in the room would not sound like what your hearing and then if you record your tone that you've gotten on your amp it sounds different, so it kinda makes no sense. And yea I've seen Stevie live (no pun intended) and he played LOUD, blew Jeff Beck outa the venue.
The main thing is volume. The JBLs, SS rectifiers, disabling normal channels.. those were just to sharpen that cranked Bf tone. Most players are in their bedrooms or sitting in front of a computer and can’t figure out why they can’t get that tone. Even with pedals promising that sound.
@@thomasguerra6810 Yes, that's a point I've been trying to get across for years. It's the physics of what a speaker does at high volume and nothing can simulate that. All the talk about attenuators, that simulates what the electronics does but you've still eliminated what the speaker is doing. My point tho was people are listening to a recorded sound and trying to get that from their amp as if the recorded sound was what was coming from the artists amp. I discovered this years ago when I listened back to my tone when recorded with a band, wasn't the tone I had when sitting in front of my amp.
@@bradt.3555 Yes. The amount of air and tonal characteristics of the speaker working to its optimal performance. I know it’s hard for alot of people to get to that volume level, but it’s really the only thing that’s going to get you there. There is clearly a market for these pedals or low volume options, but I promise anyone, those will never get you as close as you want to be, tone wise.
Your playing at the end was pretty accurate! I think there’s hope for the rest of us
I think one thing you may have missed is SRV's use of the Roland SDD-320 Dimension D Rack Chorus. Vertex Effects has a video on it called "The Secret Behind SRV's Tone."
That’s a good call 🎸🎛️
Sear diaz modded the Stevie's amp, he pulled out the 2.Break the fire and put a solid state rectifier in.He also removed the speaker and put in a JBLfifteen Not withstanding that, he took the bright switch and rearranged it for a midboost.
You’re a legend, Chris. Oddly enough, I like warming up with the fat end of the pick, because it’s quieter, & when I’m ready to play, I use the sharp end. To each his own, be yourself as you said.
Thanks a lot mate. And that’s awesome feedback 🎸🎛️
@@PedalPawn much love! I just ordered the PW-Octone from Reverb, 2 day shipping. I’m so looking forward to it. Greetings from Los Angeles. Cheers!
You are an INCREDIBLE Guitarist. Well versed in so many styles. Full enjoy your abilities and chops with the Stevie Ray licks along with all of your stylings!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🎸⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you so much mate 🎸🤠❤️
Great playing...great info on his set up.
I have had a lot of success with his tone with the tone king imperial. Use an OD and the Duellist. I bought your gypsy vibe recently, really happy with it. I will be purchasing the fuzz pedals soon.
That’s awesome mate, and thank you so much for the support 🎸🤠
Yes, watching blind tests of different types of woods, or different gauges of strings, there’s never any noticeable difference.
It’s a Strat, with a couple of 15’s, a couple Super Reverbs, sometimes two tube screamers and two wahs played at the same time. switching to the right combination of pick ups, then a lot of natural ability and creativity… this would be a great start! 😝🤘🏻🎸🇺🇸
Great video your playing and tone are something else .
Thanks so much mate
I think picking dynamics (from your right-hand technique) and the actual pickups themselves matter more than the string guage. Usually, a good set of low wind single coils (especially some that are mid-scooped, yes mid-scooped. That helps you get that top-end chime. Your amp and the TS will already provide plenty of mids).
Nice one mate! Thanks a lot for the comment 🎸
@@PedalPawn And just a quick clarification as well! I know Fender-style amps (especially blackface Fenders) tend to be a bit "mid-scooped as well, but that changes once you crank them, especially a super or vibroverb.
: )
Good advice!
@J.P. That is a perfect way to put it! Picking dynamite.
Ceased modified his pups extensively. Stevie played really loud and Ceaser modified the pups to still have relatively clean tone. He worked hard to get the same pickups with the standard SRV signature Strat with Fender and finished with the Texas Specials.
He used heavy gauge string as they didn’t break as easy. He had a ferocious right hand and big bends. Tuned down to e flat to get some tension out of the strings. His whole rig was a giant treble booster.
