New to the site, how do I start to get the Shadows sound

[banjofive]

Hello, I hope i've posted this in the right place as I'm new to the site, can someone help me how to get started in getting the shadows sound, I'm thinking of buying a Zoom G2 but don't know how to get the patches to create something like the shadows sound, At present I have a Burns Cobra guitar and a Vox Valvetronix VT 20 + amp,any help would be gratefully accepted..

[sixchannel]

Welcome
Im sure there will be good input (every pun intended) from everyone.
The amp is totally fine.
The Cobra will be OK but MIGHT be tonally aligned to the Burns era and you might struggle to get those EARLY Shads tones if thats what you are after - otherwise a great guitar for the money.
G2? There are plenty of echo units (G2 is only one of them) from various makers, new and secondhand,with patches already installed. Look around. Prices vary wildly.
Hope this little bit gets you started.
If you want to talk Specifics, start new threads.
Cheers Ian

[bill]

Hi and welcome banjofive,

If you want a G2 and suitable echoes for the Shadows sound then you will have to buy a secondhand unit with special programmes (EFTP) already installed. If you do that please make sure they are genuine programmes and not pirated versions. Another option is a G3 or G5 with *** - *** or possibly the best (but more expensive) would be the Hall and Collins Signature Echo .


This comparison might help - Hank Marvin echo machines comparison .

Bill

[banjofive]

Thanks fellas for the info it's very much appreciated...

[Stu's Dad]

Charlie used to market patches for the Zoom pedals among other units under the name Echoes From The Past - EFTP. They were so good Hank Marvin used them in an Alessis Quadraverb. I see you've bought the G2 that was for sale on this forum - great move. As Ian said, the amp's fine, it's what I use, but if you really want the early sounds like Apache or Wonderful Land or anything in between I think you're going to need a Strat, and not just any Strat. I have Squier Classic Vibe 50s, a superb guitar with vintage Fender pickups, and I have a Mexican Standard Strat. Both are great for the Shadows tones, but my early 80s Japanese Strat, although it's a great guitar, just doesn't cut it.

You're on a quest, it took me a while but it was worth it. Good luck,

Len

[banjofive]

Hello Len,thanks for your advice it's appreciated, I haven't bought a G2 yet as I'm going to look at other options first...thanks again.... By the way I see that you live in St Helens like myself, I live in blackbrook.

[Stu's Dad]

Mar 6, 2018 23:15:47 GMT banjofive said:

Hello Len,thanks for your advice it's appreciated, I haven't bought a G2 yet as I'm going to look at other options first...thanks again.... By the way I see that you live in St Helens like myself, I live in blackbrook.

I'm in Billinge, and there's another member in St Helens, Peter Leyland (Shawbridge). He's involved in a Shadows music night in town this weekend: charliehall.proboards.com/thread/22785/shadows-live-music-night-march
Why don't you get yourself along there, introduce yourself to the band first - Peter, Ken & Victor, they know who I am. It's a great night's music, and a chance to learn a bit more about your sound.

You haven't told us your name yet, so far you're Man of Mystery!

Len

[banjofive]

Hi Len,I knew about the concert at the Sprayhurst this weekend,I'm going to try and get there.

Owen

[TonyL]

Hi Owen

If you can run to it get the Zoom G3X, the one with the expression pedal. You can still buy excellent patches for this unit from www.hallsecho.com/hall-s-echo-for-zoom-g3-g3x.html

[banjofive]

Thanks Tony, I'll keep that in mind....

Owen

[bor64]

Welcome Owen, to this shadows looney bin

Ther'sa lot of info here on this site...downsite is it will take a large part out of your wallet

Cheers Rob

[banjofive]

Thanks for the welcome Rob,...as for the wallet I'm afraid I haven't a large part to take out.

Owen

[sixchannel]

Mar 8, 2018 19:17:21 GMT banjofive said:

Thanks for the welcome Rob,...as for the wallet I'm afraid I haven't a large part to take out.

Owen

Ah! That brings us to the thorny question of how much you are intending to spend.
There are those who have spent thousands on gear. Some have achieved "That Sound" or what they perceive it to be, others havent.
AND there are those who have spent little, in relative terms, and sound pretty good - and of course there are those that dont.
As my wife says - A little goes a long way. Sob!

