[scott v]

I didn't see a thread on this but anyways maybe this is a test by Chris L. to all of us for us to take notice (or not) but I did!

Gearography update with a huge amount of insane insight of most of the guitars the band has used going back to 1981:

http://www.sonicyouth.com/mustang/eq/2010update.html

Geesh this is quite awesome work Chris!

trying to wrap my head around those pedals from circa '88 that Lee uses but this is kinda already sorta mentioned and obviously known, he's got a Boss distortion DS-1 (was this pedal around in '88?) and ironically i've seen photos on flickr of him using this pedal again for solo shows (& duos with Steve) in Europe. the odd and rare Fender double pedal Delay (looper???) I ironically came across seeing an auction for one of these on eBay very recently (should see if the pics are still around), Morley wah and some other Boss or DOD pedal...

btw, from those video stills of titanium expose i think that is one of the many knock-off Jax fuzz/wahs, my friend i think has the same exact fuzz/wah and i forget the make, though the story on these just like many knock off japanese branded guitars from the 60's/70's is that there is usually one maker that sells to distributers that in turn put their own brands on them... so the same looking guitar/pedal can have several branded names.

[hevusa]

Thanks to Chris... the biggest OCD SY fan.

[Adolfo]

Shit! This is massive. Thanks Chris

[eternal]

thanks for the AWESOME update (and whole site for that matter)

just so ya know, i visit the gear and TAB sites almost daily for my SY guitar jamminn, big fan of it...i dont think theres as comprehensive of a database like this for many bands so i send my gratitude for all yr work!

[jennthebenn]

If he properly worshiped A Thousand Leaves, Chris would be the perfect SY
fan.

"To me all amps look the same"...such blatant ampism.

[ymjon]

Originally Posted by jennthebenn

If he properly worshiped A Thousand Leaves, Chris would be the perfect SY
fan.

+1
there can never be enough A Thousand Leaves love

[eternal]

Originally Posted by jennthebenn

"To me all amps look the same"...such blatant ampism.

au contraire, doesn't this suggest equality of all amps? not discrimination?

[ymjon]

Originally Posted by ymjon

+1
there can never be enough A Thousand Leaves love

and speaking of A Thousand Leaves gear, T's signal chain from the pics looks to be

Gtr>>Blue Box>Phase 90>Octave Fuzz>Turbo Rat>Big Muff>Wah/Vol>>Amp

is that right? I would've thought the phase shifter would be after the distortion pedals...

Any chance we could get a basic run down of how he's using the pedals on ATL?

[CHOUT]

Wow, this is a treat for us guitar nerds...Thanks Chris!

(I need a copy of that 87 pukkelpop video...all my sister era vids are dark as hell!)

[scott v]

Originally Posted by ymjon

and speaking of A Thousand Leaves gear, T's signal chain from the pics looks to be

Gtr>>Blue Box>Phase 90>Octave Fuzz>Turbo Rat>Big Muff>Wah/Vol>>Amp

is that right? I would've thought the phase shifter would be after the distortion pedals...

Any chance we could get a basic run down of how he's using the pedals on ATL?

i guess in theory a phaser would go after the distortion but thurston goes against the grain, the mxr phase 90 is sorta strange i have one and also prefer it first in my chain, the effect is enhanced nicely with a distortion/overdrive after it. i also have an electro harmonix small stonephaser which is abit more of a sharper effect and wilder (synth-like) with a fast rate, to me that pedal sounds better after distrtion but i prefer to put that in between my overdrive and fuzz pedals.

[chicka]

I'm amazed that people can even play guitars never mind the pedals too. ;^)

[ymjon]

Originally Posted by scott v

i guess in theory a phaser would go after the distortion but thurston goes against the grain, the mxr phase 90 is sorta strange i have one and also prefer it first in my chain, the effect is enhanced nicely with a distortion/overdrive after it. i also have an electro harmonix small stonephaser which is abit more of a sharper effect and wilder (synth-like) with a fast rate, to me that pedal sounds better after distrtion but i prefer to put that in between my overdrive and fuzz pedals.

Yeah T is definitely in his own world using effects. I have a phase 45 clone and I love to use it with the rate turned all the way up, I'll have to try it before my distortion...

[GeneticKiss]

I think I can lay claim to giving Chris the model name for the Quest (the guitar on the back of Experimental Jet Set, Trash, and No Star)...

Easily my favorite SY guitar.

Now, here would be something interesting: how about some info on their non-guitar gear (the zither used on Inhuman, the Groovebox on Campfire, and didn't they have a synth at one point?)?

[Chris Lawrence]

hey, thanks for all the comments, everybody! my whiny guilt trip prefaces to all of my latest site updates must be working.

