U2 & Guitar Gear: Q & A

Originally posted by blink:Ok, im a complete noob when it comes to guitars, but the Edge's sound has inspired me. Alright so, this may be a dumb question, but...Do you really need all that expensive equipment to create, lets say, his sound in Bad?

And in terms of difficulty, how hard is it to play his stuff?

Thanks

Originally posted by RattleandHum1988:[..]

Honestly, no, it's not. And it's not hard for the most part either. All you need is an electric guitar, somthing alright, doesn't have to be 1000+ dollars, but it shouldn't be -100 dollars either. All you essentially need for Edge is a guitar, a delay pedal (echoes), or even just an amp with delay on it, a bit of overdrive (most amps have this), and the herdim picks. The herdim picks are key, they're special picks with almost a rough kind of dimple grip on one side, and edge plucks the string with this side as opposed to the regular tip of the pick. Dunlop makes a similar pick, they're black, and they also have dimples, they should suffice, you can find them in most guitar stores. So,

Guitar (I recommend a squire strat, or even a mexican made fender strat, that's what I started on)
Delay (either in a cheap pedal or built into an amp)
Overdrive (most amps have it, or you can get a cheap pedal)
Dimpled picks, herdim, or whatever you can find that has dimples. (example: http://www.jimdunlop.com/index.php?page=products/pip&id=419&pmh=products/picks), something like that, but you want the grip to extend to the sides of the pick, not just be in the middle.

This is all assuming you want to just start playing guitar. If you already know how to play and all that jazz, and you're looking for a good core Edge tone, I can recommend some more specific and expensive gear, but the basics are the things I mentioned.

Alex

Originally posted by anstratdubh1979:[..]

The parts are not that difficult. Getting your timing down will be the challenge. As most U2 songs have one or more delay pedals... you have to be consistent in your timing... the delay pedals time will not waver - neither can yours. But that comes with some playing and practice.



[..]

Beg to differ. I think you've over-simplified this.

A decent Strat, overdrive and delay will be fine for "Boy" through "War" but from Unforgettable Fire forward, more is needed.

You can get started with just a few items. A decent Strat is a good place to start. Epiphone Explorer might be a second or third choice. The Epi Explorers are actually very good. If you want a Les Paul 2nd, you could get an Epiphone Les Paul but pickup upgrades would be needed. The stock p'ups are brash and not condusive to the more vintage Edge tones.

A Line 6 M13 will cover lots of U2 tones. They are $500 new but deals for new and used can be found on eBay and the like.

Amp-wise there are lots of options. If you are playing at home for now - Vox AC4 is great. Vox Pathfinder is not bad either. (Best $100 I ever spent). Even if you upgrade to a AC15 or AC30 later, the Pathfinder is good for practice at home and live can be used (mic'ed up) to run stereo effects.

PS - Squier Strats are horrible more often than not. Buyers remorse will soon follow. And then you have to find a way to sell that guitar to buy another. You won't get much for a Squier on the 2nd hand market. So if you buy one you are essentially throwing money away for a guitar that has bad pickups, bad fretwork, bad electronics... Just hate to see folks throw money away when waiting another month or so to save a bit more can get them a NAFTA-caster (Made In Mexico) Stratocaster that will be a better guitar.

Originally posted by WojBhoy:Best bit of advice I've read from Edge on guitar-playing - 'be original'.

That is all.

Originally posted by RattleandHum1988:TRUE. The minute I heard that and let it sink in, I stopped playing only Edge and started writing my own stuff. That was a while back, but yeah, before I actually thought about Edge feeling that way, before I was all "U2 tribute band". The more I thought about it, the more I thought "If i'm really influenced by Edge, I should take his view on guitar playing and use it for myself". I'm not saying I write stuff that's completely out of this world and original, but yeah, like I said, I used to ONLY play u2, now I barely do.

Originally posted by WojBhoy:[..]
Indeed. I still play U2 material, a fair bit in fact, but simply for personal enjoyment - it doesn't bother me if I don't play a song note for note as Edge does, same with other artists etc., I like to work out my own take on things. I'd say I've taken on elements from his playing style just as I have from other guitarists, but I've now been working on writing my own material - there's been talk of starting a band with some uni. friends, we've had a couple of jams which have been fun but bearing in mind some of the stuff I've been coming up with, I feel it would be better realised if I just carry on doing my own thing or finding people who have more in common with my style.

Originally posted by RattleandHum1988:[..]

To be honest, it's super hard to join a band as a guitarist as a U2 type of guitarist. You have to (like you said) search for a band that wants the exact same type of music. Most bands, when looking for a guitarist, want a creative guitarist (which I'm sure you are), but they also want a techinically good guitarist as well (which is hard to be when all most of us have played is Edge). I'm in a band now, but I'm singer/guitarist, and I bring only a few U2 elements, but mostly other things, like blues and alternative rock elements to the table. I'm not saying it's bad that your style is like Edge's, mine is in a way too, I'm just saying, it's a little harder for us to find a band! lol. If I wasn't a singer than I probably wouldn't be in the one I'm in right now purely because I'm a guitarist.

Originally posted by RattleandHum1988:To be honest, it's super hard to join a band as a guitarist as a U2 type of guitarist. You have to (like you said) search for a band that wants the exact same type of music. Most bands, when looking for a guitarist, want a creative guitarist (which I'm sure you are), but they also want a techinically good guitarist as well (which is hard to be when all most of us have played is Edge). I'm in a band now, but I'm singer/guitarist, and I bring only a few U2 elements, but mostly other things, like blues and alternative rock elements to the table. I'm not saying it's bad that your style is like Edge's, mine is in a way too, I'm just saying, it's a little harder for us to find a band! lol. If I wasn't a singer than I probably wouldn't be in the one I'm in right now purely because I'm a guitarist.

Originally posted by anstratdubh1979:Edge was asked "What do you think when you see adverts for U2-type guitarist in music papers". His response was something to the effect that "if people are copying, they are missing the point".

The point being... nothing being a product of your influences. There is nothing wrong with ceertain elements of your influence making it into your style but create something different - make your own thing.

Edge took things like John McGeogh (Siouxsie, Magazine, PIL), Tom Verlaine & Richard Lloyd (Television), Mick Jones & Joe Strummer (The Clash), Henry Cluney (Still Little Fingers), Pete Shelley (Buzzcocks), Paul Weller (The Jam), Stuart Adamson (The Skids, and later Big Country)

So if you want to be more like The Edge.... listen to lots of bands. Take bits and pieces and make something of your own.

Doesn't mean don't learn and decipher what Edge does. But then take the ideas and create 'you'. Not just my opinion... t'is The Edge's too.

Originally posted by vanquish:Coming up to nearly 6 months with my guitar.

I really like my Explorer - unlike other instruments (eg. my piano) you seem to bond with a guitar.
Perhaps its because unlike a piano where the actual sound is being created 'behind the scenes'
with a guitar the sound is created right at your fingertips, it's much more tactile and the level of interaction with the instrument is much higher. It really makes a difference.

I also like the fact that most of the music stores I go to never have Explorers on sale - its nice not being like everyone else who has a strat copy guitar.

Originally posted by vanquish:Coming up to nearly 6 months with my guitar.
I also like the fact that most of the music stores I go to never have Explorers on sale - its nice not being like everyone else who has a strat copy guitar.

Originally posted by RattleandHum1988:[..]

Really? The store I go to has a bunch, and a bunch of musicians I know have them And strat copys ARE very popular, good thing I have an american fender