Yours Is No Disgrace

SarasotaSwing

SarasotaSwing

Experienced
I'm working on a patch to reproduce Steve Howe's sound on the Yessongs (album and film) version of Yours Is No Disgrace (1972 tour). The main issue (other than his impeccable technique) is that I don't own an ES-175 but that can't be avoided. *LOL* His rig was really not all that complicated, from what I understand: a Dual Showman (very possibly a Silverface) with two 2x15 cabinets, a wah, 2 Marshall Supa Fuzzes, a Maestro FZ-1S Fuzz, and an Echoplex. You can very clearly hear whatever fuzz he used kick in at the beginning of the extended guitar solo. There's no Showman amp in the Axe-FX but I'm getting excellent initial results using the Double Verb (Input Drive cranked to 8.5, Fat switch and bass Cut engaged) through the factory Redwirez 2x15 Showman IR and the Mono Tape Delay. The Master Fuzz in the Axe is definitely not working for me, but the Tone Bender is sounding promising. From my understanding, the Marshall Fuzz was just a Tone Bender Mark II in a different housing. Other than the solo and the funky wah sections, the rest of the song seems just to be guitar straight through amp with a good bit of delay, although one of his other fuzzes may have been set for a very soft overdrive for the arpeggios and pre-verse sections. That said, the Echoplex itself could be adding that nice soft clipping. If anyone has any definitive input or insight it would be appreciated.
 
What Rook said. I was just listening to the new Yes album (really!) and Howe has some great moments. But it just really made me want to hear some vintage Yes!
 
Please post your patch. I'd love to check it out.

Also, are you sure SH used a Maestro FZ-1s - my understanding is that he used an original FZ-1, not the 1a. The FZ-1 is a slightly different circuit and the fuzz that was used on Satisfaction.

He also used a Maestro PS-1a on The Yes Album. My favorite phase shifter (note to Cliff - please model this effect. I know you are a big Rush fan and you can't get that 2113 tone without it.)
 
That is a great (and unique) tone! I would love to use that on "South Side of the Sky"

I had a good friend (whom passed away about 10 years ago) use to nail that one ("Yours Is No Disgrace") with nothing more than just a Ampeg V4 and a Les Paul Deluxe (with the soap pickups).

I bought the V4 off of him (still have it), but I sure couldn't make it sound like that! LOL Damn, some people are so gifted.

Thanks for bringing back that memory... He was one of the most amazing guitarist I ever met, but also a really great friend. I really miss him.
 
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I'll be looking forward to what this discussion brings. I'm a long time Yes and Steve Howe fan, and I've always loved his steadfast devotion to playing essentially clean, jazz like tones in a rock setting. He's in my personal gallery of the greats for his playing and songwriting. I'm stoked to be seeing him for the 6th time next week. I know in the past few years he's been sticking with his typical arsenal of guitars but using a Line 6 Bogner and HD500 for all the preamp/effects modeling (I actually think he was bypassing the preamp of the Bogner and using the HD500 for that). I remember someone suggesting he should get an AxeFx, and I think he would like it, but he seems to stick with what works and isn't as likely to change things too often.
 
Strumzilla said:
I'll be looking forward to what this discussion brings. I'm a long time Yes and Steve Howe fan, and I've always loved his steadfast devotion to playing essentially clean, jazz like tones in a rock setting. He's in my personal gallery of the greats for his playing and songwriting. I'm stoked to be seeing him for the 6th time next week. I know in the past few years he's been sticking with his typical arsenal of guitars but using a Line 6 Bogner and HD500 for all the preamp/effects modeling (I actually think he was bypassing the preamp of the Bogner and using the HD500 for that). I remember someone suggesting he should get an AxeFx, and I think he would like it, but he seems to stick with what works and isn't as likely to change things too often.
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Have a look at the amp in the background!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhSyr5JsiCA
 
Rook said:
I don't have any insight; I just wanted to "like" your post because it is about Yes ;)
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Exactly. I saw the subject line, and had to reply. Actually, the first band I was ever in played that song… back in the summer of 1973. o_O
 
Adinfinitum said:
Please post your patch. I'd love to check it out.

Also, are you sure SH used a Maestro FZ-1s - my understanding is that he used an original FZ-1, not the 1a. The FZ-1 is a slightly different circuit and the fuzz that was used on Satisfaction.

He also used a Maestro PS-1a on The Yes Album. My favorite phase shifter (note to Cliff - please model this effect. I know you are a big Rush fan and you can't get that 2113 tone without it.)
Click to expand...

My source is the large, color booklet that came with the Yessongs album (yes, the album! *LOL*). There is a picture that shows his pedalboard, and someone on another forum identified it as an FZ-1S. I really don't know, as I can't tell. In any event the point is moot for my purposes, as I only have the tools available in the Axe-FX, and whatever model Maestro is in the there is definitely not working for me. No worries, though, I'll find something that will do the trick, I'm sure, regardless of authenticity. :)
 
Guys, I've had several of you ask me to post this patch, both here and in PMs. I will gladly post it, when it is done. I just started it, and it is a work in progress. Please also keep in mind the following: I use a PRS 513, and most importantly the living room I practice in is a bare tile floor (with very little on the walls, no curtains or drapes), right next to my kitchen, which is also a large room with a bare tile floor. Not the best studio. *LOL* This patch may sound awful in another environment.
 
I knew this thread would bring out some of the old-timers....good to see. *LOL* You guys might remember this as well: from the late '60s to well into the mid-70's the squiggly, curly guitar cord was ubiquitous...everyone used one at some point. According to this article

The Vintage Coiled-Cable Simulator Mod

this type of cable had an enormous capacitance, so much so that they sheared off gobs off high-end, which is why guitarists back then would crank treble and presence on their amps and resort to the use of treble boosters to make up for lost frequencies. I've never had the treble on a Fender set past 3! *LOL* These cables had a rating of up to 400pF per meter while by contrast a George L cable is about 70 and a standard cable around 100. This is not a statistic to be scoffed at or dismissed, must be taken into consideration when trying to reproduce or approximate the tone of someone from that era. I carefully checked the Yessongs video, and I'll be damned: on Yours is No Disgrace his ES-175 is clearly plugged into the amp with a very long, curly cable (as is Chris Squire's bass). I wonder if there's something in the Axe=FX's advanced parameters to simulate this!
 
Yes.jpgI met Yes (meet and greet in 2013) and got to talk to Mr. Howe! He was a grumpy old man until I asked him about Line 6. We chatted for a while about guitar technology until the folks behind us got antsy. Chris Squire was very cool!
 
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