Swingster and Duane Eddy

[LostInThe60sTonight]

Any idea what the settings should be on an Emporer Swingster to get a Duane Eddy twang? I'm presuming this can be done since there are many similarities between the Swingster and the Gretsches DE used.

[Jeffery Smith]

I think he also amplified the guitar inside of a large empty water tank.

[Not-Too-Late]

Good luck on that one. Back in my youth I had a Gibson something or other. I wish I could remember the model. Someone on the board suggested what it might have been, but do you think I could remember? Anyway, Duane Eddy was one of my favs growing up and I loved playing his songs especially "Rebel Rouser". But do you think I could emulate that twang? Not on your nelly.

 

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nS_hFfucAAs

[kidblast]

Back in my youth I had a Gibson something or other.

 

Might that have been an ES-350T?

 

not a brydland mind you but very close..

[bluelake07]

I think he also amplified the guitar inside of a large empty water tank.

Yeah, that's quite a story! In a YouTube video, Duane Eddy talks about recording at a rather primitive studio in Phoenix and the engineer deciding an echo chamber was needed. The guys drove around yelling into water tanks and found one with the echo they liked. They hauled the 2000-gallon tank back to the studio, set it up in the parking lot and recorded with an amp at one end and a microphone at the other.

[Not-Too-Late]

Yeah, that's quite a story! In a YouTube video, Duane Eddy talks about recording at a rather primitive studio in Phoenix and the engineer deciding an echo chamber was needed. The guys drove around yelling into water tanks and found one with the echo they liked. They hauled the 2000-gallon tank back to the studio, set it up in the parking lot and recorded with an amp at one end and a microphone at the other.

 

Wow! I thought Jeffery was joking. I'd like to watch that video. The things they improvised years ago.

[Not-Too-Late]

Back in my youth I had a Gibson something or other.

 

Might that have been an ES-350T?

 

not a brydland mind you but very close..

 

Good question. I wish I knew. I'll look up that model and see if it matches.

 

Cheers

Wayne

[bluelake07]

Wow! I thought Jeffery was joking. I'd like to watch that video. The things they improvised years ago.

Do a YouTube search on "Duane Eddy story".

[Not-Too-Late]

Do a YouTube search on "Duane Eddy story".

 

Thanks bluelake. Man it was nice to see him again. Sad we have to age so isn't it. It was an interesting story, so thought I would bring the video clip onboard.

 

[Jeffery Smith]

Ha! I'm not sure where I read it, but it might have been one of the myriad guitar or guitar player books I have bought from Barnes and Noble's "closeout" shelves over the years.

 

I have never been good at predicting which guitar was used to produce which sound, but do remember reading that Chet Atkins preferred the sound of Gibson over Gretsch because of Gretsch's bassy twang. Since he was endorsing Chet Atkins Gretsch guitars, they usually end up on the album covers.

 

Someone wrote on the Epiphone forum about 10 years ago that the twangy guitar in the music from The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly may have been made with a Fender Mustang. I guess the amplifier has a lot to do with the final sound(!).

 

I'm currently enjoying reading the Beatles Gear book by Andy Babiuk. I find it remarkable that the lads had such crappy equipment in the late 50s and early 60s because of the lack of availability of American made equipment at that time. And that their crappy equipment cost them way more than an Epiphone would cost in today's money!

 

Jeffery

 

 

Wow! I thought Jeffery was joking. I'd like to watch that video. The things they improvised years ago.

[Not-Too-Late]

Ha! I'm not sure where I read it, but it might have been one of the myriad guitar or guitar player books I have bought from Barnes and Noble's "closeout" shelves over the years.

 

I have never been good at predicting which guitar was used to produce which sound, but do remember reading that Chet Atkins preferred the sound of Gibson over Gretsch because of Gretsch's bassy twang. Since he was endorsing Chet Atkins Gretsch guitars, they usually end up on the album covers.

 

Someone wrote on the Epiphone forum about 10 years ago that the twangy guitar in the music from The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly may have been made with a Fender Mustang. I guess the amplifier has a lot to do with the final sound(!).

 

I'm currently enjoying reading the Beatles Gear book by Andy Babiuk. I find it remarkable that the lads had such crappy equipment in the late 50s and early 60s because of the lack of availability of American made equipment at that time. And that their crappy equipment cost them way more than an Epiphone would cost in today's money!

 

Jeffery

 

 

 

 

I was going to get that book. Should be great reading. Someone on the forum mentioned that in the book they got the story wrong about Paul's Epiphone Texan with the red wing. Someone also mentioned that the Epiphone guitars that they used were made in America at that time. I'm sure that had a lot to do with the price, and besides, when they started out I'm sure they were not able to afford higher priced Gibson models. Must order that book.

 

Interesting info on Chet Atkins. Thanks for that.

 

Cheers

Wayne

 

 

 

[jonnyg]

Before the days of digital reverbs, and the more modern computer plugins based on real spaces, I used to use nothing more than my house to get bigger reverb on my guitar recordings. An enclosed wooden staircase was one area I used, with a guitar amp with spring reverb at the top of the stairs and a mic at the bottom feeding into the recorder. A bath/shower room, or any hard tiled room, is another great space to utilise. A mic actually in the (empty) bath gave interesting results. Making a square frame with blankets hanging from it with the amp/mic 'inside the box' gave interesting results, entirely the opposite of big reverb, especially if you added a bit of delay. Recording the amp standing out in the garden gave a nice, different sound, as did a vocal recorded the same way. Recording was nothing less than interesting back then.

