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Mike's "dirty" sound

cinredzfan47cinredzfan47 Posts: 81
edited May 2005 in Musicians and Gearheads
I have a question about Mik's dirstorted sound for songs like "Evenflow" and what not. When he uses the Tube Splitter to separate the "clean" and "dirty" signal, does he layer the TS-9 over an overdriven amp?

My question may be clearer by looking at the signal flow diagrams. When he switches and uses the '68 Marshall JMP50 Plexi and the Matchless HC-30, does he have these amps set to slight overdrive and play the TS-9 over that? I have assumed that he does such a thing, since the TS-9 doesn't give all the crunch that he gets on certain songs.

I am mainly concerned with what he does with his amps that are on the "dirty" side after the tube splitter in order to get his distorted tone. Any answers, whether he layers the TS-9 over slight overdrive on the Marshall/Matchless or not, would be helpful. (I know that these signal flow diagrams are from the Riot Act era, and he has since started using the Trentino amps much more, but I assume that many of the same concepts apply to his dirty tone.) Thanks for any help.
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • HailHailVitalogyHailHailVitalogy Posts: 5,225
    those flow diagrams are from the yield era

    he doesnt use the Orange Cab anymore (as of the 2003/04 tours)...every picture i see of him or when i see him live i dont remember ever seeing a head present...all i see is the 1970 Marshall Cab and the 1960B Marshall Cab...im sure he has a head but its not visible, i know he still uses his plexi head though for sure
    2003: Uniondale, MSG x2 | 2004: Reading | 2005: Gorge, Vancouver, Philly | 2006: East Rutherford x2, Gorge x2, Camden 1, Hartford | 2008: MSG x2, VA Beach | 2009: Philly x3 | 2010: MSG x2, Bristow | 2011: Alpine Valley x2 | 2012: MIA Philly | 2013: Wrigley, Charlottesville, Brooklyn 2 | 2014: Milan, Amsterdam 1 | 2016: MSG x2, Fenway x2, Wrigley 2 | 2018: Rome, Krakow, Berlin, Wrigley 2 | 2021: Sea Hear Now | 2022: San Diego, LA x2, MSG, Camden, Nashville, St. Louis, Denver | 2023: St. Paul 1, Chicago x2, Fort Worth x2, Austin 2 | 2024: Las Vegas 1, Seattle x2, Indy, MSG x2, Philly x2, Baltimore, Ohana 2
  • HailHailVitalogyHailHailVitalogy Posts: 5,225
    i just read on giventowail... he does use his matchless still

    if u look at his pedal board from the ten era he had another distortion pedal besides the ts9...sansamp distortion...
    2003: Uniondale, MSG x2 | 2004: Reading | 2005: Gorge, Vancouver, Philly | 2006: East Rutherford x2, Gorge x2, Camden 1, Hartford | 2008: MSG x2, VA Beach | 2009: Philly x3 | 2010: MSG x2, Bristow | 2011: Alpine Valley x2 | 2012: MIA Philly | 2013: Wrigley, Charlottesville, Brooklyn 2 | 2014: Milan, Amsterdam 1 | 2016: MSG x2, Fenway x2, Wrigley 2 | 2018: Rome, Krakow, Berlin, Wrigley 2 | 2021: Sea Hear Now | 2022: San Diego, LA x2, MSG, Camden, Nashville, St. Louis, Denver | 2023: St. Paul 1, Chicago x2, Fort Worth x2, Austin 2 | 2024: Las Vegas 1, Seattle x2, Indy, MSG x2, Philly x2, Baltimore, Ohana 2
  • cinredzfan47cinredzfan47 Posts: 81
    Thanks for the help. I will check on that pedalbaord and the matchless amp to see how he had it all working.

    One question though. I have heard that Mike and Stone don't use amp gain channels much (as of a few years ago), do you think that during the Ten era, for example, Mike would have used that Sansamp distortion for those crunchier songs, or do you think he layered the sansamp/ts-9 over an amp's gain channel set on a low gain?

    Thanks again for the help.
  • mccreadyisgodmccreadyisgod Bumfuq, MT Posts: 6,395
    cinredzfan47 wrote:
    One question though. I have heard that Mike and Stone don't use amp gain channels much (as of a few years ago), do you think that during the Ten era, for example, Mike would have used that Sansamp distortion for those crunchier songs, or do you think he layered the sansamp/ts-9 over an amp's gain channel set on a low gain?


    From what I know, Stone and Mike don't use dual-channel or channel switching amps (until now with the custom Trentinos, that is). And I've never seen a channel-switch pedal on any of their pedalboards, ever.
    ...and if you don't like it, you can suck on an egg.
  • HailHailVitalogyHailHailVitalogy Posts: 5,225
    http://www.sonymusic.com/artists/PearlJam/gear/index.html

    go there, read everything

    also looking at the single flow diagrams...the 2 fender amps are used for his clean sound and the 2 stacks (matchless and marshall) are set on overdrive, so my guess is, yes very little gain
    2003: Uniondale, MSG x2 | 2004: Reading | 2005: Gorge, Vancouver, Philly | 2006: East Rutherford x2, Gorge x2, Camden 1, Hartford | 2008: MSG x2, VA Beach | 2009: Philly x3 | 2010: MSG x2, Bristow | 2011: Alpine Valley x2 | 2012: MIA Philly | 2013: Wrigley, Charlottesville, Brooklyn 2 | 2014: Milan, Amsterdam 1 | 2016: MSG x2, Fenway x2, Wrigley 2 | 2018: Rome, Krakow, Berlin, Wrigley 2 | 2021: Sea Hear Now | 2022: San Diego, LA x2, MSG, Camden, Nashville, St. Louis, Denver | 2023: St. Paul 1, Chicago x2, Fort Worth x2, Austin 2 | 2024: Las Vegas 1, Seattle x2, Indy, MSG x2, Philly x2, Baltimore, Ohana 2
  • cinredzfan47cinredzfan47 Posts: 81
    Much thanks guys!! It has been very helpful.
  • Pacomc79Pacomc79 Posts: 9,404
    the TS-9 likely to kick in some fatness and a little hair. I've heard that someone from Pearl Jam recently sent some stuff from or bought some stuff to Robert Keeley, I wouldn't doubt a TS-9 or 808 was in that mix.

    Essentially he probably uses it as a fat volume boost, sometimes on sometimes not.

    The tone of the Matchless and Marshall JMP toegther should be incredible on it's on, the TS-9 just pushes it over the top.
    My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
  • FNYNKEZFNYNKEZ Posts: 75
    WIth my Marshall I use the clean with 3/4 gain, and a TS-9 over top of it. It comes pretty close.
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  • MissYouAllDayMissYouAllDay Posts: 939
    I have never given much thought to my gain volume. Well sometimes on the second channel I turn it up all the way to create some fun distortion. It pretty much stays at 50% all the time.

    Is that odd?
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