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  1. So. I've had my explorer for a couple days now, and I have to say I like the sound the way it is. It's actually not too hot, it cleans up real nice! It is a little harder to find that Edge sweet spot with OD as a boost, but with tweaking the pickups sound awesome. Plus I'm broke so I can't buy the seth lovers right now

    But yea. I'll be buying the gold pickup covers and speed knobs this week and installing them on the explorer.
  2. Originally posted by RattleandHum1988:So. I've had my explorer for a couple days now, and I have to say I like the sound the way it is. It's actually not too hot, it cleans up real nice! It is a little harder to find that Edge sweet spot with OD as a boost, but with tweaking the pickups sound awesome. Plus I'm broke so I can't buy the seth lovers right now

    But yea. I'll be buying the gold pickup covers and speed knobs this week and installing them on the explorer.


    I have read your posts and it occurred to me, why don't you change just the neck pick up? So you can stil have the fat tone for the rhythms and you will have something a little more gentle for the leads. By the way, which pickup does Edge use the most on his Explorer?
  3. Originally posted by thechicken:[..]

    I have read your posts and it occurred to me, why don't you change just the neck pick up? So you can stil have the fat tone for the rhythms and you will have something a little more gentle for the leads. By the way, which pickup does Edge use the most on his Explorer?


    He uses the bridge mostly. So changing the neck pickup wouldn't be my main priority. But as I was saying, I love the sound of them! The neck pickup does clean up real nice. Think of Ultraviolet, I can nail that tone. Then it get's crisp for songs like Out of Control or Twilight. Great sound.
  4. Originally posted by AAV711:[..]

    Agreed--not only is Thom pretty good with a guitar but he can sing very well at the same time. I also find it interesting that Thom has so many guitars and Jonny seems to stick mostly to his Tele Plus.

    I'm off to a guitar store later today to pick up some things--any recommendations for strings? I've been using .10 D'Addarios, but someone told me the other day Dunlops are much better. What does Edge use?


    Edge has used various brands over the years. He used to use Superwound in the mid-1980's. He's used DR's. He's used Ernie Ball. I think that he's use .10's on some but also .11's.

    Per the "Setup of the Stars" article in the March 2002 Guitar Player, Edge was using ERnie Ball .10-.46 on the Explorer.

    Article is here:
    http://www.u2-stage-and-studio.com/id40.html

    Cheers!
  5. Originally posted by RattleandHum1988:[..]

    He uses the bridge mostly. So changing the neck pickup wouldn't be my main priority. But as I was saying, I love the sound of them! The neck pickup does clean up real nice. Think of Ultraviolet, I can nail that tone. Then it get's crisp for songs like Out of Control or Twilight. Great sound.


    You know, I am actually partial on this because I really love fat hard rock tones, heavy stuff...but if you like what you get, you should keep these...they apparently are more versatile and you won't sound exactly like the edge.


  6. Well, I know he used a Lakland for the videoclip recording on New York, but I don't know IF that bass was the one he used for the studio recording... Maybe someone can get you on the true way... Sorry
  7. Originally posted by thechicken:[..]

    You know, I am actually partial on this because I really love fat hard rock tones, heavy stuff...but if you like what you get, you should keep these...they apparently are more versatile and you won't sound exactly like the edge.


    The only way to sound exactly like Edge would be to get a 76' Limited Edition Explorer, a vintage AC30TB, and all the effects Edge has. Even without all the effects thats over 10 grand easy. I think most of us are past the attempt of trying to sound exactly like Edge, and now our goal is "trying to get as close to Edge as possible".

    I'm not trying to sound like im arguing, but it was almost as if you were saying it as a positive point in your post

    Alex

    P.S To me, they sound a lot like Edge actually. I know it's surprising, but usually I can tweak settings until I find the sound I want. People are usually surprised as to how close my sound is with how little effects I use. So BAM.
  8. Originally posted by RattleandHum1988:P.S To me, they sound a lot like Edge actually. I know it's surprising, but usually I can tweak settings until I find the sound I want. People are usually surprised as to how close my sound is with how little effects I use. So BAM.

    ...Bam? Perhaps the ghetto is invading your personality, Alex!

    But yeah, I can get certain stuff to sound like Edge all using my G1X pedal, but the thing is, it's not necessarily about nailing everything, because he can be known to change the tone for different songs. I mean, UTEOTW, as a live entity it's changed so much since the heady days of ZooTV, and as a result there's no ONE tone per se - I try and model mine on the Elevation tour because I love the raunchyness of it, great stuff. For me, it's about getting the feel of the song as a whole, without necessarily needing to be accurate on every small detail. I dunno, I'm kinda rambling, but technical accuracy was never the key thing for me. However, if I happen upon an Edge-esque tone, even better
  9. Yea the Elevation version of End of the World was really great I thought, an out and out rock sound. Aside from delay and overdrive he didn't use any effects on it...did he?
  10. Originally posted by AAV711:Yea the Elevation version of End of the World was really great I thought, an out and out rock sound. Aside from delay and overdrive he didn't use any effects on it...did he?

    Well, I think a lot of it is to do with the pickups but I've found that a bit of compression goes a long way to getting the choppiness of the tone - miles better than any other UTEOTW tone; Vertigo tour, where did it all go wrong? It sounded like he was playing...underwater or something
  11. Originally posted by WojBhoy:[..]
    Well, I think a lot of it is to do with the pickups but I've found that a bit of compression goes a long way to getting the choppiness of the tone - miles better than any other UTEOTW tone; Vertigo tour, where did it all go wrong? It sounded like he was playing...underwater or something


    I know right!!! I think he was trying to recreate the ZOO TV tone (which was pretty nice, really tight) but failed to captivate us. It was "underwater," it was loose and all over the place. Yet in the "Day in the life of the Edge" documentary we see him messing around with settings at the soundcheck for a Miami Vertigo leg 3 show, it somewhat resembles the Elevation tone. Who knows what'll happen this time around.

    Do you know what it was he was doing on Vertigo that made it sound so lackluster? Wrong effects? Lacking o/d? Fender amp?
  12. Originally posted by AAV711:I know right!!! I think he was trying to recreate the ZOO TV tone (which was pretty nice, really tight) but failed to captivate us. It was "underwater," it was loose and all over the place. Yet in the "Day in the life of the Edge" documentary we see him messing around with settings at the soundcheck for a Miami Vertigo leg 3 show, it somewhat resembles the Elevation tone. Who knows what'll happen this time around.

    Do you know what it was he was doing on Vertigo that made it sound so lackluster? Wrong effects? Lacking o/d? Fender amp?

    Yeah, the PopMart and ZooTV tones were pretty similar, I think it was a case of oomphing up the album feel. Vertigo, it does sound like he just took the overdrive out of the equation altogether

    I mean, he's hailed as being one of the great minimalist guitarists, but that shouldn't mean he minimises the tone too! It's weird though, I mean he nailed Zoo Station as far as effects go etc., and yet went the other way with UTEOTW...weird stuff.
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Contribute to the U2 community with uploading photos or by telling us which shows you have visited.
Contribute to the U2 community with uploading photos or by telling us which shows you have visited.