LPD Tone Clone - Ronnie LeTekro TNT 10,000 Lovers AxeFx II

groovenut

groovenut

Power User
Hello everyone! About a week and a half ago I posted a Beta version of a TNT preset for Intuition. Beta because I really only spent about an hour on it and ran out of time to do my usual fine tooth comb thing. So last week I had the opportunity to do a behavior/tone match combo on my beloved 1981 Boss BF-2 Flanger, and I wanted to try it out on the Beta TNT preset since I had some time. Well.....

Once I got the Boss BF-2 Flanger in there it changed the tone pretty significantly (I really wasn't surprised by that, given the tone curve of the pedal) so I wound up scrapping it and starting from scratch. The one that is currently posted on Axe-change I will leave up as it is the second most popular of all my presets and still sounds pretty good on its own. As a matter of fact just jack the gain up a bit on both the drive block and the amp, and it's good for all kinds of 80s metal.

Those of you who have a peek inside the preset will notice it isn't anything like Mark Days, though I may see if I can translate his Ultra TNT preset to the II just because it's a great preset and I know a lot of people would like to have it done.

So here is the LPD Tone Clone for the TNT song 10,000 Lovers from the album Tell No Tales.

 
Sounds like its coming together great, Wonder what he turns on/off for his solo sound? Seems it gets a "wider" tone in the mix(Chorus maybe?). I've researched his gear and it seems he plugs into RE-150 Space Echo with just the input cranked(preamp ala. Blackmore,Scholz,E.Johnson)first for added mid boost with a BOSS OD-1, BOSS BF-2, BOSS CE-2, Dunlop CryBaby wah pedal and a Digitech Whammy II. Also, in the studio he has used a Harmonizer on some parts.

It's speculated that he plugs into the Space Echo first and that the OD-1 last?! Either way he has an amazing 80's cranked Marshall tone...
 
FractalGrinder said:
Sounds like its coming together great, Wonder what he turns on/off for his solo sound? Seems it gets a "wider" tone in the mix(Chorus maybe?). I've researched his gear and it seems he plugs into RE-150 Space Echo with just the input cranked(preamp ala. Blackmore,Scholz,E.Johnson)first for added mid boost with a BOSS OD-1, BOSS BF-2, BOSS CE-2, Dunlop CryBaby wah pedal and a Digitech Whammy II. Also, in the studio he has used a Harmonizer on some parts.

It's speculated that he plugs into the Space Echo first and that the OD-1 last?! Either way he has an amazing 80's cranked Marshall tone...
Click to expand...

Did the Roland Space Echo have a bypass switch? That could easily be what he used for a solo boost/widener. Who knows what they used on the recordings though....

Maybe someone does and will chime in. LeTekro's tone seems to be almost a chased after as Van Halens, just in different circles.
 
Thanks for finding and posting the video FractalGrinder!

So it appears to me that the OD-1 is a big part of his rhythm tone as well as the BF-2 (which I think is on all the time). The wah (as a filter) and the yellow pedal on the right of the pedalboard (looks to be a second OD-1) are used during the soloing part. You can see him reaching with his foot to turn it off at the end of the solo. The interesting thing to me is that the "machine gun" run at the end does not sound as defined here as it does on some of his studio recordings.

The Boss OD-1 is the same circuit as the Boss SD-1 minus the tone control and with a slightly different low frequency roll off. Everything else is identical. Same buffers, same clipping diodes and arrangement. So with some math and tweaking :D you can use the SD-1 drive model as an OD-1 in the AxeFx, which is what I did.

I would like to look more into the wah since it seems to play an pretty important role in the lead tone.
 
Hey all, I just wanted to be clear that the TNT Intuition patch that is up on Axe-Change is NOT the patch I used for this clip. The TNT Intuition patch on Axechange is the Beta patch. I have rebuilt the patch from scratch and will be posting it to Axechange in about two weeks. It will be labeled LPD TNT 10,000 Lovers Tone Clone so look for it!
 
