I absolutely love Verlaine and Lloyd's tone on Television's Marquee Moon. Anyone got any ideas on how to replicate the dirt sound with a stand alone pedal?
I know they just pushed their Fender amps with no pedals but I can't really do that.
I would describe the sound as slightly dirty/grainy, punchy, chimey, juicy and slightly mid rangey but not anywhere near as honky as a Tubescreamer. Best examples are Lloyd's lead work on See No Evil and Venus (but not Verlaine's solo).
[youtube][/youtube]
[youtube][/youtube]
Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2010 10:24 am
by johnnyseven
I love that album but never really thought that the guitars sounded 'dirty', they sound really clean to me. Maybe using some kind of tube eq pedal would help.
I went to see them a few years ago at Shepherds Bush Empire, the gig was pretty good but most of the songs they played were from the 'Television' album, they did play Marquee Moon (the song) though.
I can't see the vids you posted but back in the day didn't Verlaine use a Jazzmaster and Lloyd a Tele? They both used strats when I saw them though.
Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2010 10:37 am
by foll
zvex distortron set low gain and bass cut can quite get there in low volume
Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2010 10:42 am
by George
Jealous you saw them!
My classification of what is drive or clean is really low on the spectrum 'cos I'm a jangly wimp so that might be why our opinions differ. In the studio for Marquee Moon they didn't use pedals at all, just cranked Fender amps and there is definitely tube breakup and compression going on. But yeah it's somewhat clean and with a bit of juicy overdrive at the same time. I'd like to be able to reign that in with a standalone pedal.
Verlaine was on a Jazzy and Lloyd a pre-CBS Strat throughout Television's original run.
I think a Boss OD3 might be a good option looking at this vid...
[youtube][/youtube]
Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2010 10:45 am
by stewart
johnnyseven wrote:most of the songs they played were from the 'Television' album
i bet you could hear the collective sigh of disappointment as far away as CBGBs...
Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2010 10:50 am
by johnnyseven
At least they didn't play a set full of songs from Adventure, I think they only played one - however this was nearly 10 years ago so I could be wrong. I quite like the 'Television' album though, but it's not a touch on Marquee Moon.
I was quite impressed the other day when I was driving with my girlfriend and I gave her control of the music and she chose to play Marquee Moon.
Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2010 11:36 am
by timhulio
I like all of Adventure!
Never thought Television used any pedals... or even that they had a specific 'tone'. It's just single coil guitars Jazz/Jag - pretty sure Verlaine had a Jag with lipstick pickups - into a small Fender amp sorta sound. Deluxe Reverb, or a Princeton or MM Bass amp.
Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2010 11:40 am
by johnnyseven
timhulio wrote:I like all of Adventure!
I don't dislike it, I just prefer the other two.
Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2010 11:52 am
by George
So how does one get that pushed broken up Fender sound into a pedal?
Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2010 12:06 pm
by lorez
GeorgeF wrote:So how does one get that pushed broken up Fender sound into a pedal?
catlinbread do a fender tweed in a pedal but it might be a bit harsher than what you want - Formula Number 5 http://www.catalinbread.com/FN5.html
don't boss do some fender in a box as well?
Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2010 12:19 pm
by George
Those Boss pedals don't really do it for me. I might check out the Catalinbread but it doesn't like what I'm after. Anywhere to get them in UK?
Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2010 12:19 pm
by Doog
The ZVex Box Of Rock is one of the most "amp-like" pedals I've ever used; the variant Mike made for me does great lower overdrive stuff although it's maybe slightly more "Marshally" in tone.
[youtube][/youtube]
2:35 onwards for lower gain stuff.
I'm happy to quickly bash out some Strat samples with the Box Of Mike if you wanna hear slightly more restrained with single coils.
Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2010 12:27 pm
by George
That sounds pretty cool! No worries if it's too much hassle but some straty samples would be ace!
Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2010 12:50 pm
by Doog
No worries, I'll knock something up shortly; given all my gear is in the same room, it's nay hassle!
Strat>DT10 (for buffery goodness)>Box Of Mike>Marshall Valvestate VS100R. It's bridge pickup until the "SOLO" on the neck.. and some bridge pickup at the end.
You might want to pull the tone control back a little bit, I think I'd set it a little bright for the Television vibe.
Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2010 1:36 pm
by George
Bah! Cocking browser is out of date in the office! Won't load the player.
There's a plain ol' vanilla link for you and your BBC Micro, sir.
edit: FUUUUUUUUUU
Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2010 2:15 pm
by George
Nice, I know what you mean about it being a bit marshally but the solo sounded great. I'm not sure how much of a smooth changeover it'd be from my loose Fendery voiced amp to this tight and crunchy kind of sound. Can it mix well with your clean tone or does it sound like a new amp voicing altogether?
Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2010 2:35 pm
by Doog
Well, the clean setting is from the start til like 0:06, then I switch the pedal on with the gain right down and there's no huge change in character. There's no huge tonal shift in other settings if you use the tone control well, but maybe that's down to the pedal suiting my Marhall amps.
I think if Mike put a passive pre-gain tone control in there, you'd be able to fine-tune the top end to get a more middly response (like dialling the tone back on your guitar). I guess that's a fair bit of tweaking to ultimately obtain an amp-type tone but I definitely rate it as a mid gain dirt box, for sure. Brilliant on bass too, loads of bottom end.
Check out this vid some Strat>Box Of Rock> small Fender combo action: