Tman Posted October 26, 2010 Share Posted October 26, 2010 My computer system for work is down so I'm on another and I thought I would ask a burning question in my mind - What guitar did Eric Clapton use to record Sunshine of Your Love? I actually did research so it's not a troll question but so many of the authoritative sites conflicted. I read his SG. I saw a documentary of the period where he was playing the song on a sunburst Firebird in a studio. Also a live concert with a 335. Why do I want to know? Not sure but I love the sound and always have and since I have an amp characterized as a "British Crunch" amp, I'd love to try to recreate it. Surely someone on this forum knows. My hope would be for the firebird since I have a shot at recreating it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Bill Posted October 26, 2010 Share Posted October 26, 2010 What I read it was the SG. I'm curious to hear what the other members say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigh Posted October 26, 2010 Share Posted October 26, 2010 I think he used a black beauty LP custom (all mahogany) & he started using the SG after recording. But, I could be wrong. Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryUK Posted October 26, 2010 Share Posted October 26, 2010 Why not ask him. Email his record company and state that it's a question on this forum. He can only say no. Did you know that all these 'rock stars' are only human too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVOL! Posted October 26, 2010 Share Posted October 26, 2010 Worst cream song ever. Makes me think of the Freaks and Geeks episode where they play it like fifty times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoConMan Posted October 26, 2010 Share Posted October 26, 2010 Agreed. Though I'm admittedly not a huge Cream fan. For some reason I assumed it to be the 335. I have no factual basis that I can recall, nor am I an expert on the Cream sessions. Heck, see if you can find out from Clapton himself. Worth a try, eh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVOL! Posted October 26, 2010 Share Posted October 26, 2010 In my defense, I dig more on the groove of Deserted Cities of the Heart and the wah assault of Tales of Brave Ulysses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PP_CS336 Posted October 26, 2010 Share Posted October 26, 2010 In my defense, I dig more on the groove of Deserted Cities of the Heart and the wah assault of Tales of Brave Ulysses. Have to agree with you on this one evol, especially "Deserted Cities of the Heart". That's one of my favorite Cream songs. Getting back to what guitar... In the the early days of Cream, Eric used to use a Gibson SG and or Gibson ES-335. However, what difference does it make? You're only going to sound like Eric Clapton if you are Eric Clapton. evol is love spelled backwards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tman Posted October 26, 2010 Author Share Posted October 26, 2010 Why not ask him. Email his record company and state that it's a question on this forum. He can only say no. Did you know that all these 'rock stars' are only human too? I like the way you think. I tell my kids that the only truly stupid question is one not asked (more inspirational than accurate). You're right, the worst that can happen is refusal - although I don't think I have a snowball's chance in hell in getting a response. PPCS336 - I respectfully diasagree, you can get very close, look at all of the really good faux bands out there. I just like the sound of that one guitar, that day under those conditions and I have since the late 60s. Now that I am reborn as a guitar player in mid life after years of barely playing, I'd love to knock it out of the park (The sound not the song which along with smoke on the water will never be played by a band I'm in) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVOL! Posted October 26, 2010 Share Posted October 26, 2010 evol is love spelled backwards It's also the name of a Sonic Youth album. Sorry to disappoint you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L5Larry Posted October 26, 2010 Share Posted October 26, 2010 Well there you have it then. It's the rare and elusive Gibson SGESLP-335 Custom, known by collectors as the Black Cherry Beauty Fool. I wrote it on the internet, it must be true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PP_CS336 Posted October 26, 2010 Share Posted October 26, 2010 It's also the name of a Sonic Youth album. Sorry to disappoint you. Not disappointed. I knew you got that from something else. I was just seeing the mirror image. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted October 26, 2010 Share Posted October 26, 2010 Welp, according to the indisputable source - Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunshine_of_your_love "Clapton's guitar tone on the song is created using his 1964 Gibson SG guitar and a Marshall amplifier." Of course, that's definitely disputable. B) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silenced Fred Posted October 26, 2010 Share Posted October 26, 2010 evol is love spelled backwards I said the same thing... and got the same result Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tman Posted October 26, 2010 Author Share Posted October 26, 2010 I said the same thing... and got the same result So the song in question played backwards, perhaps on a strat would be "moonshine of your evol?" Some orginal song ideas are starting to rear their heads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVOL! Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 So the song in question played backwards, perhaps on a strat would be "moonshine of your evol?" Some orginal song ideas are starting to rear their heads. Backwards masking was all the rage back then. You can think of me as a new and improved (I use that term loosely) version of that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrNylon Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 When ever I saw Cream live or on TV before Cream broke up, the SG was used. Also I think in most photos he had the SG. That doesn't mean he used one to record the song. It did sound as if the SG was the axe used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SG FAN Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 I happen to think "Sunshine" is one of the greatest hard rock riffs of all time, second to "Paranoid" in my book. Here's my favorite version, it seems more gritty, if I may use that term. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cqh54rSzheg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tman Posted October 27, 2010 Author Share Posted October 27, 2010 I happen to think "Sunshine" is one of the greatest hard rock riffs of all time, second to "Paranoid" in my book. Here's my favorite version, it seems more gritty, if I may use that term. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cqh54rSzheg I think you're right. Of the sites I searched, the SG was mentioned most and the sound is identical. I tried like hell to find a video like the one I saw on the documentary where he played the firebird but was unsuccessful. I learned how to sustain a note with vibrato from where he does the resolve of the riff when he does the vibrato with his index finger. I'm not even a big fan of his later stuff but think his playing with cream was really original.Another thing I learned today while my work computer was down was that he and Jack Bruce were inspired to write the song after a Hendrix concert. Hendrix then later recorded an instrumental of it which finally appeared on Valleys of Neptune. Great stuff. Gotta get an SG I guess is the lesson here. Zoot suit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigh Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 Most books I read say it was the BB LP custom. That guitar is all mahogany & would sound similar to the SG. Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tman Posted October 27, 2010 Author Share Posted October 27, 2010 Most books I read say it was the BB LP custom. That guitar is all mahogany & would sound similar to the SG. Craig You may be right because it certainly sounds like an LP through a Marshall could be it. All I did was an internet search..........Far from flawless. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh James Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 I come pretty damn close using my Lester into a Ceriatone 60's plexi cranked!! Also, a good fuzz face can get you that sound at more ear-friendly volumes with some PAF pup's in a sg or lester IMO BTW, Sunshine is one of the coolest and heaviest riffs of all-time!!! J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damian Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 Eric did use his Black Beauty Les Paul on that recording. Of course, I wasn't there but.....Black Beauty Les Pauls are wonderful Pauls. Had one once, was stolen years ago. Shouldn't be that hard to replicate the sound, but an SG will do it better than a firebird...There is a 'Clapman' pedal available which is handy, but working the tone of a quality tube amp with an SG or Les Paul with '57 pick-ups will do it. No effects or pedals needed. I agree it's an over played song...Cream's last show is available on DVD, and there is the Cream Reunion DVD from 2005, two disc set, both are great discs. Too bad they didn't do a ' Geriatric' or ' Centium For Seniors' tour, as Ginger Baker looks rather frail, Eric keeps threatening to retire, and as great as Jack Bruce is, watching him perform Cream songs with other musicians isn't quite the same. Once again, it's a Black Beauty on the studio version. I'm partial myself towards Politician, Badge, and N.S.U. ; "The only time I'm happy is when I play my guitar." Not a deep line lyricaly, but genuine... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FirstMeasure Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 It's also the name of a Sonic Youth album. Sorry to disappoint you. Yeah, the name of that Sonic Youth album is Love spelled backwards, sorry to disappoint you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Versatile Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 I agree a lot of it is in the fingers Jack Bruce created the line on double bass I'm doing it on Bb Tuba as we speak Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.