Originally Posted by scott v

trying to wrap my head around those pedals from circa '88 that Lee uses but this is kinda already sorta mentioned and obviously known, he's got a Boss distortion DS-1 (was this pedal around in '88?) and ironically i've seen photos on flickr of him using this pedal again for solo shows (& duos with Steve) in Europe. the odd and rare Fender double pedal Delay (looper???) I ironically came across seeing an auction for one of these on eBay very recently (should see if the pics are still around), Morley wah and some other Boss or DOD pedal...

just did some googlin' and i guess it's a Fender DGL-1 (as opposed to DGC-1 per gtr player '89) - definitely what he was using for the 'daydream' era loopin'.

btw, from those video stills of titanium expose i think that is one of the many knock-off Jax fuzz/wahs, my friend i think has the same exact fuzz/wah and i forget the make, though the story on these just like many knock off japanese branded guitars from the 60's/70's is that there is usually one maker that sells to distributers that in turn put their own brands on them... so the same looking guitar/pedal can have several branded names.

yeh, the actual footpedal part of it looked slightly different but the text along the right side seemed to be an exact match (FW-3). please let me know if you find one that looks closer to the model in the pic.

IS that the ludwig phase II in the 'titanium' vid btw?

Originally Posted by jennthebenn

If he properly worshiped A Thousand Leaves, Chris would be the perfect SY
fan.

if they'd properly recorded it, i would. (listen! i love those songs, and have come to accept that most of them sound great on the record, there's just a few huge mistakes that 12 years later i still can not ignore when i compare them to superior live versions from before the album came out, let alone the subsequent perfect tour versions!)

Originally Posted by ymjon

and speaking of A Thousand Leaves gear, T's signal chain from the pics looks to be

Gtr>>Blue Box>Phase 90>Octave Fuzz>Turbo Rat>Big Muff>Wah/Vol>>Amp

is that right? I would've thought the phase shifter would be after the distortion pedals...

Any chance we could get a basic run down of how he's using the pedals on ATL?

sure: "turn phaser on. repeat for every song."

i agree, he has his chain more or less backwards from how i would expect - i have a newer blue box so maybe the old ones were better, but i can NOT use it unless i have another fuzzbox in front of it, it saps the signal beyond belief...

(i was just being a prick up there, but did you have any specific questions about the pedal usage on ATL?)

Originally Posted by GeneticKiss

I think I can lay claim to giving Chris the model name for the Quest (the guitar on the back of Experimental Jet Set, Trash, and No Star)...

Easily my favorite SY guitar.

Now, here would be something interesting: how about some info on their non-guitar gear (the zither used on Inhuman, the Groovebox on Campfire, and didn't they have a synth at one point?)?

yup, thanks for identifying the model for me! like i said, my friend has a Quest bass or i'd never have even known the brand... odd guitar to have as your favorite, i might say!

well there's some info on those auxiliary instruments at the bottom of each member's amp/fx page, if you haven't seen that, but i don't have much info beyond what's listed there... i do wonder at what point he stopped using the zither for 'inhuman', though...

[ymjon]

Originally Posted by Chris Lawrence

sure: "turn phaser on. repeat for every song."

i agree, he has his chain more or less backwards from how i would expect - i have a newer blue box so maybe the old ones were better, but i can NOT use it unless i have another fuzzbox in front of it, it saps the signal beyond belief...

(i was just being a prick up there, but did you have any specific questions about the pedal usage on ATL?)

Yeah, I know lots of phase shifter. I was more wondering how he was using the blue box and the octave fuzz because I don't really hear much -2 or +1 octave tones on it, is he using them for more noisy stuff like the beginning to Wildflower Soul? And also what is his main distortion tone on the album Rat? Muff? Rat+Muff?

if they'd properly recorded it, i would. (listen! i love those songs, and have come to accept that most of them sound great on the record, there's just a few huge mistakes that 12 years later i still can not ignore when i compare them to superior live versions from before the album came out, let alone the subsequent perfect tour versions!)

I'm curious what issues do you have with the album? Do you just like the live versions better? I've downloaded some of the recordings from that era but I haven't given them that much of a listen... Do you have a recommendation for a good live recording?

Thanks

[Chris Lawrence]

Hi there, sorry I never replied, I actually even listened to 'A Thousand Leaves' at work one day and tried to keep track of all the effects usage...

I've been using a Big Muff for so long that I can't even remember what a Rat sounds like. Somebody else might be better off chiming in on which one Thurston seems to prefer using (I'd be curious, myself..).