I have always played with my picks on te side since the day i started at 14. I never knew srv played with his like that till now so thats cool. Love your vids keep up the hard work.
Lots of good points. The thing about the guitar pick is funny. I've done that exact same thing since my early 20s and to me it does give a completely different sound. Especially when you're strumming or even better when you're "scratching" your strings, then you can really lean into it and still get sort of a smoother sound. Usually I go for using the "wrong" edge on the pick and then I also tilt the pick about 45° to get moore of a scratchy pick sound rather than a picking pick sound.... if that makes any sense, haha. Don't know if SRV did that aswell but to me it gives a nice sound.
Something I discovered on accident. If you want the Stevie tone, wire in your single coils with 500k pots and a .022 cap. It brightens the sound and makes it much more gritty just like Stevie’s tone. Or at least that’s what my ear tells me.
Brightens? A strat? OmG no. Why
Really interested to learn more about attenuators. What's the difference between the type you use, amps with in-built attenuators and the little JHS one? Covering that kind of ground would be great
Thanks a lot for the question James, go to film a proper video soon for you 🎸
Agreed! I want to learn more about them too. The options and price variation makes it all confusing to know what does what or what is the right option
I'd too would about attenuators, seems like the only way to get those tubes to really cook without looking your hearing quickly 😮
The little JHS Black Amp Box is not an attenuator, It's just a volume controller in a small black box, which can only be placed in an effects loop (if your amp hasn't one, then pls. don't buy it). I'm using one for my Marshall SV20H. It simply controlls the volume running from the preamp section into the poweramp section. Thats all. It works great and for me it's the only way to get the distortion from the amp, without killing my neighbours ;-)
ii just watch these videos to hear you say "glassy" thanks for not disappointing .
I was going to say, take a shot every time I say Glassy, but that might be lethal advice 🤣
Awesome video and info💥🔥
I think Stevie developed calluse on his finger tips that became very very hard and to couple that with his strength it created a huge tone along with all the gear you mentioned, wish they can make an epic big screen movie about Stevie, growing up, his detailed gear, his faults and victories, etc
Awesome comment. Thanks a lot mate 🎸🤠
You didn’t mention his use of rest strokes, probably one of the biggest Stevie tone tips out there. It’s the one constant tonal aspect from when he played acoustic to electric. Marbin did a video on that, it seems to really be the secret sauce behind Stevie tone.
ua-cam.com/video/ptas4yGYSts/v-deo.html
I would absolutely love a thorough video on the THD HOT PLATE!
I own the 2 ohm version myself (I run it through a 1964 Super Reverb.. it sounds fantastic..)
PEACE & BLUES 🙂
Okay perfect mate, going to film that soon 🤗
Put fender 59 pure vintage pickups in my strat. Got the ts9 and pride of Texas by denelctro and fuzz face. Completely transformed my sound. Not that I’m any good but love the sound
That’s awesome mate 🎸🤠
Man you're freaking good!!
Thank you mate
I sold Cesar a Grey FF for 495. many moons ago. He later told me he used it on in step. Working at a guitar store in NYC for many years it was common to see Cesar especially at local guitar shows.
Wow, that’s a crazy story, thanks for sharing 🚀❤️
SRV tone is straight forward. Strat with overdrive at break up sprinkled with somewhat generous amounts of reverb. The secret sauce is a decent tube amp but some modelers will get you there as well.
Guys try a steinless pick (as thin as you can) with the rounder side of it to easily naile the bite, the attack and the smoothness it is a major change to my playing and at no cost!
Great job. You got it right. Down to the pick. I hold my picks this way and it has advantages. Thanks for mentioning the fender Leslie cabinet as well. Lots of people miss that. It was almost always on.
