Hey Mr Lugo! What's the gtr setup on "Falling down a hole"?

[Blast9]

Sounds great:

Lowish gain --- clear and fat!

Marshall?

[picksail]

I think that was cut back when James was using the JCM 900/2000. Not sure, but that's my guess.

[Gregg Sartiano]

Originally Posted by picksail

I think that was cut back when James was using the JCM 900/2000. Not sure, but that's my guess.

I think it was the 2000. Definitely not Mesa. There's a Vox AC-15 (2x10) on a lot of the clean sounds, and a couple of Marshalls (incl. my '74 and the 2000 DSL...I think the 900 came later). The distortion is amp distortion, not pedal, except for the lead breaks before the verses (played by yours truly) which are right-hand tapped artificial harmonics with loads of distortion for that out-of-control sound -- and possibly the main solo (James), although I'd bet that that's amp-only as well.

Cab was definitely a 4x12 Marshall of some type -- he got a V30 one at some point...but for a long time, there were two in the studio -- one V30, one not.

BTW, James can pick up a log and make it sound good. But he prefers if that log is plugged into a Marshall

Also, when it comes to heavy rhythm guitars, the question to ask James isn't WHETHER he used a Les Paul, it's WHICH Les Paul did he use...

The DSL >KILLS< the TSL, which I wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole.

[picksail]

Ah...that's right. You helped him with the production on those songs.

I'm sure that was completed well before I came out here.

I just tried to deduce what he may have had before the Jan 2006 guitar/amp shopping binge!!!

Of course, these recordings were pre-Soldano Avenger, which just kills!!!
That low-gain setting with the master volume cranked is the shizzle!!!

[Gregg Sartiano]

http://www.jameslugo.com/recording_studio.shtml

Most of what's on the pic in the middle, minus the Mesa, the Bassman, some of the guitars, and the 2x12 (not that we would've used it, although it rocks) was on the record. The Ibanez Steve Vai is mine -- JL's not big on floating trems. Also my '74 Kolbe mod Marshall (which had good days and bad days...) and my AC-15 2x10 which are both long since sold. The Avenger kills just about any amp out there.

The V30 JCM cab, the 900, and the yellow Les Paul were acquired around that time, although I don't remember >exactly< when. The Bassman came around slightly afterwards, if I remember. There's also a pedalboard and some other goodies involved, although rhythms are always straight-to-the-amp if I have anything to do with it...they seem to stand up better in mixing that way, typically.

There's a Digitech 2101 on a lot of the FX sounds, particularly "Mercury" -- probably plugged into the FX return on one of the amps.

[James Lugo]

Good memory Gregg! I think that covers it. One thing that helped the guitar stabs in the chorus was doing a set of tracks with single notes of the chord tonic. Really fattened up the tone. Also playing hard and tight doesn't hurt. Niether does recording with Sartiano.

Les Paul Standerd>DSL2000>Straight cab with 75's>121>TG Channel
Les Paul Standerd>DSL2000>Straight cab with 75's>57>BAE312

Played at decent volumn, not overly loud. I like the way the cab sounds like that. Dunlop .88 green tortex picks and played hard as hell...

http://jameslugo.com/sounds/james_lugo_fallin_high.mp3

[Gregg Sartiano]

It also has picked bass (Music Man --> vintage Ampeg SVT) -- most (all?) of the rest are fingered bass, and James got the mastering engineer to lop off a >slight< bit of bottom end after I left the mastering session. That song still has a little less a$s than the rest of the CD.

Dammit, now I miss that Music Man and SVT, too -- although I know James doesn't miss that 8x10 in his studio...

[James Lugo]

I just bought a Boogie recto 4X12 cab with Vintage 30's. My guitar sound is better then ever now. I also use a Fulltone OCD overdrive pedal now, my new best friend. In addition to the arsenal of Pauls I've also been using this cheapy hollow body, Italia, with P90's. That guitar is so inspiring. I start working on a new record with producer Dave Carlock http://www.davecarlock.com/

I can't wait to hear the tones. \m/

[tubedude]

Originally Posted by James 'LA' Lugo

I just bought a Boogie recto 4X12 cab with Vintage 30's. My guitar sound is better then ever now. I also use a Fulltone OCD overdrive pedal now, my new best friend. In addition to the arsenal of Pauls I've also been using this cheapy hollow body, Italia, with P90's. That guitar is so inspiring. I start working on a new record with producer Dave Carlock http://www.davecarlock.com/

I can't wait to hear the tones. \m/

More info on this Soldano Avenger being spoke of...

