Hey another great job! This is actually my fave of the BSM's for my taste. Fyi, the 'top boost' switch isn't so much a treble boost as it is a high pass filter. It's a 'treble boost' because there is less low end. The awia preamp being a mic pre, slams out alot of bottom end...at mic pre level into a guitar level input. So when u run a Major up to 6 on the vol, original 25 greenies will fart out and blow pretty easily. So part of the Major Mods that were introducted into RB's majors after switching to awia preamp was a HPF in the amp to keep it from being blatty. I love the top boost hpf switch with alot of amps...really cleans up your sound no matter what kind of sound it is. Also the really high input impedance of bsm pedals open up the sound of your guitar and make it more airy and reactive to the gtr volume and touch. It's why the bsm info always says to put the pedal right after the guitar. 👍
Yes, I did not want to give the impression that is is a treble booster, this is why I said top boost as written on the pedal and wrote on the screen that it is not a treble booster. (altough I did say adds treble... dammit) I heard Blackmore blew through a set of speakers on a weekly basis :D I often play my major replica on full volume but it is attenuated by the time it gets to the speaker. Guitar to BSM pedal and amp is the best way to do it for sure! I am somewhat of a sceptic or at least an agnostic if Blackmore really had his amp worked on in the Marshall factory when switching to the Aiwa. It is feasible but I never found him or marshall say anything about that. What I know for sure is they made it for him in 70 (that's the story he always tells and is also in jim marshall's book) and then Dawk worked a lot on his amp according to his own recollection after 1975.
@@DogwithtwoBones dawk was a friend...he worked in all the Leslie speakers and Hammond organs in the studio I worked at....he did all the badass Lord mods...beefed up the leslie amps and pregained them so the Leslie's would really distort. He also put all EV speakers in them and I think he did something to the speaker motors. He also put the wicked percussion mod into the Hammond's, so when u hit a nite it had alot of attack. The original hpf filter stuff in the amps was around 73-74 so that was before dawks time. Dawk came in like in the 77-78 timeframe. Really great guy and when u went down to his shop in ithaca ny he was always happy to talk whatever with you. Last time I was there he had at least 5 MM's in various states. I ended up doing live sound for his sons band a cpl times. Always wondered what happened to all that amazing stuff he had in his shop after he passed away. I only live 30 miles away and I never heard of any of it coming up for sale. He started out as an amp repair guy for the high end tube McIntosh home stereo rigs. They were based out of Ithaca/Cortland area. He maintained all the majors and was more hands-on with the guitars and pickups. He was very deaf later on - years of brutal Leslie and major work will do that to ya!
@@livingabovethe12th That must have been awesome to have known him! I have only red his forum and website and he replied to my email once, great guy! I don't suppose you know what he did with Blackmore's majors? I am afraid that knowledge died with him. I bet that classic stage volume rendered every musician and staff deaf, but that was the real feeling. Today everything is small combos and attenuators. BUT at least the PAs are way better today and you can get a great sound for the audience.
@@DogwithtwoBones dawk here talked about the majors when he came on board -- "It had a factory mod - a cascading circuit of the first channel into the second with a master volume control in between - the master volume pot was put in one of the input jacks to save time, it worked and was very loud but it had a dull tone and no crisp high-end. So I took all that stuff out and added an extra preamp tube with all of the correct voicing (EQ) that Ritchie liked. Yeah, you could even use the stock inputs to compare the stock sounds." So basically dawk removed what was the internal wiring to simulate jumping the channels on the front jacks with a cable and replaced it with a single input that saw an extra preamp tube. I do def recall him showing me that on his mod that one input saw his extra tube and the other input would bypass the extra preamp tube for the 'traditional' sound. What was originally vol I was the traditional Marshall volume and volume II became the output volume of the new preamp tube into the traditional Marshall input section. Part of the EQ he speaks of is the HPF in the preamp. Remember, this was an evolution...dawks mods came around 78-80 era when the tone became more overdriven. Also don't forget...the Marshall majors lineage as a PA system amp...it used an ultra linear output tranny, which is a big part of the sound. It gives u a big low end...not "more" low end, but and open, airy sorta "effortless" sounding low end. That's what sets the major apart. Remember when engl first did the e650 Blackmore heads....they actually came with ultra linear output tranny's. But engl, needing to sell amps, didn't use the ultralinear output taps, they used the stock ones....thus turning the amp into another metal-dude amp. If u get your hands on an older e650 and retap the speaker outs to the ultra linear outputs and remove the unneeded metal guy gain in the preamp, they sound AMAZING. (Schematic for mod I believe is on the BSM website) that ultra linear tranny allows a fat full sound without alot of gain. Hope all this helps. 👍🤘
I used the HS-C to recreate the MKII Tone and I'm sold on BSM. They have high-quality pedals and they faithfully recreate the different 'Tone Era's" of RB. (DeepshadesofPurple. Com) . This is another fine output from the guys at BSM. BTW....their website ( treblebooster. net )has a great write up of all the different tone era's of Blackmore and stats on his gear. I'm a huge Blackmore fan and the guys at BSM put me to shame with their knowledge base. Check them out...you won't be disappointed!
