Bridge Pickup?

[Roger...]

Hi Folks,

I've noticed on clips from YouTube that Hank plays instrumentals like Sleepwalk and Peacepipe (and others) using the bridge pickup. The sound he achieves is beautiful and mellow, as is the muted bits. Am I missing something here, as I always play these sort of instrumentals using the neck pickup or sometimes the middle setting. If played on the bridge pickup I find the sound rather more harsh than played on the neck pickup.

My kit is:- 1979 Strat, Roland Cube 30X Amp, MagicStomp Mk2.

The bass, middle, and treble, on the Amplifier are very effective and are set to:- bass = 25%, middle = 75%, treble = 40% of their full scale.

Do I need a compressor and/or graphic equaliser before my MagicStomp or will it make little difference to my sound?

Best regards
Roger

[keithinalps]

Hi Roger, he gets the mellow tone by playing between the N/pup and last fret using the bridge pup plus all his other top class gear and sound engineer !!, Keith. ps if you want a EQ i have a Boss GE7 boxed as new £45. (also try upping your string gauge to 11-49's or 12-52's with/out wired 3rd) trem springs would need to be increased /re-set. You don't say if you have Charlies EFTP patches loaded on your magic stomp, Keith

[Roger...]

Thanks Keith,

I know what you mean by playing close to the neck, but he seems to still have that mellow sound when muting the notes?

I'm not sure that I actually need an EQ yet, but if it turns out that I do, I may you up on your kind offer.

Best regards
Roger

[keithinalps]

Hi Roger check my ammended reply, keith

[peterbower]

Roger

Some good advice there, but one alternative is to fit a DeMarzio FS-1 in the bridge position. Hank used this pickup years ago and to my mind was some of his best sounds. It was never harsh and always slightly mellow. I think he started using this pickup from the 70's right through to the early 90's, i could be wrong though on these dates.
Its still my favourite bridge pickup and i always associated Hank's post Shadows sound with this pickup.
Peter

[Charlie Hall]

Hi Roger,
Hank did not use the bridge pickup when these tunes were originally recorded. I think the reason he does now and has for some years is because he wanted a fatter sound with Marvin Welch and Farrar and played a Les Paul. Then he wanted that fatter kind of sound out of a Strat so used the FS1 to get it. And I think that fatter bridge pickup sound has been the basis of his signature sound ever since. It has nothing to do with sounding like he did on the early recordings in my view.
Generally for Hank type sounds when playing with the bridge pickup, you want less treble and more bass. I don't believe there is a single amp setting that covers the ideal sounds for the different pickups.
Regards,
Charlie

[Roger...]

I thank you all, for your valued replies.

For years since the sixties, I have occasionally picked up my guitar and picked out the Shadows tunes that I used to play, and then suddenly, I find out that there were many of you out there doing exactly the same thing. The discovery of Charlie's website has given me a complete new enthusiasm and joy to be a part of it.........Thank you Charlie, and to you all.

Keith, I do have Charlie's EFTP patches loaded.

I didn't know about the FS-1 pickup, but if Hank is using different pickups from standard then perhaps that's the answer. Also I have been trying to hone into one set of amplifier settings for all tunes, and just selecting the pickup choice. Maybe this comes from years ago, when on stage doing gigs with my band.

Looking at the clearer picture now, maybe it's not possible to have one set of amplifier settings. Maybe an FS-1.......hmmm.

Best regards
Roger

[keithinalps]

Hi Roger, A great Shads club (The Hankies) runs the first 3 tues in the month at Great Wyrley working mens club 7.30 start, come along there are always several guitar/amp/echo variations to check out, regards Keith

[Roger...]

Hi Keith,

Thanks for the info. I live in the Solihull area on the south side of the city, so it's a bit of a way. It sounds good though, I'll have a think about it and might give it coat of looking at, many thanks.

Best regards
Roger