For "SUNDAY" Lee has his Mutron Bi-Phase very softly applied during the verses, and then a little more prominent at the end (contrast this with the 'Suburbia' version where his Bi-Phase practically commands the entire song). Thurston is more or less clean aside from some crunchy fuzz during the instrumental interlude. I remember when they played this on Letterman and Thurston used no effects it all, it sounded a little weak as Lee was mixed quite low.

For "FEMALE" Kim starts off with some fuzz, I'm assuming the Hot Tubes was her overdrive of choice but again, I'm not the best to spot a Rat. Lee's probably using his Overdrive Electronics Valve Grinder but again, it could be the Tube King. Around 20 seconds in Thurston is doing whammy bar dives with the Octave Fuzz turned on. He kicks the Wah-Vol in around 38 secs... Kim turns her tc electronic phaser on around 1:41, and Lee introduces a light phaser around 1:59. Thurston follows suit with the Phase 90 around the 3 minute mark. Lee starts using his Maestro Ring Mod around 4:50, and adds some delay around 5:10. The rumbling noises during the outro (starting at 6:28) are Thurston turning the Blue Box on.

For "WILDFLOWER" Thurston is doing harmonic dives with the Octave Fuzz turned on during the beginning. Kim is using a homemade fuzzbox as a slide during the intro (she does this on 'Anagrama' as well). Lee has his phaser on during the verse. It sounds like Kim might have her Octave Fuzz on during her solo. Thurston gets Phase 90 happy around 2:30, and Lee and Kim start their phaser action around 5:00. Thurston's showing off the Phase 90 again around 5:45. Around 6:30 or so Thurston starts stepping on the Blue Box, Octave Fuzz, Wah, etc at random intervals. Lee uses his phaser through the last verse.

For "HOARFROST", Lee's overdubbed solo has some kind of wah-like phase going on. Thurston turns his phaser on around 1:56. Lee rocks the phase again around 3:15.

For "FRENCH TICKLER", all of their phasers must have collectively stopped functioning, because this one is mostly just a fuzzfest. Lee uses his ring mod during the "weekend guest" parts (much more prominent on live versions), and Thurston is probably using the Octave Fuzz and/or Blue Box during the same parts. During the big sludgy breakdown I imagine he's probably using the Blue Box too.

For "HITS OF SUNSHINE" Lee gets phasey as the instrumental starts, and so does Kim (I guess she was worried her bass might actually sound like a bass otherwise). Thurston has some reverb around 4:00, which I doubt was courtesy of any of his pedals. He triggers the wah around 5:00. At 6:25 Kim turns some overdrive on.

For "KAREN KOLTRANE", Lee rocks the ring mod @ 1:25, and again at 2:38, and then there's some ring mod heavy overdubs in the right speaker around 2:41. Kim's guitar sounds like it has a light phase throughout. Thurston's using fuzz effects during the heavier 'freak out' bits, and turns his Phase 90 on around 7:11.

For "INEFFABLE ME", Thurston turns his Phase 90 on intermittently throughout the riff (see 0:16 for one). Lee turns his phaser on around 0:48, followed quickly by Thurston with the Octave Fuzz or Muff around 0:49). Thurston does the Phaser again from 1:30 or so, throughout the riff. Lee introduces the ring mod around 2:20. Thurston does sporadic Blue Box/Octave Fuzz tapping during the outro verse, and has them all on during the last bit of the outro. Kim turns her phaser on at the very end.

For "SNARE, GIRL" Thurston and Lee both leave the gate with their phasers on, and Kim activates a slight phase around 5:40.

For "HEATHER ANGEL", Thurston and Lee once again hit the ground running with their phasers phasing. You can hear Thurston pounding his fretboard with a hammer around 2:10. When Kim comes in during this section she is verrry fuzzy. During the outro riff, Thurston periodically steps on the Octave Fuzz or Blue Box.

I'm sure that's not a completely exhaustive list but hopefully it gives you a good idea of how and when they used their effects on this album. The Blue Box is in the spotlight for "Anagrama" as well, at the beginning of the song and a few times over the course of it, for this big explosive G notes Thurston spews forth.

For live versions, any '98 era gig is a safe bet -- the soundboard ones are probably gonna be better. I like the 05/29/98 LA gig though Kim's a little quiet, and I suspect some of those pro-shot German festival gigs from June probably sound pretty hot too.

[ymjon]

Originally Posted by Chris Lawrence

Hi there, sorry I never replied, I actually even listened to 'A Thousand Leaves' at work one day and tried to keep track of all the effects usage...

I've been using a Big Muff for so long that I can't even remember what a Rat sounds like. Somebody else might be better off chiming in on which one Thurston seems to prefer using (I'd be curious, myself..).

