Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Goran: I have enjoyed your version of Man of Mystery and the tone and performance is most convincing and in keeping with your excellent work. On listing to your version I did notice that it sounded like you were playing up the neck for the first version. Examing your tab that would indeed appear to be the case.

While I appreciate that this is your interpretation of the classis, Man of Mystery, I do wonder if you have ever played it in the first position which sounds closer to The Shadows 1960 recording with the thinner sound. By way of example, I would draw your attention to the Alternate Version in the samples below.

Your comments are appreciated.

Goran Version

-12--------------12-----------------------------------------------------------
-15b-------------15b----------------------------------------------------------
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-------0-0-0-0-------0-0-0-0--------------------------------------------------
                                                                      
        
  V         IV           III      II                   I 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------6-5-------6-5-6-5------6-5------5-3-5-3------5-3------3-1-3-1-----------
----5---------4------------3--------2------------2--------2-------------------
--7---------6------------5--------4------------3--------2---------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
               
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--1-0-1-0-1-0-1-0-1-0---------------------------------------------------------
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Alternate Version

-12----------------------12--------------------|-------1--0--------1--0--1----
-15b(17)-----------------15b(17)---------------|----1-----------0-------------
-----------------------------------------------|-2-----------1----------------
-----------------------------------------------|------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------|------------------------------
---------0x--0x--0x--0x----------0x--0x--0x--0x|------------------------------
                                                                              

-0--------1--0--------0-----0-----------0-------------------------------------
-------------------------3-----3-----------3--------3--1--3--1--1--0--1--0----
----0--3-----------2-----------------2-----------2----------------------------
----------------4-----------------3-----------2-------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yes Peter, I'm well aware of the original fingering, which, as on most of the early tunes is in the first position (with the small solos in the 5th or 12th) most likely due to the fact that even 1960 Hank was, relatively speaking, a beginner. And beginners tend to use those positions and also to use A or E as their main keys (lots of open string to use). I am quite certain that Hank would use a fingering more like mine if he'd came into contact with this song at a later time.

As for myself I try to avoid open strings except for the low ones.

Goran

Goran: While avoiding the open strings may give one more control and evenness of tone, in an attempt to maintain the original sound of the early recordings, I kind of like the ringing tone and sustain of open strings. Your point is, as always, taken.

Yes, I'm well aware of that. However, my main concern isn't to reproduce the early sound totally, which has been more or less proven impossible by many players, but to play the right notes with the right timing and ,hopefully, feeling so that most listeners will find it convincing enough, a task not too difficult. Besides, I find it infinitely more difficult to reproduce the burns-era sound where Hank obviously played much higher up the neck, making much better use of the fretboard.

Goran: I quite agree that even using the best of our knowledge of equipment that capturing the early sound of The Shadows has eluded us.

I do not mean to be telling you anything about how to play the Shadows. I do find that by studying the techniques of others such as yourself that I am able to improve my playing of The Shadows songs.

Your videos are a great tutorial and I have gained much knowledge and satisfaction from their placement in this Forum.

goran wrote:I find it infinitely more difficult to reproduce the burns-era sound where Hank obviously played much higher up the neck, making much better use of the fretboard.

Maybe you find this more difficult, because you are not using a Burns guitar ...

Hello Markus. The Burns Marvin is a very difficult instrument to find in my neck of the woods. I would love to try one.

Hi Marcus, wrong thread, I believe.....

Anyhow,seriously, I have played Burns and I'd say the sound of the guitar itself is not that far from a strat ( it actually is sort of a strat-clone.......). The Burns era sound is probably more of a combination of the AC30TB sound and some studio wizardry - The Shadows have never even been close to this sound live, nor has anyone else I believe.

Goran

P.S
Peter: I have done the Fender Bender video and will process it for publishing during the weekend.

SOrry, it WAS the right thread, I got mixed up after having fought mu way through Fender Bender..........

goran wrote:I got mixed up after having fought mu way through Fender Bender..........

Mixed up? Maybe it was a Fender Blender?

Obviously, some kind of blender or mixer rather, will be used this Saturday evening when drinks will be prepared (necessary to put up with the songs competing in the Swedish finals of the European Song Contest..................... )

goran wrote:Obviously, some kind of blender or mixer rather, will be used this Saturday evening when drinks will be prepared (necessary to put up with the songs competing in the Swedish finals of the European Song Contest..................... )

Best of luck in the competition, Goran.


Or are you one of the judges in the contest?

Being a Swedish resident with a phone, I guess I'm one of the potentially 9 million judges

Ahhhhh.... one of those kinds of contests. I got'cha now.

admin wrote:Hello Markus. The Burns Marvin is a very difficult instrument to find in my neck of the woods. I would love to try one.

One possibility would be to buy one on ebay and if you do not like it, sell it again. There are one or two dealers in Britain who regularily offer Burns guitars.

Recently I have bought a Burns Marquee just to compare it to my Marvin. Though I am very impressed by the quality of this low cost instrument, I will sell it again soon.

@Goran:
I think we discussed this before. I do not think that the Burns Marvin is only a Strat copy. And if it is, it is at least an improved copy. I love this guitar - it sounds great, it is very comforable to play and it has this special unique vibrato that gives you a very different feel compared to a Fender Strat.