[Not-Too-Late]

Before the days of digital reverbs, and the more modern computer plugins based on real spaces, I used to use nothing more than my house to get bigger reverb on my guitar recordings. An enclosed wooden staircase was one area I used, with a guitar amp with spring reverb at the top of the stairs and a mic at the bottom feeding into the recorder. A bath/shower room, or any hard tiled room, is another great space to utilise. A mic actually in the (empty) bath gave interesting results. Making a square frame with blankets hanging from it with the amp/mic 'inside the box' gave interesting results, entirely the opposite of big reverb, especially if you added a bit of delay. Recording the amp standing out in the garden gave a nice, different sound, as did a vocal recorded the same way. Recording was nothing less than interesting back then.

 

That was interesting reading. I can see that for one thing, it would have been a lot of fun figuring out and trying out those ideas. Reading this, I couldn't help but think of Les Paul and Mary Ford doing similar things in hotels and apartments they stayed at while on tour. Great stuff. Love to hear more of this sort of thing from you and others who actually delved into this kind of recording.

 

Cheers

Wayne

[Jeffery Smith]

I don't want to hijack LostInThe60sTonight's Duane Eddy thread, but do recommend the Beatles Gear book. It is now in a third edition. It is interesting that John's iconic Rickenbacker 325 was liked by virtually nobody but John Lennon. His first one (1958) probably sat unsold for several years, and it was one of only a handful made. The tremolo arm was junk (replaced with a Bigsby), and the original knobs were always falling off. And Paul's iconic bass, George's first Gretsch, and John's iconic Rickenbacker were purchased when they were dirt poor, couldn't find much of anything else, and had to buy on time with 10 payments or so. Boy, do I feel spoiled!!

 

Jeffery

 

I was going to get that book. Should be great reading. Someone on the forum mentioned that in the book they got the story wrong about Paul's Epiphone Texan with the red wing. Someone also mentioned that the Epiphone guitars that they used were made in America at that time. I'm sure that had a lot to do with the price, and besides, when they started out I'm sure they were not able to afford higher priced Gibson models. Must order that book.

 

Interesting info on Chet Atkins. Thanks for that.

 

Cheers

Wayne

[Dennis G]

I don't want to hijack LostInThe60sTonight's Duane Eddy thread, but do recommend the Beatles Gear book. It is now in a third edition. It is interesting that John's iconic Rickenbacker 325 was liked by virtually nobody but John Lennon. His first one (1958) probably sat unsold for several years, and it was one of only a handful made. The tremolo arm was junk (replaced with a Bigsby), and the original knobs were always falling off. And Paul's iconic bass, George's first Gretsch, and John's iconic Rickenbacker were purchased when they were dirt poor, couldn't find much of anything else, and had to buy on time with 10 payments or so. Boy, do I feel spoiled!!

 

Jeffery

I'd have to second the book recommendation. It's amazing to me that the Beatles weren't the gear whores they could have been at the time. As for George's "Old Black Gretsch", well, I had the opportunity to stare at that thing at NAMM a few years ago when Gretsch had it rotating in a glass case. Wow, if that could only talk...I looked at every nick, scratch, ding, etc.

 

Back on topic, I saw Duane Eddy eon's ago, about the time Rebel Rouser and Forty Miles of Bad Road were in the top 40. He was touring with the "D ick Clark" (yes, that DC) American Bandstand Tour or something like that. I distinctly remember Duane Eddy and the Shirelles. Other than that...???

 

Edit: thanks for posting the video Wayne. I had to laugh when DE was talking about learning to play in the upper register(s). I remember from the Les Paul docu where he had said something to the effect of "there's nothing above the fifth fret" until he discovered jazz.

[Not-Too-Late]

I'd have to second the book recommendation. It's amazing to me that the Beatles weren't the gear whores they could have been at the time. As for George's "Old Black Gretsch", well, I had the opportunity to stare at that thing at NAMM a few years ago when Gretsch had it rotating in a glass case. Wow, if that could only talk...I looked at every nick, scratch, ding, etc.

 

Back on topic, I saw Duane Eddy eon's ago, about the time Rebel Rouser and Forty Miles of Bad Road were in the top 40. He was touring with the "D ick Clark" (yes, that DC) American Bandstand Tour or something like that. I distinctly remember Duane Eddy and the Shirelles. Other than that...???

 

Edit: thanks for posting the video Wayne. I had to laugh when DE was talking about learning to play in the upper register(s). I remember from the Les Paul docu where he had said something to the effect of "there's nothing above the fifth fret" until he discovered jazz.

 

Its funny you should say that, I thought the very same thing when DE mentioned playing in the upper registers. Love the LP doc. Got a copy of it and play it a lot. One word I can say about it - Inspiring!

 

I envy you being able to see DE and the Shirelles live on American Bandstand. Back in those days I think most teens in this country were glued to their TV's to watch that show. I know I was. I saw DC live a number of years back. He made an appearance at a local shopping mall. For the life of me I can't remember what he was there for. Man that guy never seemed to age did he. He played a big role in those days rocketing bands up the charts. He surely is missed.

 

Cheers

Wayne

[Not-Too-Late]

Head on over to the lounge for a little more info on Duane Eddy and the song Ramrod. I think you might find it interesting.

 

Cheers

Wayne

[Dennis G]

I envy you being able to see DE and the Shirelles live on American Bandstand.

I actually didn't see them "on" AB, but on one of those late 50's bus tour kind of things. I did, however, have a cousin who lived in Phila at the time and was a dancer on Bandstand. Not one of the "personality dancers" if you will, but sort of an "extra". Was still fun to tune in and see her dancing in the background.