U2start.com | U2 & Guitar Gear: Q & A

anstratdubh1979

From the video I've seen during the tour... Edge used a Gretsch Country Gent for all performances of "Magnificent" during the 360 tour, EXCEPT, in Oakland; where he used the Gretsch Black Falcon.

He used the Telecaster Custom during the BBC rooftop promo show.

There was a clip on U2.com, from during the sessions for NLOTH, that showed him playing a tobacco finish Telecaster on "Magnificent".

Originally posted by AAV711:Couple questions about Edge's setup over 360. I check this thread regularly and very much enjoy it, don't think these have been asked but my apologies if I missed it.

-What replaced the FX rack on stage? They look like monitors to me, but would he still need them even with his headphone feed? [YouTube Video]

-Did Edge ever play Magnificent with a Telecaster on tour? I know he did during some promo shows, and here during rehearsals, but all photos/videos I saw showed the Gretsch Country Gentleman (or the new Black Falcon for the Nelson Mandela remix version). Could anyone hear any difference between Tele vs. Gretsch performances? They sounded identical to me. [YouTube Video]

thebonodrums

13 years

Jeff im rackin my gear brain trying to figure out what replaced that rack. any clues??

RattleandHum1988

13 years

Originally posted by thebonodrums:Jeff im rackin my gear brain trying to figure out what replaced that rack. any clues??

Nothing, it was under the stage with Dallas for the 360 show.

AAV711

13 years

Originally posted by RattleandHum1988:[..]

Nothing, it was under the stage with Dallas for the 360 show.

Yeah, but I think we're curious as to what those black boxes are - monitors...?

anstratdubh1979

13 years

One thing that I noticed in "From The Sky Down" is The Edge playing what appears to be an Ibanez Roadstar II bass on "40" from the December 1989 Dublin show footage.

I think that it belongs to Adam. I do remember seeing a picture of Edge... from the Zooropa sessions... with this bass.

While I don't remember seeing Adam use it on stage there was a picture in Guitar World... around the time of the Pop album... of Adam with it.

You can see this bass in the studio in the following video - at 0:17 seconds (on a stand), 1:56 (Adam playing it in control room) and at 2:23 (Adam playing it in control room)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/video/2009/feb/15/u2-no-line-horizon

A couple of other Adam gear notes...

...In "From The Sky Down":

Adam playing his white Gibson Triumph Les Paul Recording bass (later used for "One" on some 360 tour dates)

Adam playing his Gibson RD Artist bass (later used for "Magnificent", until he rec'd the candy apple red Reverso)

Another interesting bit is Danny Lanois playing his Telecaster on "One".

Looks like it could be Danny's 1951 Telecaster, that he mentioned in the Jan 2001 Guitar Player article.

There is the one part in the movie where they talk about bring the bit he was playing a bit down in the mix.

For me that clips shows a few things.
- Danny plays guitar on a lot of the songs. Which makes sense as he's mentioned that he often does so that he and Edge can both track parts together.
- It brings home the fact that there are multiple guitar parts per song and hence multiple guitars used.
- And the other factor that some have not considered... Some of the guitars used on the albums is Danny playing some of Edge's guitars. He's mentioned playing Edge's Goldtop before. (Jan 2001 Guitar Player). But he's also mentioned using his own guitars. This means that his Firebird, his Goldtop with P-90's, his Telecaster and his Gibson and Guild acoustics could be on the songs.

vanquish

13 years

Lol, i've just realised that barre chords are actually quite easy to play - I had been having difficulties since I used to bar my finger between the frets rather than on the fret which makes it much easier.

Also, I was looking at getting a SDD 3000 preamp pedal and was wondering what songs the Edge uses it for? Is it pretty much everything with the signature Edge delay sound?
Is there any way to emulate it using my Line 6 M13? Are there any cheaper alternatives to it?

RattleandHum1988

13 years

Originally posted by vanquishLol, i've just realised that barre chords are actually quite easy to play - I had been having difficulties since I used to bar my finger between the frets rather than on the fret which makes it much easier.

Also, I was looking at getting a SDD 3000 preamp pedal and was wondering what songs the Edge uses it for? Is it pretty much everything with the signature Edge delay sound?
Is there any way to emulate it using my Line 6 M13? Are there any cheaper alternatives to it?

If you listen to an A/B with the preamp on and off, you can hear how much it makes Edge's tone, Edge's tone. I'm pretty sure Edge uses it at all time, and if not, than for the big anthem songs (as you said, the signature delay sound). At the same time, it's not really necessary for getting 95% there of Edge's tone.

I use the M13 as well, and what I tend to use for Edge's tone, is the Blue Comp set to really really low (the compression low, the volume way up) and a tiny bit of "Screamer" as well. That's all it takes in my opinion, plus a mod delay setting (I can never get it to sound perfect on the m13).

Here are a few clips I've made with those settings I just described:
http://soundcloud.com/rattleandhum1988/bad-tone-test
http://soundcloud.com/rattleandhum1988/streets-custom-shop-69

I'm not saying that my tone is spot on, but I think the majority of what you hear in Edge's sound is there. All it takes is a bit of compression and boost (very light overdrive, or a preamp). I'd say what's keeping me and so many others from being perfect is obviously the vintage guitars and amps, but also that preamp. I'd say if you REALLY want that tone, go for that pedal, many have demos up on youtube (check out Mick3b1g if you haven't already) and it really makes a (small) world of difference.

A lot of guys swear by the boost/comp on the M13 too, but I think it sounds too farty. I'm sure others can chime in here as well, but yeah. All you need is some compression, and a bit of boost, and a mod delay, and you're there.

EDIT: I'm sure you already know this, but you CAN'T get Edge's tone without the herdim guitar picks.

Mr_Trek

13 years

I need to get myself a pedalboard.

puma

13 years

Hello RattleandHum1988, can you tell the exact settings for the Line6M13 ?

anstratdubh1979

13 years

I went to the Clinton Foundation "Decade of Difference" show. '

Pretty cool. "A Man And A Woman" live premiere. Cool. Edge seemed to have some problems on "Staring At The Sun" and "Sunday Bloody Sunday".

"One" was interesting. Seems that Edge had a sunburst 335 for "One". I'd not seen him with this one before.

The only other time I saw him with a 335 is the tobacco one used for "One Tree Hill" during the Joshua Tree tour.

This one has the trapeze tailpiece. That would put it at post-1965.

Sunburst finish. The sunburst were made between 1958 to 1970. Plus they made the sunburst in 1974.

With the sunburst finish and trapeze tailpiece, that would put the guitar between 1965 to 1970. Plus the possible 1974.

Judging by Edge's preferences for mid-1960's Rickenbackers and Gretsch models, I would estimate it as a 1965 to 1970.