A lot of people have commented (including myself) on Chuck Levall piano tinker plink piano playing gives the Stones a Vegas like sound. What about Keith and his guitar tone? It is been a clean Styrofoam kinda sound, since 1986
He needs to get it dirty.



P'S - Chuck piano still is the main offender no pun intended.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-07-26 03:31 by TRS.

I never get tired of watching this clip, Düsseldorf '07 - the person was standing directly in front of Keith's amp:





Dirty enough for ya?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-07-26 04:36 by Milan.

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Milan
I never get tired of watching this clip, Düsseldorf '07 - the person was standing directly in front of Keith's amp:

Uh ummm yeah maybe not that dirty

Current tone: Too clean
1975-76: Too distorted
1969-73: Just right

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TRS
A lot of people have commented (including myself) on Chuck Levall piano tinker plink piano playing gives the Stones a Vegas like sound. What about Keith and his guitar tone? It is been a clean Styrofoam kinda sound, since 1986
He needs to get it dirty.



P'S - Chuck piano still is the main offender no pun intended.

His sound IS dirty. It was a bit cleaner on the UJ and VL tours, though.

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Milan
I never get tired of watching this clip, Düsseldorf '07

Arggh... Germany + 2007 tour = never again.
There should be a rule at IORR to ban the posting of material related to that era.

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Milan
I never get tired of watching this clip, Düsseldorf '07 - the person was standing directly in front of Keith's amp:





Dirty enough for ya?

Awful

Keef and XPensiveWinos...this is the best sound:
[www.youtube.com]

For Dirty guitar-tones for real...check out Johnny Thunders....and J Mascis...

2 1 2 0

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KRiffhard

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Milan
I never get tired of watching this clip, Düsseldorf '07 - the person was standing directly in front of Keith's amp:





Dirty enough for ya?

Awful

Echo is a bitch.

Yup... it gets worse for the next song (same taper), around 2:00 min is in synch again:







Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2014-07-26 18:27 by Milan.

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Milan
I never get tired of watching this clip, Düsseldorf '07 - the person was standing directly in front of Keith's amp:





Dirty enough for ya?

LOL holy cow that was bad.

Those Fender Twins just don't cut through that well......

Similar example here, Warsaw '07, the taper is right in front of Keith's amps:







Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 2014-07-27 20:02 by Milan.

Keith's current live sound is awesome.

I also really like his studio sound. I have heard that he plays through small vintage tube amps like a Champ but to me I hear a creamy distortion on songs like "Monkey Man". Sounds smoother than a cranked tube amp. Anyone know if he used a pedal and which one(s) for the dirty sound on that song and songs like Saint of Me? I'm almost thinking a RAT but never heard of him using one. Doesn't sound like a Ibanez Tube Screamer to me.

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beachbreak
Keith's current live sound is awesome.

I also really like his studio sound. I have heard that he plays through small vintage tube amps like a Champ but to me I hear a creamy distortion on songs like "Monkey Man". Sounds smoother than a cranked tube amp. Anyone know if he used a pedal and which one(s) for the dirty sound on that song and songs like Saint of Me? I'm almost thinking a RAT but never heard of him using one. Doesn't sound like a Ibanez Tube Screamer to me.

His recording technique has changed dramatically from the Monkey Man days. He used to use bigger amps in the studio. I generally didn't like that cold sound on the Let Bleed album, but it was very effective on Gimme Shelter. Not so good on the studio version of Midnight Rambler.

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beachbreak
Keith's current live sound is awesome.

I also really like his studio sound. I have heard that he plays through small vintage tube amps like a Champ but to me I hear a creamy distortion on songs like "Monkey Man". Sounds smoother than a cranked tube amp. Anyone know if he used a pedal and which one(s) for the dirty sound on that song and songs like Saint of Me? I'm almost thinking a RAT but never heard of him using one. Doesn't sound like a Ibanez Tube Screamer to me.

Keith does not play on Saint Of Me. Its all Woody and Waddy Wachtel.

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Come On
For Dirty guitar-tones for real...check out Johnny Thunders....and J Mascis...

Yeah-the Fender Twins aint the problem-theyre just not being driven hard enough. Personally i think they sound much better with LP Juniors/Specials through them. Johnny Thunders got a great sound with that combination-Keith has favoured the'only just breaking up' sound since Steel Wheels.

2007 was a low point for Keith. He has recovered nicely since then, but I still generally hate the sound of him on the semi-hollows via tweed Twins. Borderline unlistenable.

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Mel Belli
2007 was a low point for Keith. He has recovered nicely since then, but I still generally hate the sound of him on the semi-hollows via tweed Twins. Borderline unlistenable.

Nearness Of You, Let It Bleed and Neighbours frome Four Flicks are borderline unlistenable?

The twins were cranked a bit more than usual on the BB-tour, though.

The thing about the twins is that they in some way get more of the guitar's sound come through than, say Boogies, imo. The Strat sound Keith gets (Thru And Thru, Miss You, THSMLI) is spectacular.

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DandelionPowderman

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Mel Belli
2007 was a low point for Keith. He has recovered nicely since then, but I still generally hate the sound of him on the semi-hollows via tweed Twins. Borderline unlistenable.