Thanks Shane, I checked out the band and you guys play a mean Purple! I wish we had a pro cover band like this here in Houston... Yeah BSM's website is a treasure trove of information and tone for Blackmore fanatics like us. I like working with Bernd, he's a great guy! I never tried the HS-C unfortunately but I used the 71/71 for years and that pedal is great value, sounds awesome and has a wide range of classic tones in them. Since I bought my major and a hornby skewes replica I don't use it too much (in fact I am selling it) But this 75 and the Galaxy took it's place.
Unfortunately, all of these pedals produce a somewhat similar tone only at the distorted level. If you remove the sound to 3 on the volume and turn the potentiometer to the neck position, then all authenticity disappears. Of course, to amplify the sound, needs a powerful tube Marshall to be used, but still, it is better to use the Aiwa TP 1011 as a preamplifier. For a greater violin tone, a turtle pick needs to be used. For correct sound extraction and in order to make it easier to play Blackmore notes, it is still necessary to change the technique of playing with the right hand. Blackmore always holds his right hand curved like a poker. Because of this, most of the notes, especially on the strong beat, he strikes the string from the bottom up. Then all his phrases on the guitar become easier to play. To do this, the guitar must be raised higher.
I think I agree with everything you said although I have never played a real tortoise shell pick but I use a lot of upstrokes, it is definitely a big part of his sound. I am pretty satisfied with the tone of Max's aiwa pedal when the volume is turned down but a big factor is Blackmore's MTC or BSM's spicebox to keep the highs when you roll off the volume.
@@DogwithtwoBones When I unexpectedly found a very old comb made from a turtle at a flea market, I did not expect, after I made my first pick out of it in the garage, that the sound from the first note, even on an unconnected guitar, would become so much like the sound of Blackmore . Later, in another market, I found a craftsman who made women's brooches and earrings out of turtles. I drew a layout and asked him for some picks and he made them perfect because my first one was slightly thicker. I gradually distributed them to my various friends, which I now regret a little, because that guy from the market had already died. I have two picks left now. One is very worn out, but it can still be used for a long time. If you want I can send it in a postal envelope. The truth is, I don't know how are the laws on tortoise shell products in your country. As for all these pedals and gadgets inside the guitar, I have tried them all, but none of them comes close to the effect of AIWA. Yes, MTC gives on volume 3 a warble tone to the clean sound, but not more.
Hate to say it, but this pedal ain’t doin’ it. Too much distortion. Even at his most aggressive 75-77 sound, the reality is the sound was still essentially clean. It was not fuzztone, it was not distorted, it was not compressed, it was not overdriven.... it was just this stunning simultaneous clean plus roar. And it responded to pick dynamics, but that really is a function of the Marshall Major. Anyway, that’s where all of these BSM pedals miss the mark. The other brand, Gunslinger RB1011, gets much closer to the essential Blackmore tone.
