Calling all Funksters ! !

ahhh... cool... thanks dude
the amazing thing is that these presets are just amp and cab... nothing else.. nothing clever..
but they just work so well...
 
I'm pretty sure Simeon is using Strats (mongoose videos).
Clarky what guitar and pickups you're using?
I'm having a bit of hard time finding these type of tones with humbucker pups..
 
I'm using the centre selection [both pups - there's no coil tapping going on either]
the pups are Bulldog humbuckers

the centre selector with a pair of h/b pups can be quite 'stratty'
 
so.... I've finally finished working on the funky album...

here's a clip of the final song..
and in this one the clean guitar has a moment that's about as exposed as it gets...

jeez the Axe is just soooooo good at just about everything you throw at it..

 
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oh man that´s so good, both the playing and the sound ! I´m lately quite interested in funk. could anyone recommend me some bands / guitarists I schould check out ? :)
 
Maceo Parket is a great place to start..

and the song Pick up the Pieces by The Average White Band
cool as ya like...
 
clarky said:
top call... I really liked the JM45... very nice..
after the Hiwatt I'd have to say that's now my next fave clean amp
the high end break up on it is wonderful too..
liking this one a lot....
Click to expand...


thread after my own heart!

Been working with the Fenders ( for my last six gigs the Vibrolux has been working the best but I still have a long way to go to dial in a "stable" tone for what I do) --- I did not even think or consider the Marshall family (Plexi or JM45) for R&B/Funk.

since we are in v9 (hopefully v10 soon)

What would you recommend as a starting point for preset chain to cover R&B/soul/FunK?

Few things to keep in mind

1. I will be using it live
2. Mono - Matrix amp/Q12 -- in future maybe Matrix amp with real 2x12 cab
3. No FOH or channeling through our tiny PA (Q12 or 2x12 will be only source of guitar amplification at shows)

We cover artists such as:

Joss Stone
Temptations
bobby Caldwell
Ides Of March
supremes
four tops
Crusaders
Edwin Starr
Wilson Picket
marvin Gaye
Sly
Tower of Power
AWB
EWF
Commodores
donna Summers
Dusty Springfield
Eva Cassidy
Aretha Franklin
Barry white
Booker T
Sam & Dave
Stevie wonder
Ronnie Milsap
Smokey Robinson
Swing out sister
Amy Winehouse
Etta James
Johnny Masetro
Frankie Valli
Dion
Classics IV
War

Edgier stuff (what I consider High gain - LOL)
Joe Cocker
Southside Johnny
Black Crowes
Elvin Bishop
Linda Ronstadt
Dobbie Brothers
Rare Earth
Santana
Bruce Sprinsteen
Jackson Browne
Orleans
Lynard skynard
Kid rock
Warren Zevon

Lots more -- we do some latin stuff as well (Salsa/cumbia/Merenque)

In any event -- I use to cover most of this stuff with a 60's Fender Twin and a pedal board. Great amp - but because of my back I just can't lug around (even with casters) a 70 pound amp. Just lifting it and putting it my Jeep would throw my back out. However Cliff has modeled this pretty special amp and from what I understand it will be in V10.

So if we start with a clean palette

Where would you start with a basic amp/cab combination?

PS -- I really like the Two Rock for "SleepWalk" -- also been using the Zendrive as my primary drive.
 
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i reckon keep it simple - wah > envelope filter > phaser > drive > amp > cab > delay > reverb

the delay can be slapback (sounds good with envelope filter), or you can have an analogue type with loads of repeats for use as an "effect" on string slides or chord hits (have the bypass mode set to mute fx in)

you can use the reverb set to some slight ambience, or have it set longer just bring it in for slow passages

it's really just down to taste and which songs you're doing
 
the thing with the Axe-II is that you have so many possibilities amps and cabs wise that you can find very cool funk tones in pretty unlikely / unexpected places..
as I did with the Hiwatt and the JCM800

so it's worth keeping your eyes wide open and trying the unusual / unconventional..

remember..
stupidity is a path to innovation..
 
clarky said:
the thing with the Axe-II is that you have so many possibilities amps and cabs wise that you can find very cool funk tones in pretty unlikely / unexpected places..
as I did with the Hiwatt and the JCM800

so it's worth keeping your eyes wide open and trying the unusual / unconventional..

remember..
stupidity is a path to innovation..
Click to expand...

what cab did you use with the 800? I am assuming it is the Brit 800?
 
the clean tone is:
left side: Hiwatt Normal through a 4x12 25W
right side: Brit800 through a 1960a G12M

combined in the mix, the Hiwatt brings the thickness and the Marshall adds the bite
 
I tried to put a generic clean preset for live use using the FRFR as my only source of amplication.

sounds OK loud -- but when I cut back the volume it starts to lose its body.