Nearness Of You, Let It Bleed and Neighbours frome Four Flicks are borderline unlistenable?

The twins were cranked a bit more than usual on the BB-tour, though.

The thing about the twins is that they in some way get more of the guitar's sound come through than, say Boogies, imo. The Strat sound Keith gets (Thru And Thru, Miss You, THSMLI) is spectacular.

True-a lot of character and true sound from a fender amp but if fender guitars are going through them its not really,imo,a great sound for rock n roll. If you're James Burton or Don Rich on the other hand.........

I love Fenders but I agree that the Twins combined with trebly single-coil Teles and Strats are not the best sounds, as they sort of just reinforce the guitar sound (good and bad) rather than combine with it to create a great overall tone, as they did with the Ampegs. Even when Keith plays the Gibson 335 it ends up too bright, when that guitar should have more color. The Boogies added just enough overdrive to the Telecaster to beef it up. Of course, this is my personal taste.

Yeah the boogies and ampegs really suited Keith-his sound 75-83 was always great.
The twins are almost too pure for the way he plays these days.

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71Tele
I love Fenders but I agree that the Twins combined with trebly single-coil Teles and Strats are not the best sounds, as they sort of just reinforce the guitar sound (good and bad) rather than combine with it to create a great overall tone, as they did with the Ampegs. Even when Keith plays the Gibson 335 it ends up too bright, when that guitar should have more color. The Boogies added just enough overdrive to the Telecaster to beef it up. Of course, this is my personal taste.

I learned this the hard way myself after I started using Fender amps. All of a sudden, my Tele sounded like shit - compared to through my HiWatt.

Fender clean sound is unbeatable, though. The AB-box became my solution

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DandelionPowderman

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71Tele
I love Fenders but I agree that the Twins combined with trebly single-coil Teles and Strats are not the best sounds, as they sort of just reinforce the guitar sound (good and bad) rather than combine with it to create a great overall tone, as they did with the Ampegs. Even when Keith plays the Gibson 335 it ends up too bright, when that guitar should have more color. The Boogies added just enough overdrive to the Telecaster to beef it up. Of course, this is my personal taste.

I learned this the hard way myself after I started using Fender amps. All of a sudden, my Tele sounded like shit - compared to through my HiWatt.

Fender clean sound is unbeatable, though. The AB-box became my solution

Agree, DP. I never play my Tele through a Fender amp. I play a stock Tele through a '65 Magnatone, and use a Boss pedal for extra overdrive if needed. Simple set-up, but very effective,.

It's the combination of guitar/amp/player/pedal(s) that make a great guitar sound. Example: Pete Townshend's electric guitar sound on Who's Next is one of the best ever. It's a Gretsch Chet Atkins through a '59 Fender Bandmaster and a pedal steel volume pedal. Classic. Keith's recent sound is a Telecaster on the treble pickup through a Fender amp (also with lots of treble). It cuts through like the proverbial blade, but I don't think it's the best tone for most Stones material.

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71Tele

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DandelionPowderman

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71Tele
I love Fenders but I agree that the Twins combined with trebly single-coil Teles and Strats are not the best sounds, as they sort of just reinforce the guitar sound (good and bad) rather than combine with it to create a great overall tone, as they did with the Ampegs. Even when Keith plays the Gibson 335 it ends up too bright, when that guitar should have more color. The Boogies added just enough overdrive to the Telecaster to beef it up. Of course, this is my personal taste.

I learned this the hard way myself after I started using Fender amps. All of a sudden, my Tele sounded like shit - compared to through my HiWatt.

Fender clean sound is unbeatable, though. The AB-box became my solution

Agree, DP. I never play my Tele through a Fender amp. I play a stock Tele through a '65 Magnatone, and use a Boss pedal for extra overdrive if needed. Simple set-up, but very effective,.

I use a Tube Screamer for that extra grit, if I'm not using the AB box.

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71Tele
It's the combination of guitar/amp/player/pedal(s) that make a great guitar sound. Example: Pete Townshend's electric guitar sound on Who's Next is one of the best ever. It's a Gretsch Chet Atkins through a '59 Fender Bandmaster and a pedal steel volume pedal. Classic. Keith's recent sound is a Telecaster on the treble pickup through a Fender amp (also with lots of treble). It cuts through like the proverbial blade, but I don't think it's the best tone for most Stones material.

Pete didn't use HiWatts at all for WN???

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71Tele
I never play my Tele through a Fender amp. I play a stock Tele through a '65 Magnatone, and use a Boss pedal for extra overdrive if needed. Simple set-up, but very effective,.

My Tele sounds amazing through my Tweed Deluxe amp. And no pedals needed

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DandelionPowderman

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71Tele
It's the combination of guitar/amp/player/pedal(s) that make a great guitar sound. Example: Pete Townshend's electric guitar sound on Who's Next is one of the best ever. It's a Gretsch Chet Atkins through a '59 Fender Bandmaster and a pedal steel volume pedal. Classic. Keith's recent sound is a Telecaster on the treble pickup through a Fender amp (also with lots of treble). It cuts through like the proverbial blade, but I don't think it's the best tone for most Stones material.

Pete didn't use HiWatts at all for WN???

No, just onstage...'59 Fender Bandmaster with a Gretsch. Try it!