I disagree. I agree that Blackmore's tone in general is way cleaner than people think but he had pretty overdriven tones around the end of the 70s with Rainbow. I have the Guitarslinger RB1011 and it is very similar to this pedal actually. In my opinion and experience there is a delicate balance between the amps drive and the pedal. Also speakers and volume are at play. Either way just because the pedal can deliver much more gain than Blackmore usually used it doesn't mean the pedal is bad, you just don't need to turn it up. If you look at the guitar smashing or solos where he played with the feedback and tremolo arm, those tones are fuzzy as hell. And he got that tone by Cooky his guitar tech (in the 80s) turning up the output of the Aiwa Tape. So the preamp circuit in the aiwa tape was capable of delivering a lot of drive but Blackmore usually used it tastefully.
I actually listened to my recording in this video and the original song just now and my tone is cleaner than the record. The biggest difference though is that Rising was mixed and mastered to have very biting guitars, mine to dark, I should have strengthen the treble region in mixing.
I’m listening to you doing the Tarot Woman guitar solo.... and it kinda sounds like you’ve got a cocked Wah wah pedal in the circuit. You’ll have to forgive me; I’ve been playing thru a Marshall Major since 1979, and am used to the magic it can impart. Nonetheless I do have a bit of an ear for this. Getting his tone nailed is no easy feat.
@@Gk2003m I believe it is practically impossible to get these tones right. Dont forget these songs are also mixed and mastered so you hear a processed guitar tone not the raw amp sound. I am playing on a major replica that was modeled after a 1972 major but has kt88s and the two channels internally cascaded. You cant get the tone with just a major and no aiwa tape machine or a pedal replicating that circuit. But i agree about that cocked wah sound. I did not state for a second that I nailed the tone on this one but I think is is in the ballpark. I should have add way more highs now it is too mid heavy.
Great tone again. Loved the 16th Century Greensleeves solo, all the bends and tremolo bar use are so tricky to get right!
They are very tricky that's why I didn't get them all right :D
Hey another great job! This is actually my fave of the BSM's for my taste. Fyi, the 'top boost' switch isn't so much a treble boost as it is a high pass filter. It's a 'treble boost' because there is less low end. The awia preamp being a mic pre, slams out alot of bottom end...at mic pre level into a guitar level input. So when u run a Major up to 6 on the vol, original 25 greenies will fart out and blow pretty easily. So part of the Major Mods that were introducted into RB's majors after switching to awia preamp was a HPF in the amp to keep it from being blatty. I love the top boost hpf switch with alot of amps...really cleans up your sound no matter what kind of sound it is. Also the really high input impedance of bsm pedals open up the sound of your guitar and make it more airy and reactive to the gtr volume and touch. It's why the bsm info always says to put the pedal right after the guitar. 👍
Yes, I did not want to give the impression that is is a treble booster, this is why I said top boost as written on the pedal and wrote on the screen that it is not a treble booster. (altough I did say adds treble... dammit)
I heard Blackmore blew through a set of speakers on a weekly basis :D I often play my major replica on full volume but it is attenuated by the time it gets to the speaker.
Guitar to BSM pedal and amp is the best way to do it for sure!
I am somewhat of a sceptic or at least an agnostic if Blackmore really had his amp worked on in the Marshall factory when switching to the Aiwa. It is feasible but I never found him or marshall say anything about that. What I know for sure is they made it for him in 70 (that's the story he always tells and is also in jim marshall's book) and then Dawk worked a lot on his amp according to his own recollection after 1975.
@@DogwithtwoBones dawk was a friend...he worked in all the Leslie speakers and Hammond organs in the studio I worked at....he did all the badass Lord mods...beefed up the leslie amps and pregained them so the Leslie's would really distort. He also put all EV speakers in them and I think he did something to the speaker motors. He also put the wicked percussion mod into the Hammond's, so when u hit a nite it had alot of attack. The original hpf filter stuff in the amps was around 73-74 so that was before dawks time. Dawk came in like in the 77-78 timeframe. Really great guy and when u went down to his shop in ithaca ny he was always happy to talk whatever with you. Last time I was there he had at least 5 MM's in various states. I ended up doing live sound for his sons band a cpl times. Always wondered what happened to all that amazing stuff he had in his shop after he passed away. I only live 30 miles away and I never heard of any of it coming up for sale. He started out as an amp repair guy for the high end tube McIntosh home stereo rigs. They were based out of Ithaca/Cortland area. He maintained all the majors and was more hands-on with the guitars and pickups. He was very deaf later on - years of brutal Leslie and major work will do that to ya!
@@livingabovethe12th That must have been awesome to have known him! I have only red his forum and website and he replied to my email once, great guy!
I don't suppose you know what he did with Blackmore's majors? I am afraid that knowledge died with him.
I bet that classic stage volume rendered every musician and staff deaf, but that was the real feeling. Today everything is small combos and attenuators. BUT at least the PAs are way better today and you can get a great sound for the audience.
@@DogwithtwoBones dawk here talked about the majors when he came on board -- "It had a factory mod - a cascading circuit of the first channel into the second with a master volume control in between - the master volume pot was put in one of the input jacks to save time, it worked and was very loud but it had a dull tone and no crisp high-end. So I took all that stuff out and added an extra preamp tube with all of the correct voicing (EQ) that Ritchie liked. Yeah, you could even use the stock inputs to compare the stock sounds."
So basically dawk removed what was the internal wiring to simulate jumping the channels on the front jacks with a cable and replaced it with a single input that saw an extra preamp tube. I do def recall him showing me that on his mod that one input saw his extra tube and the other input would bypass the extra preamp tube for the 'traditional' sound. What was originally vol I was the traditional Marshall volume and volume II became the output volume of the new preamp tube into the traditional Marshall input section. Part of the EQ he speaks of is the HPF in the preamp. Remember, this was an evolution...dawks mods came around 78-80 era when the tone became more overdriven. Also don't forget...the Marshall majors lineage as a PA system amp...it used an ultra linear output tranny, which is a big part of the sound. It gives u a big low end...not "more" low end, but and open, airy sorta "effortless" sounding low end. That's what sets the major apart. Remember when engl first did the e650 Blackmore heads....they actually came with ultra linear output tranny's. But engl, needing to sell amps, didn't use the ultralinear output taps, they used the stock ones....thus turning the amp into another metal-dude amp. If u get your hands on an older e650 and retap the speaker outs to the ultra linear outputs and remove the unneeded metal guy gain in the preamp, they sound AMAZING. (Schematic for mod I believe is on the BSM website) that ultra linear tranny allows a fat full sound without alot of gain. Hope all this helps. 👍🤘
@@livingabovethe12th Thank so much! I'll write this down and save it.
Awesome!
Thanks!
@@DogwithtwoBones have you made a twitter page yet? Deep purple podcast will be checking out all your video's soon.👍👍👍
Hopespot234 Youz not yet but i am following the dp podcast on instagram and they followed me back.
I used the HS-C to recreate the MKII Tone and I'm sold on BSM. They have high-quality pedals and they faithfully recreate the different 'Tone Era's" of RB. (DeepshadesofPurple. Com) . This is another fine output from the guys at BSM. BTW....their website ( treblebooster. net )has a great write up of all the different tone era's of Blackmore and stats on his gear. I'm a huge Blackmore fan and the guys at BSM put me to shame with their knowledge base. Check them out...you won't be disappointed!
Thanks Shane, I checked out the band and you guys play a mean Purple! I wish we had a pro cover band like this here in Houston...
Yeah BSM's website is a treasure trove of information and tone for Blackmore fanatics like us. I like working with Bernd, he's a great guy!
I never tried the HS-C unfortunately but I used the 71/71 for years and that pedal is great value, sounds awesome and has a wide range of classic tones in them. Since I bought my major and a hornby skewes replica I don't use it too much (in fact I am selling it) But this 75 and the Galaxy took it's place.
You cop his style and sound well!
Thank you!