Cheers from Hawaii
Something that might help ya is a dimension D after the microphone. It adds a good chorus and a lot more thickness. If you listen to the cleans in Texas Flood and songs like Riviera Paradise or Tightrope youll clearly listen such (not sure if Rivi. Or Tightrope are just the Leslie Cab but im guessing along)
I tried everything to come close. Besides a nice American strat it's in the amp and speakers. The missing link in my personal experience was a good vintage super reverb. Even on lower volumes (3 or 4 on the dial) the tone is there if playing is close enough. I don't use tube screamers. Blues driver works for me because with cranked gain I have a fuzz and with low gain a slight mid boost much nicer than TS
The univibe was made to replicate an effect that was accidental on WWII radio transmissions. I believe it was related to the doppler effect
Been playing old fender amps for decades.A good black panel super reverb.(with good tubes,filter caps)etc is as close to his older sound you can get with just one amp…
Awesome as always Chris!
I read that he used to change the speakers of all his amps
That’s a great shout 🤠🎛️
Great video. Just wondering what pickups would you recommend for SRV tone if you cannot afford a 1964 Strat. Thanks.
Ive done the same thing with my pick since day one id use like a 60mm pick usually nylon and only use the tip for tremolo picking and the edge for almost everything else i broke alot of strings early on cause i also used super thick strings but now i use hybrid slinkys and haven't broken one in years
Thanks Chris. Timeless content! The attenuator review would be most appreciated. Tyvm.
Amazing, thank you so much mate
Dude you sound allot like him actually. Bravo!
Thanks so much for watching mate
I think it would be cool to do an even deeper dive then here on things like his actual dial settings... some of it is well known (like the 663 amp settings) some not- I never knew how to set up a Tube Screamer- but apparently having the drive way down and the volume and treble way up or all the way up gets you much closer to Stevie's tone (although the taped pedals pic from El-Mocombo would argue otherwise)- but generally a clean Fender amp and a Tube Screamer to start is well known- so a deeper dig with maybe some A/B comparisons would go a long way. I also think it's REALLY important to discuss how to get there WITHOUT insane volume levels. SO much of his tone is there because it's loud- but really- there is almost nowhere anymore that you can play loud at all. Gig stage volumes or so low now you'd never be able to turn up the way he did. Even in big venues- the stage volume is low and then it's all up to the house to get it louder.
Stevies sound was truly channelled from a higher spiritual place. Just when you think you're getting close to it you realize that it's not really there
Excellent video. There are a few of these now but yours is very comprehensive and ur sound is really close. I'd love to see some song tones recreated as close as possible, eg tightrope vs Lenny vs Couldn't stand the weather. And go through the various sections of the song for each case. Eg is their vibratone on the CSTW riff or just for the rhythm?
Step 1: genuinely desire to engage in foreplay+ with your guitar.
Step 2: as with a lover, pay attention to how your guitar responds during said foreplay. Occasionally, she will make sounds that tell you you're on the right track.
Step 3: when she makes the sounds that tell you you're on the right track, for the love of God keep doing what you're doing.
You have a very lucky wife, I mean guitar 🎸
@@PedalPawn 😂
Loved the vid. How would you set your Deluxe reverb for Stevie's tone? Treble and Bass EQ setting mainly. And is it a 64 or 65?
Thanks a lot! 65 🎛️ The Treble & Bass don’t seem to make much difference once cranked in my experience, maybe Bass: 5 & Treble: 7 for my taste 🤠
You start with his fingers and his brain. Cheers from Texas.
Good job. You got it.
Love the video very much. :) UHM!!!!! The difference the 13 gauge strings made when I tried it was that it ripped the tremolo system out of the tremolo well. LoL. And Oh by the way - you are not an average guitarist. I am just average, you are a cut above us average guys. I have embraced the fact that I will never ever ever ever get close to that tone and thats just life. Outa all the cooking tubes I use, I still sound like solid state. :( -- and I will say that at the end of the video, you proved yourself wrong. You sound very much like SRV
I was at the El Macombo show in Toronto, you know the one with all the videos on the Internet, we’re sitting right in front of the stage so when the show is over, I quickly jumped up and gingerly, put my hand around his guitar neck, which was sitting on a stand right in front of me, and yes, that neck was like a half a baseball bat. It was huge, also shook his hand later, I’m 6 foot one and have pretty big hands, he was a little short guy, but when we shook hands, his hand dwarfed mine it was huge, as for such a small guy, when they say, your tone is in your fingers, well, this guy big hands big sound, by the way, after the first song, I don’t think I caught my breath till the next day
Hi Chris. Great channel,mate! I reckon you & your pedal- making team should bring out the “Tokyo ‘85” pedal cos that is the most “fave-melting” Stevie tone. If you like that sorta thing🎵🎶🎼😁🎸🌅
And to his use of 13's as to where you say in your tests they didn't make much of a difference, could it be a physical thing, so he could hit and play hard without breaking or ripping thinner strings out of tune
Excellent video. If I could give one piece of unsolicited (but I believe quality) advice: in videos like this, include excerpts from the artist's performances wherein they use said equipment/techniques. But, again, great video!
