U2 & Guitar Gear: Q & A

Originally posted by WojBhoy[..]
Ideally, I want to one day have something similar to that, but for the moment I leave everything in Eb. Well, I say everything, that's 2 electrics and a semi-acoustic lol. The Epi. LP Custom I just got, my Ridgewood Strat. (I like playing AIWIY and Streets on that, because neither song sounds right when played through humbuckers) and the Ridgewood semi-acoustic, which doesn't really sound great through an amp but I don't usually expect it to! I also steal my mum's acoustic (which is like a 3/4 size or something? There's some term for it, apparently, plays quite nicely though ) because she leaves that in standard tuning, or rather is not particularly interested in guitars, but she wanted to try and learn but apparently it does her neck in? So I play it the most out of all of us

Originally posted by anstratdubh1979[..]

The Edge has played "All I Want Is You" on one of the many Stratocasters, for the most part but there have been occasions where he's used a Gretsch Country Gentleman and it sounds great.

The Omagh Tribute show comes to mind.
[YouTube Video]

But I can see where you'd prefer the tone of a Strat-like guitar to a Les Paul.

Originally posted by anstratdubh1979Here's something cool that I have that I treasure...

[image]

Edge doesn't actually play with the purple ones. The blue one was Edge used, as can be seen by the wear.

Originally posted by WojBhoy[..]
Indeed, I just find the thinner tone of the singles suits the actual tone, i.e. the relatively clean delay effect. When I run it through the Epi., it crackles at random points and muffles up too much for my liking but I do remember watching that tribute show recently and noting that he used a Gretsch.
[..]
Does Edge play them back to front or something? I noticed on the blue pick you have that the "grip" area looks scratched up compared to the point which seems pristine. I think I read it somewhere else before, but do you know anymore about how he actually holds picks?

Originally posted by anstratdubh1979[..]

Yep, playing with the grip side striking the strings is THE "Secret of the Edge Ching".

Originally posted by WojBhoy[..]
Do you play the same way when playing U2 stuff then, per chance? Or do you just play however your technique goes?

Originally posted by anstratdubh1979[..]

I do play ala The Edge using the grip side of Herdim guitar picks. I don't for all things but certainly for U2 songs and for some other things.

Originally posted by WojBhoy[..]
Hmm, I need to get some Herdim picks lol. I have shitty thin Dunlop ones but I can't stand them, and then one un-identifiable red one which has worn down with age, but plays really well...wish I knew what make it was lol.

Originally posted by anstratdubh1979[..]

Some will insist that ONLY Herdim's will work. Sure it's best to use what Edge (and Adam) use but any picks with grips like the Herdim will get you there.

I sometimes use Herco 75's (Good enough for Mr. James Patrick Page of Led Zeppelin, good enough for me) The Herco 75's are a bit smaller than the Herdim blue teardrop picks but have the similar grip that works well played upside down to get that "ching".

Dunlop makes some that have similar grips that work. I don't know the size/model off the top of my head. Bono was using some red coloured Dunlop picks during Elevation and Vertigo but not upside down like Edge.

Originally posted by anstratdubh1979HERDIM blue tear drop picks.

(Bono did use the red teardrops Herdims for a bit. Bono has used the blue too. And also Dunlop red picks with similar Herdim-like grips -- The red Herdims are a little thinner so you might like them better than the blue. Perhaps buy a dozen of each and go from there?)

These are available at the following sites/dealers
http://www.hobgoblin-usa.com/local/contfram.htm
http://www.prussiavalley.com/Other_Accessories.htm

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Also, seems that Edge had some Herdim-like picks made to also use.
[image]

Originally posted by WojBhoy[..]
Are they rarely available then or something? Or are they just two sites you found that are of use?

Originally posted by anstratdubh1979[..]

Initially, they were made in WEST Germany. There IS no WEST Germany anymore. I am not sure what company bought the tooling or what may be... but yeah, you can't just go to Sam Ash, Guitar Center or Manny's and guy them.

Herdim makes a lot of picks for folk instruments too. So be careful when ordering... you want "HERDIM BLUE TEARDROP" picks. Unless you want thinner than ask for HERDIM RED TEARDROP picks.

The sites I listed are good sources to buy them.

The Herco 75's that Jimmy Page uses are readily available at Sam Ash and Guitar Center.