Unfortunately, all of these pedals produce a somewhat similar tone only at the distorted level. If you remove the sound to 3 on the volume and turn the potentiometer to the neck position, then all authenticity disappears. Of course, to amplify the sound, needs a powerful tube Marshall to be used, but still, it is better to use the Aiwa TP 1011 as a preamplifier. For a greater violin tone, a turtle pick needs to be used. For correct sound extraction and in order to make it easier to play Blackmore notes, it is still necessary to change the technique of playing with the right hand. Blackmore always holds his right hand curved like a poker. Because of this, most of the notes, especially on the strong beat, he strikes the string from the bottom up. Then all his phrases on the guitar become easier to play. To do this, the guitar must be raised higher.
ua-cam.com/video/at0mDdpqdA8/v-deo.html
I think this is a good sample of right hand technique.
I think I agree with everything you said although I have never played a real tortoise shell pick but I use a lot of upstrokes, it is definitely a big part of his sound.
I am pretty satisfied with the tone of Max's aiwa pedal when the volume is turned down but a big factor is Blackmore's MTC or BSM's spicebox to keep the highs when you roll off the volume.
@@DogwithtwoBones When I unexpectedly found a very old comb made from a turtle at a flea market, I did not expect, after I made my first pick out of it in the garage, that the sound from the first note, even on an unconnected guitar, would become so much like the sound of Blackmore . Later, in another market, I found a craftsman who made women's brooches and earrings out of turtles. I drew a layout and asked him for some picks and he made them perfect because my first one was slightly thicker. I gradually distributed them to my various friends, which I now regret a little, because that guy from the market had already died. I have two picks left now. One is very worn out, but it can still be used for a long time. If you want I can send it in a postal envelope. The truth is, I don't know how are the laws on tortoise shell products in your country. As for all these pedals and gadgets inside the guitar, I have tried them all, but none of them comes close to the effect of AIWA. Yes, MTC gives on volume 3 a warble tone to the clean sound, but not more.
What was the song you played at the start?
Tarot Woman, the opening song of Rainbow Rising.
Hate to say it, but this pedal ain’t doin’ it. Too much distortion. Even at his most aggressive 75-77 sound, the reality is the sound was still essentially clean. It was not fuzztone, it was not distorted, it was not compressed, it was not overdriven.... it was just this stunning simultaneous clean plus roar. And it responded to pick dynamics, but that really is a function of the Marshall Major. Anyway, that’s where all of these BSM pedals miss the mark. The other brand, Gunslinger RB1011, gets much closer to the essential Blackmore tone.
I disagree. I agree that Blackmore's tone in general is way cleaner than people think but he had pretty overdriven tones around the end of the 70s with Rainbow. I have the Guitarslinger RB1011 and it is very similar to this pedal actually. In my opinion and experience there is a delicate balance between the amps drive and the pedal. Also speakers and volume are at play. Either way just because the pedal can deliver much more gain than Blackmore usually used it doesn't mean the pedal is bad, you just don't need to turn it up. If you look at the guitar smashing or solos where he played with the feedback and tremolo arm, those tones are fuzzy as hell. And he got that tone by Cooky his guitar tech (in the 80s) turning up the output of the Aiwa Tape. So the preamp circuit in the aiwa tape was capable of delivering a lot of drive but Blackmore usually used it tastefully.
I actually listened to my recording in this video and the original song just now and my tone is cleaner than the record. The biggest difference though is that Rising was mixed and mastered to have very biting guitars, mine to dark, I should have strengthen the treble region in mixing.
I’m listening to you doing the Tarot Woman guitar solo.... and it kinda sounds like you’ve got a cocked Wah wah pedal in the circuit.
You’ll have to forgive me; I’ve been playing thru a Marshall Major since 1979, and am used to the magic it can impart. Nonetheless I do have a bit of an ear for this. Getting his tone nailed is no easy feat.
@@Gk2003m I believe it is practically impossible to get these tones right. Dont forget these songs are also mixed and mastered so you hear a processed guitar tone not the raw amp sound.
I am playing on a major replica that was modeled after a 1972 major but has kt88s and the two channels internally cascaded. You cant get the tone with just a major and no aiwa tape machine or a pedal replicating that circuit.
But i agree about that cocked wah sound. I did not state for a second that I nailed the tone on this one but I think is is in the ballpark. I should have add way more highs now it is too mid heavy.