For "SUNDAY" Lee has his Mutron Bi-Phase very softly applied during the verses, and then a little more prominent at the end (contrast this with the 'Suburbia' version where his Bi-Phase practically commands the entire song). Thurston is more or less clean aside from some crunchy fuzz during the instrumental interlude. I remember when they played this on Letterman and Thurston used no effects it all, it sounded a little weak as Lee was mixed quite low.

For "FEMALE" Kim starts off with some fuzz, I'm assuming the Hot Tubes was her overdrive of choice but again, I'm not the best to spot a Rat. Lee's probably using his Overdrive Electronics Valve Grinder but again, it could be the Tube King. Around 20 seconds in Thurston is doing whammy bar dives with the Octave Fuzz turned on. He kicks the Wah-Vol in around 38 secs... Kim turns her tc electronic phaser on around 1:41, and Lee introduces a light phaser around 1:59. Thurston follows suit with the Phase 90 around the 3 minute mark. Lee starts using his Maestro Ring Mod around 4:50, and adds some delay around 5:10. The rumbling noises during the outro (starting at 6:28) are Thurston turning the Blue Box on.

For "WILDFLOWER" Thurston is doing harmonic dives with the Octave Fuzz turned on during the beginning. Kim is using a homemade fuzzbox as a slide during the intro (she does this on 'Anagrama' as well). Lee has his phaser on during the verse. It sounds like Kim might have her Octave Fuzz on during her solo. Thurston gets Phase 90 happy around 2:30, and Lee and Kim start their phaser action around 5:00. Thurston's showing off the Phase 90 again around 5:45. Around 6:30 or so Thurston starts stepping on the Blue Box, Octave Fuzz, Wah, etc at random intervals. Lee uses his phaser through the last verse.

For "HOARFROST", Lee's overdubbed solo has some kind of wah-like phase going on. Thurston turns his phaser on around 1:56. Lee rocks the phase again around 3:15.

For "FRENCH TICKLER", all of their phasers must have collectively stopped functioning, because this one is mostly just a fuzzfest. Lee uses his ring mod during the "weekend guest" parts (much more prominent on live versions), and Thurston is probably using the Octave Fuzz and/or Blue Box during the same parts. During the big sludgy breakdown I imagine he's probably using the Blue Box too.

For "HITS OF SUNSHINE" Lee gets phasey as the instrumental starts, and so does Kim (I guess she was worried her bass might actually sound like a bass otherwise). Thurston has some reverb around 4:00, which I doubt was courtesy of any of his pedals. He triggers the wah around 5:00. At 6:25 Kim turns some overdrive on.

For "KAREN KOLTRANE", Lee rocks the ring mod @ 1:25, and again at 2:38, and then there's some ring mod heavy overdubs in the right speaker around 2:41. Kim's guitar sounds like it has a light phase throughout. Thurston's using fuzz effects during the heavier 'freak out' bits, and turns his Phase 90 on around 7:11.

For "INEFFABLE ME", Thurston turns his Phase 90 on intermittently throughout the riff (see 0:16 for one). Lee turns his phaser on around 0:48, followed quickly by Thurston with the Octave Fuzz or Muff around 0:49). Thurston does the Phaser again from 1:30 or so, throughout the riff. Lee introduces the ring mod around 2:20. Thurston does sporadic Blue Box/Octave Fuzz tapping during the outro verse, and has them all on during the last bit of the outro. Kim turns her phaser on at the very end.

For "SNARE, GIRL" Thurston and Lee both leave the gate with their phasers on, and Kim activates a slight phase around 5:40.

For "HEATHER ANGEL", Thurston and Lee once again hit the ground running with their phasers phasing. You can hear Thurston pounding his fretboard with a hammer around 2:10. When Kim comes in during this section she is verrry fuzzy. During the outro riff, Thurston periodically steps on the Octave Fuzz or Blue Box.

I'm sure that's not a completely exhaustive list but hopefully it gives you a good idea of how and when they used their effects on this album. The Blue Box is in the spotlight for "Anagrama" as well, at the beginning of the song and a few times over the course of it, for this big explosive G notes Thurston spews forth.

For live versions, any '98 era gig is a safe bet -- the soundboard ones are probably gonna be better. I like the 05/29/98 LA gig though Kim's a little quiet, and I suspect some of those pro-shot German festival gigs from June probably sound pretty hot too.

This is so awesome, Thanks so much. Will check out those shows as well, thanks.

if they'd properly recorded it, i would. (listen! i love those songs, and have come to accept that most of them sound great on the record, there's just a few huge mistakes that 12 years later i still can not ignore when i compare them to superior live versions from before the album came out, let alone the subsequent perfect tour versions!)

I was still wondering about this, I like the sound of the album but was wondering what you don't like about it.

Thanks again for all this

[krastian]

Great shit, Chris.....many thanks!!