Good shout mate, we sometimes do that although it’s proving tricky with the copyright/fair use debacle 🎸
@@PedalPawn ah, I totally get that. I did one video "playing along" to John Lee Hooker and thought that I cropped his footage and edited enough, but alas - video was taken down for copyright reasons. 🤷🥺
Would love a recording setup video
Eff yeah! Attenuation video!!!
Awesome let’s gooo!
What’s your opinion? Do Texas special pickups help creating the sound or are you better off with a 60’s style pickup and amp/ pedals? I have a stray with TS pu’s but find those a bit to harsh.
Great video, great playing!! Like your pedals , saving up for the gipsy vibe! 🔥🔥☔️
Texas specials are some of the worst strat pickups you will ever use in your whole life if you're trying to get srv tone Stevie used underwound pickups Texas specials are overwound
Great video. Looking forward to the one on attenuators
Okay, awesome Nick, thanks a lot
No massive tone difference in using the fat end of the pick - but it's does stop the pick getting hung up and allows the thumb edge to be closer to the strings which helps with minimising string noise.
Hey Chris, how can you tell if a Cesar Diaz pedal was made before his death or after, and does that matter for quality or tone, and for value?
A big big thanks for this video ! I would have like this video when I started to be close to the srv tone !! It helps a lot to understand where do you have to go to be the closest of srv tone !
But I hope that you’ll soon do a pedal to have srv’s hands lmao😂
🤣🙌 thanks very much mate ❤️
@@PedalPawn you’re welcome mate ! It is to us to thank you for every single effects that you’ve done !!
which amp are you using in the end of video?
Nice Vid Brother ❤️ but I think it’s hard to do a Video about Stevie’s tone without a timeline/ a specific tone
What Everyone misses, play on the BACK of beat
There have been a lot of videos on this topic which are all really frustrating. They are all talk vests that never let you actually hear SRV’s tone nor any effort to define his tone in contrast to a clean tone. The best advice is if you play like Stevie you will sound like Stevie.
I'm a guitarist and I saw SRV 3 times. I have to be careful that too much of his sound doesn't leak into my own. They only made one of him and there are too many imitators now.
The ego on you, good lord
@@mynchux Sorry you have no idea what I'm talking about. So you're an SRV imitator, huh? We don't need that, we already have several. MY POINT, nut sac, is that we all need to bring our own sound to the forefront instead of being a hack imitator of any other guitarist, no matter how much we love and admire them. We've all heard Texas Flood 500 times so it's obvious when someone tries to blow minds by mangling his riffs. I've been playing longer than you've been alive, I'll bet.
Yeah be careful. You Sound like a kid worried he’s gonna get too big because he’s lifting for a week. I think we’re all safe.
I think a lot of his tone was actually in his picking style. It was unique- Tommy Katona has it down pat from what I hear.
Hey I love your videos! But what pedal would be the best for me? I hsve an Amp with pretty good gain so should I go with the Texan twang? I want the pride and joy style
And also I need new strings what Guage?
Thanks very much for the nice comment and support. I would agree that the Texan Twang could be a great addition to your amp 🤠 In regards to string gauge, you can’t really go wrong with whatever feels best in your hands, as there is little to no difference in tone (as outlined in our recent 9 gauge versus 13 gauge video). 10s are a good all-round feel! 🎸🎛️
@@PedalPawn awesome thank you so much you never fail to help!!
