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Is it wrong to play Neil Young on a Gibson ? ;-)


EuroAussie

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Posted

Not much of a fan as I find his whiney high pitched vocals quite annoying, but I do like 'Old Man'.

 

Easy song to learn and sounds geat on the SJ, however is it sacrilage not to play this song on anything other than a rosewood Martin ?

 

Just joking of course ...a bit like I wish Eric Claption would have done his Unplugged vid on a vintage J-45, that would be somethin' ..

Posted

Not much of a fan as I find his whiney high pitched vocals quite annoying, but I do like 'Old Man'.

 

Easy song to learn and sounds geat on the SJ, however is it sacrilage not to play this song on anything other than a rosewood Martin ?

 

Just joking of course ...a bit like I wish Eric Claption would have done his Unplugged vid on a vintage J-45, that would be somethin' ..

 

Neil Young does play a J200 every once in awhile.

 

Here's an old thread referencing it!:

 

http://forum.gibson.com/index.php?/topic/34064-neil-young-with-j200/

Posted

Personally I think the growling drone of a good Martin dread is essential to most of Neil Young's catalog. That being said, once I lift the song and play it on a Gibson, it does take on a difference that suddenly makes it "innaresting" - and there is less tendency to try to emulate the original. So much of this material is just too fun not to play, no matter what is sitting in my lap. I tune down one whole step, then I can hit all the vocals, well almost. [biggrin] If you want to learn a couple more, here is a link to a very comprehensive tab site of his stuff. http://hyperrust.org/Music/?Tab

Posted

You hit a nerve there, , , or kind of. I find it 'more right' to play Young on the Martins. That doesn't mean I won't do it on the G.'s. For instance there's a few minutes of immeasurable fun in flat-picking Cripple Creek Ferry or Tell My Why on the Bird, , , where as driving through Ambulance Blues with a dropped D must be done on the HD-28V or D-35.

 

Neil played J-200 since way back, , , , I've seen him open a concert on that Jumbo in the mid-70's. BUT did you people know he brings a 1950's J-50 on tour – for relaxing hotel-room noodling. Now there is a guitar I'd like to try !

Posted

Just joking of course ...a bit like I wish Eric Claption would have done his Unplugged vid on a vintage J-45, that would be somethin' ..

 

 

or a pre-war L-00

Posted
is it sacrilage not to play this song on anything other than a rosewood Martin ?
. If it is, we in trouble. Thinking of the number of gits needed to play covers. Apostasy now!

 

"I think the growling drone of a good Martin dread is essential to Neil Young's catalog"

A defining sound, yeh, but you have to draw the line somewhere (this is one instance I dont have to worry about).

Posted

I don't think it's wrong to play anything on anything. I just don't buy it. Heck I flatpick bluegrass songs on a Les Paul lol. Nice fat clean tone so why not?

As far as Gibson and Neil Young, I think a good Advanced Jumbo would do better than a Martin [thumbup]

Posted

As a fan since Tonights The Night I have to swarm back around this one.

 

What I feel – and immediately felt when heading into this frenzy Gibson trip – was the ability to kinda hear that many of the Young-tunes were made on Martins (either the 1968 D-45, the D-28, D-18 or the old original vintage Hank Williams one). So launching them on the Gibsons just felt a little off line from the start. And still to some degree does.

At the other hand it's an ideal way to learn you Gibson. The same old Y-songs on f.x. the J-45 gives perspective as it 'forces' you into sensing the pros and cons of the actual guitar you are playing. A logic that works in all directions of course.

 

Can Morning Has Broken be strummed on other 6-strings than a maple J-200 ? , , , and so on.

 

The basic answer is Yes indeed it can ! Be yourself and paint the songs your way (without twisting them into involuntary jokes). Like Neil and Cat would do them selves.

I'm stone sure that if those 2 had to answer the Q of the thread, they'd go : Are you out of your mind EA. . . . .

 

 

 

Still a good topic, if you ask me.

Posted

I thought this guy did a great job in covering Old Man on his Bird, sounds pretty good to me, a bit more honky tonk than the Martin but sounding very 'suitable' nevertheless.

 

Im guessing Neil was smart enough in the early days to realise that a dark rosewood Martin is necessary to balance his high pitched voice and creates a solid base for him to work over.

 

Posted

[laugh]

 

Fallon does a pretty good Neil voice over I have to say..

 

True!

 

Who was the guy imitating Springsteen? He did a nice job as well!*

 

 

*-- Just kidding. I mean, that really is Bruce Springsteen, I think.

Posted

Yeah, I think it's fine to play Neil Young on a Gibson. However, there are some particular "absolutes" in this life that you just don't do. You don't french kiss a rattlesnake. You don't get snot on Batman's cape, and you don't play Neil Young, Johnny Cash, David Allan Coe, The Stones, or Hendrix on a Taylor.

Posted

I'm with Johnny,, in fact he stole what I wanted to say lol... "play anything on anything".

Couldn't agree more...

 

Just play!

Posted

Well I'm a NY fan."After the Goldrush" is an album I return to often. Those songs would sound good on a Zagerised Custom Esteban.Don't mind the Youngian whine at all.Each to his own.

Posted

You don't get snot on Batman's cape, , ,

Ha hahe, , , won't be forgotten.

 

I once spilled a drop of mustard on Robins left green sock-boot.

It was when I talked 'bout Bird-guards a couple of posts ago – Pardon for that MissouriP, , , , and Gijs too.

Posted

I bought my first guitar because of Neil.It was a Martin D-28 before I knew what a d-28 was. Play Neil on whatever you have around.

Posted

Actually I went through Old Man wiht the J-150 and it does sound pretty good and somewat Neilish. The deep bass gives the tone that rich, bottom ened heavy feel and the maple shimmer makes the Dsus9 / D intro thingie sound really sweet, seems to work well .. [thumbup]

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