[tubedude]

You made me go look at the Avenger and the Fulltone OCD.
Whats with the OCD that you like so much? I've rarely heard any pedals that had tone worth thinking about. Any samples? The Fulltone Fatboost seems interesting.

[Chris Nighman]

God that sounds great! You said you overdubbed the chorus stabs playing single notes? I think that's what really makes it, I can't say I've ever done that in this application building the chords. Do you know about how many there were?

[James Lugo]

Probably 4 or 6 passes played super tight.

I'm not much for pedals but the OCD is intense sounding. The Soldano Avenger is another level of evil. I'll get some mp3's up at the end of the week when I get my TG Channel back from Wade's upgrade.

[Gregg Sartiano]

I think the Avenger is the gain channel-circuit of the SLO-100. If you plug in "Hi" or "Lo" you get a different gain response, which actually makes it a bit more versatile.

It's one of those amps that's as "versatile" as the player -- very...ummm...musical, but >you< have to do the work. Imagine that! Of course, it has enough gain to be abused in this regard, however. I guess Mr. Soldano gave you enough rope to hang yourself...

Just say "no" to Gain Abuse. Less is more. Crank it up. Then turn it down

New strings, good intonation, rhythm playing in pocket with the track, and seriously "tight" (matched) doubles will give all the "taste" and weight of extra distortion without the excess "fat."

[James Lugo]

I miss you Gregg...

[Chris Nighman]

Cool. I really like the single note thing it has a punch and clarity without the mushiness you sometimes get with chords. I've never had a Soldano, but my amp for versatility is an older Mesa DC-3. Like you said it's up to the player, but the soud is there if you can find it. Thanks guys.

[tubedude]

Originally Posted by James 'LA' Lugo

Probably 4 or 6 passes played super tight.

I'm not much for pedals but the OCD is intense sounding. The Soldano Avenger is another level of evil. I'll get some mp3's up at the end of the week when I get my TG Channel back from Wade's upgrade.

Intense sounding huh? I'll have to check it out.
How about more on the tracking and mixing fo this song since we are on it now. Guitars do sound good, and tight. Very tight.

[James Lugo]

I remember we used drum samples for the kick and snare. Drum Doctor if I'm not mistaken. The bass we tracked DI and we mic'ed an SVT. The vocals were U87>737. We did it on my old PT Mix rig with an 888 and Rosetta. We mixed it ITB and mastered with Nancy Matter in the valley.

It was years ago so it's not fresh in my mind. I remember having the guitar sound of 'Whole Lotta Love' in my head when tracking the heavies.

[Blast9]

Originally Posted by James 'LA' Lugo

Les Paul Standerd>DSL2000>Straight cab with 75's>121>TG Channel
Les Paul Standerd>DSL2000>Straight cab with 75's>57>BAE312

Played at decent volumn, not overly loud. I like the way the cab sounds like that. Dunlop .88 green tortex picks and played hard as hell...

http://jameslugo.com/sounds/james_lugo_fallin_high.mp3

Wow... Very cool. Celestion G12T-75s! Who'da thought it. Those are my lease favourite speakers, but the sound you got is amazing!

Cheers for sharing.

[Gregg Sartiano]

Originally Posted by James 'LA' Lugo

I remember we used drum samples for the kick and snare. Drum Doctor if I'm not mistaken. The bass we tracked DI and we mic'ed an SVT. The vocals were U87>737. We did it on my old PT Mix rig with an 888 and Rosetta. We mixed it ITB and mastered with Nancy Matter in the valley.

It was years ago so it's not fresh in my mind. I remember having the guitar sound of 'Whole Lotta Love' in my head when tracking the heavies.

888/24's, in case anybody was keeping score. Regardless, basically everything with 2 or fewer tracks went solely through the Rosetta AD -- James sold his and missed it so much he bought one from Richie Kotzen the next day. That little box is the s^&t, and the metering is so great that a 12-year-old could set perfect levels.

3 bass tracks -- DI before the amp, mic, and the SVT's line out, which was actually probably the main tone. Blue & silver early(?) 70's SVT with a >really< old square 8x10 (before they put the diagonal/trapezoidal handle area on the back).

There's a kick and snare sample group on all those songs -- a blend of three of each, at least, with drum doctor and super-secret samples from my old DMX drum machine ( --> Neve 1272 rack --> Rosetta) being some of them. There are almost certainly tom samples as well. The trick is to hide them under the drumming for this kind of mix -- they just accentuate what's there.