The essence of srv is Stevie
i knew a guy who played blues guitar and he could match SRV's sound exactly with a mexican squier tele, a 'mesa boogie' dual rectifier amp, a 'boss' digital delay and 8 gauge strings. there's def. more than one way to skin a cat as the say.
Not sure about the "upside-down pick" comment. I thought he used it more like rotated 90 degrees and used one of the two fatter corners.
I think that technique avoids getting hung up on the strings. Plus, you can dig in with more force.
What a fantastic video have a good day also stay safe
Thanks a lot mate, you too
Did his Strat have pickups? Were they set really close?
The secret is volume and clarity
no back lash from me. good video amnd im checking out your pedals
Thank you so much mate 🎸🤠
Perhaps you can help me… my Texas twang is very noisy … lots of static and it rattles when you shake it…. I ordered it directly from Pedal Pawn… I want to order the Octavia and the fuzz… but am worried the noise will be cumulative…. Thoughts and assistance??
Hi Ben,
Thanks a lot for the comment. Please drop us an email as we know exactly what is going on & it’s a simple resolution. We don’t really see UA-cam comments too much since there are too many 🚀❤️
SRV tone: a loud strat through a slightly to heavily overdriven fenderish tube amp.
Quale Pick up montava stevie sulla number one?
you're f'n good!
Cheeeers mate 🤠🎸
Tommy K says it’s in the hands
EXCELLENT.
Thanks a lot 🍒❤
Roto vibe amp as well
what is that riff he's playing at 12:40?
Great info dude, let me just say you keep playing those 13’s and bending like SRV on a regular basis you’re going to end up wearing out the cartilage in your hands by the time you get in your 50’s or 60’s. I love heavy strings but at 69 ain’t happening anymore
Yup. I played 13s longer than SRV did, literally. Now, my finger joints/tendons hurt. I now play 10s and I’d venture
To say SRV would not have still played 13s had he lived.
I have found that playing at a d addario 9.5 set gives me the sound without the hand issues
I found most of my tone is in my fingers even if I play clean I still sound like me. So my advice just be you 👍
*Mishmash… very different than ‘mismatch.’ 😝🤘🏻🎸🇺🇸
I noticed you have all your pickups almost all the way down. What is your reasoning for that? Could you let us know what pups you use as well. Thx. Stevie used Texas Specials didnt he?
srv plugged a broom into a toaster, it would sound like srv ❤
Totally agree 🤠❤️
Great video ! You missed pickups and pickup height !
I realise that when editing 🤣😭Thanks for watching mate 🤠
@@PedalPawn 😂 So can you tell us more about your pickups and the height you have them set up at ? I have some Sliders 59’ SRV Pickups and I had to adjust them really high in order to get anywhere close to that SRV tone. The Pedal Pawn has made all the difference in the world for me. Running it through a Fractal Audio Axe FX III with a preset I made based on a Dumble.
Great playing and sound, but to me sounds a bit more like Jimi tone than Stevie? I think a lot of Stevie's tone came from just how hard he hit the strings, he was brutal man!
Good stevie recipe
You have a great tone, definitely want to know and learn about what you call the hotplate mate.. as you would say. Hahaha
🤣🤣 genius, cheers mate 😝
The headstock cracked down the tuners and broke off too. New piece of wood had to be shaped and glued on
🙌🤠🎸
Fender black face amp tube screamer and chorus.
The only thing i might add is to tune down a half-step...
How big where his hands ? Google says his height was 5'5" . Which surprised me.
Hi Billy, yes, Stevie was actually a lot shorter than people think due to appearing larger than life on stage it seems 🤠
recording techniques please!!!
Dimension D through the mixing desk....
Imagine cranking up my frontma 212r 😂
Pickups ?
By age 14, SRV was already better than most around
Damm and still after having all the gear he doesn’t sound like SRV it goes to show that most of the tone were his hands and his nuances
That’s correct, and that was the whole point of the video in essence. There’s only one SRV 🎸🤠