If some of you "funksters" can take a look and help this Noob out I really would be externally grateful!

Thanks
 

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simeon said:
well as someone who has played in funk bands since the 90's (including a mighty 14-piece band called Mongoose) i'm all over this thread like a bad rash. i currently use the Plexi Normal with the bright switch on running into the 1960a and 30w (ultra) cabs. a little light compression that only really kicks in when switching to bridge humbucker. it's not perfectly clean...there's a little grit when using single coils. wah, phaser, a couple of drive blocks. auto filter (sometimes)

tried using the plexi treble for a bit, but it was just a bit too gnarly for me
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That sounds monster. I'm totally going to try that Plexi + bright approach. I too had found the Plexi Treble a little too much for funk, and the Plexi too dark. But pulling the bright switch...smart.

I'm using some Fenders right now. And Boutique 1. And Hot Kitty for the overdrive stuff. In to some cabs. I'll post more details and patches after v10 drops.

But a compressor, two drive pedals for flavours of OD/boost, a phaser, a flanger, a foot-controlled wah, an envelope-controlled wah...
 
LVC said:
I tried to put a generic clean preset for live use using the FRFR as my only source of amplication.

sounds OK loud -- but when I cut back the volume it starts to lose its body.

If some of you "funksters" can take a look and help this Noob out I really would be externally grateful!

Thanks
Click to expand...

when you back off the volume what are the circumstances?
is this:
- playing at gig volume and backing off the guitar / volume pedal? <-- looses some 'body' to the tone
- playing the same preset at home / practice volume? <-- sounds thin
 
clarky said:
when you back off the volume what are the circumstances?
is this:
- playing at gig volume and backing off the guitar / volume pedal? <-- looses some 'body' to the tone
- playing the same preset at home / practice volume? <-- sounds thin
Click to expand...

No volume pedal yet -- but when I get my board there will be one


- playing at gig volume and backing off the guitar <-- looses some 'body' to the tone (Yes)
- playing the same preset at home / practice volume? <-- sounds thin (Not if I turn down the rack amp)


Maybe its those two cats from Bell Labs coming back from the dead to make my life unpleasant

It is more of function of rolling back the vol pot when I play at gig volume. I ride the vol pot a lot when I play.

I have not played this particular patch live yet -- but I like the direction

I tweaked it a bit more (it is attached)
 

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ok... how about making the volume change via an expression pedal..
this means that you can do a few 'fix-up things' to the tone as the volume drops..
my presets are riddled with this stuff...
have you heard the clip of my Riff/Solo1 preset?
as it morphs from hi-gain to clean a bunch of 'tone thickening' things happen..

if you want I can take you through some of this with respect to your own tone..
it's not as difficult as you may first think
 
clarky said:
ok... how about making the volume change via an expression pedal..
this means that you can do a few 'fix-up things' to the tone as the volume drops..
my presets are riddled with this stuff...
have you heard the clip of my Riff/Solo1 preset?
as it morphs from hi-gain to clean a bunch of 'tone thickening' things happen..

if you want I can take you through some of this with respect to your own tone..
it's not as difficult as you may first think
Click to expand...


With my tube rig I used vol pedal after my OD pedal to control overall vol of OD.

Basically with one OD pedal I could go from full saturation (GTR vol pot up/vol pedal sets vol to taste) to very touch sensitive "sparks" when I dig in (vol through vol pedal up --- vol pot on guitar backed off) -- very old school.

When I finally get my MFC -- that is the way I will setup my vol pedal after OD pedal.


With channel switching amps with effects loops, I used to put vol pedal in the loop -- Not sure how you would do this with the AXE and if you did would it achieve the same results.
 
LVC said:
With channel switching amps with effects loops, I used to put vol pedal in the loop -- Not sure how you would do this with the AXE and if you did would it achieve the same results.
Click to expand...

simply put a volume block after the cab block. you can then control volume without affecting the gain of the amp. almost the same as putting a volume pedal in the fx loop of a real amp.
 
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