Hey Lawrence. Don't know if the tone on this clip resembles his "Tell No Tales" tone... (of course it don't) but that would be the "cat's ass" if it were... but I don't think it is... It might be, right? :roll but would be way cool if it was though. :D

... nothing like being subtle! (j/k)
 
hey groovenut,

sounds really fine so far. I will try your beta, and i am really looking forward for your final preset. I am not that tweaking guy, and my own build sounds ..aham...not very well. Sometimes i think there is always a very little raw or clean tone in Ronnie's tracks, maybe that is one reason of his very "snappy" sounds? anyway...can't wait .. and thank you for your work!
 
fbuerger said:
hey groovenut,

sounds really fine so far. I will try your beta, and i am really looking forward for your final preset. I am not that tweaking guy, and my own build sounds ..aham...not very well. Sometimes i think there is always a very little raw or clean tone in Ronnie's tracks, maybe that is one reason of his very "snappy" sounds? anyway...can't wait .. and thank you for your work!
Click to expand...

It very well could be that he has some "clean" sound mixed in there, though I have not found any reference to it anywhere.
 
I just recently read that his Marshall's were modded with a lower voltage preamp tube to "clear up" the tone. I don't know what his favorite tube is, But it was also mentioned that he stocked up on tapes(Space Echo) and some type of NOS tube? This could be part of what your hearing in his tone....
 
FractalGrinder said:
I just recently read that his Marshall's were modded with a lower voltage preamp tube to "clear up" the tone. I don't know what his favorite tube is, But it was also mentioned that he stocked up on tapes(Space Echo) and some type of NOS tube? This could be part of what your hearing in his tone....
Click to expand...

Hmmm....so messing with the tube bias could be part of the formula? I'm completely ignorant regarding tweaking that parameter is why I ask. The patch is really coming along Groovenut and I agree with you that the studio tone seems to have some additional refinement to it not completely present in what is heard on the video of Ronnie demoing his stuff.

He stepped off the wah pedal at the end of the solo and there was no focus on his foot but he said the Ibanez wah has very little range so sounds like he just steps on it for solos and leaves it cocked so just a question of finding the sweet spot. If we can find the specs on that thing (from 1978) I'm sure the axe can nail it.
 
The "lower voltage preamp tube" thing I haven't read about, I did read something that said he had it modified for lower gain to clean things up. If he is using a different tube in the input stage, something like a 12AU7 or a 12AT7 is probably what he would go with. These will fit the socket, work with the existing bias, and give less gain.

You can try to mess with the preamp tube bias, but I dont think that is going to give you what you want. I remember cliff saying that only applies to the last gain stage before the cathode follower. This allows you to slightly alter the harmonic content of the signal from rounder to crisper if you will.

I agree with the wah thing, just need the specs.
 
I know Tekrø a bit, been to his studio a couple of times.
He is very picky about voltages to his Marshalls (2203,, 50 watts)
Runs them at the 240V setting and feeds them about 227 volts!
In the studio only one of the 12" in his 4x12 is working to avoid extra noise and phasingissues.

Live he uses 2 amps, delaying one a bit in stereo.
The 2 amps have serialnumbers after each other so they are as much the same as possible!


A lot of the sound on the old TNT albums has to do with producer Bjørn Nessjø.
You can recognize his sound by sitting in front of his amps while he is playing but that extra "studio sheen" is missing.

It also helps having incredibly high action on the guitar, Tekrø`s are crazy high, I have huge problems playing anything on them even if i don`t like my own action too low.
It makes the machinegun thing a lot easier though but not legatostuff:)
 
Powers of Ten said:
I know Tekrø a bit, been to his studio a couple of times.
He is very picky about voltages to his Marshalls (2203,, 50 watts)
Runs them at the 240V setting and feeds them about 227 volts!
In the studio only one of the 12" in his 4x12 is working to avoid extra noise and phasingissues.

Live he uses 2 amps, delaying one a bit in stereo.
The 2 amps have serialnumbers after each other so they are as much the same as possible!


A lot of the sound on the old TNT albums has to do with producer Bjørn Nessjø.
You can recognize his sound by sitting in front of his amps while he is playing but that extra "studio sheen" is missing.

It also helps having incredibly high action on the guitar, Tekrø`s are crazy high, I have huge problems playing anything on them even if i don`t like my own action too low.
It makes the machinegun thing a lot easier though but not legatostuff:)
Click to expand...

Is it Tommy who modded his amps? I vaguely remember someone said that he did. Anyway... TF makes badass mods..

Tommy Folkesson Mark V - YouTube
 
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