I am reminded of the young guy (14 I believe he was at the time) who turned up at our Club one night with an old Squier (not even the right colour! lol! tut-tut), cadged the use of whatever echo we were using (cant remember) plugged into a Fender Blues Junior that someone had brought for themselves - and he played and sounded just like Hank!
Ho-hum.
Cheers
ian

[banjofive]

Certainly food for thought Ian....😃.

[allclaphands]

Plenty of good advice from members on this subject
Just a few suggestions on going about it and the enjoyment and pleasure you get in the pursuit
of your mission to get that sound your seeking
1st the guitar try for the best Fender/Squier Stratocaster your budget can afford fit it with possibly
10-46 or higher strings.
2nd a good amp I read you have a VOX VT 20+ set on the Preset AC 30 setting and see how you get on
3rd A echo unit lots out there New or SH with or without pre programmed patches what you can afford
4th one thing I think I might add is a EQ unit if your budget can stretch to it
Just my opinion
Good luck and have fun

Pete

[banjofive]

I'm real glad that I joined this site ,members are so helpful and have given me so much to think about......Thanks Pete and everyone.

Owen

[sixchannel]

One thing you can do whilst deciding whether or not to break open the Piggy Bank is to WATCH some YT vids and try and see HOW Hank PLAYS the tunes. SO much of That Sound is in his playing technique.

An EQ pedal is a good idea for final tone shaping provided that you are already on the right road sonically. The VT20+ has Bass, Middle and Treble which if you use the AC30 or AC15 presets as well will get you close enough for now before you decide on this further step.

HTH
Ian

[ALopez46]

Look at this software: VSTHost by Christian Boileau at vintage-sounds.freeforums.net.
Regards ALopez46

[mikem]

Hi.
Just to say I have recently acquired the zoom g2 loaded with EFTP patches which work very well with my Squier 50'2 CV, but when I tried to program them manually into my newer g2.1nu primarily so I could edit them in Edit and Share ( using the set parameters per Charlie's sheet),it produced very odd sounds indeed. Apart from the echo sounds being all to pot, there was a strange pitch instability from about patch C0 onwards until the end of the EFTP patches. I tried asking Charlie if he could suggest how to convert g2 to g2.1nu, or if he was able to suggest a solution, but he said no support-and promptly locked the thread! I had intended next to ask how to obtain a legitimate copy of the EFTP patches for the newer unit-but never got the chance. Any suggestions?
Mike

[Charlie Hall]

Hi Mike,
I stopped supplying EFTP patches for all units more than 3 years ago. The supply of all patches was on the condition that they were only for the unit whose serial number was quoted to me and not to be installed into any other unit. Hence my locking of your thread.
Sorry I cannot help you on this occasion.
Charlie

[mikem]

Thanks Charlie-I was not intending to imply any criticism of yourself, just trying to find a solution to the 'mystery', especially when the parameters input are 100% identical. I can only assume that the electronics in the g2 and g2.1nu are different, apart from the obvious lack of usb port, and hence the parameters do not have an identical effect.But why those particular input settings should produce such constantly-varying pitch/feedback-changes over a wide set of patches remains a mystery, especially since the changes between patches are-as you will remember-very incremental between one and the next. However it is more than half-a-century since I studied electronic engineering at uni ( and transistors were very new then!). Incidentally the patches on the g2 are the genuine article, and not bootlegged.
Mike

[Charlie Hall]

Mike,
I am glad the patches are at least genuine and not pirated. By comparison, transferring settings from a G2 to a G2.1Nu (or even another G2) would not be in order.
I have forgotten most of the differences between the two units, apart from the display panel on the G2 having LED numerals and the G2.1Nu having LCD characters.
Now let's please not hijack this thread any further.
Regards,
Charlie

[mikem]

Sorry Charlie-I thought that any information relating to Shadows and EFTP patches would be appreciated and relevant, since the reply I made on here was regarding exactly the same 2 pieces of equipment ( g2 and superb Classic Vibe 50's Squier )as the previous  poster!
Mike