Back From Rio Sound

[jimk]

I was just wondering if anyone has tried to duplicate Roger's ultra compressed sound he got on Back From Rio. I'm thinking of three specific cuts, "King of the Hill," "Someone to Love," and "The Time Has Come." I got close once, and now I can't remember my settings! Of course like an idiot, I didn't write them down. Here's my set-up:
Vox AC15C1-->Jangle Box1(black box) bright setting-->Rick 360 12 string neck pickup
MusicMan 110 RD-Fifty-->Jangle Box2 (Jangle boost on as needed, bass & treble settings forgotten)-->Rick 360 12 string bridge pickup. (Yes, I'm running ROS.)

I have some time between lessons tomorrow, so I'll have time to experiment. I just wondered what anyone else might be trying.
JimK

[weemac]

I believe Roger was using a Roland JC-120 at the time but could be mistaken..

Eden.

[fatcat]

It's was easy for me to nail, 370-12RM with Pyramid' strings on it,way back then.
Next time I get a moment, I'll see if I can still get the sound with the current Ernie Ball strings it's wearing.

[jimk]

I believe Roger was using a Roland JC-120 at the time but could be mistaken..

Eden.

I think you're right. The recording was made circa 1991 I believe.
JimK

[jdogric12]

http://beatbyrd.com/team_projects
(You Bowed Down)

How'd I do?

[jimk]

Pretty good for the most part. I would have used a little more treble on the 12 string. And that's the only suggestion I could make.
JimK

[jdogric12]

Agreed. I actually listened to it for the first time since doing it before I posted the link. I would definitely do it differently.

Since that recording, I've started running the Rick 12 and Janglebox through either a dbx rack compressor and/or a Focusrite Trakmaster preamp, which has a built-in compressor as well. You can hear the difference on "Potomac Ave" and "Wheaton" on Volume 3 here: www.metrosongs.org
I think the high end is still getting covered up by the drum machine cymbal noises, but since then I've started using multiband compression for mastering, so this may be alleviated on my forthcoming recordings (about to start a whole new batch in the next month).

[beatbyrd]

http://beatbyrd.com/team_projects
(You Bowed Down)

How'd I do?

I thought that you did GREAT!!!!

Jason and I have been PM'ing back and forth today. Look for another JDog/beatbyrd collaboration sometime later this year. Tom

[jdogric12]

http://beatbyrd.com/team_projects
(You Bowed Down)

How'd I do?

I thought that you did GREAT!!!!

Jason and I have been PM'ing back and forth today. Look for another JDog/beatbyrd collaboration sometime later this year. Tom

[jimk]

Looking forward to hearing that.
JimK

[kvalois]

Hi, all:

Do the Pyramid strings really make a difference in sound?

[jdogric12]

Yes, as well as your truss rods! Not really recommended on this forum. TI flats are widely preferred.

[fatcat]

Hi, all:

Do the Pyramid strings really make a difference in sound?

Yes.Or TI flats.Or the flatwound of your choice.
When you compress and treble boost a 12 string, it works out better if you start with a duller sounding string.EG flats.
The earlier Rics with the hotter wound toasters were worse for that;the scatterwound pups are better sounding.
It's possible that the higher tension strings contributed to the R tailpiece breaking in my 370-12 RM.
I've found a set of round wounds that work well with jangle enhancers,and aren't so high in tension as the Pyramids were.
So, the RM and the 660-12 are both happy.

[8mileshigher]

Look for another JDog/beatbyrd collaboration sometime later this year.

Looking forward to hearing some more of these collaborative efforts

[donnellbw]

This "Rio" sound is to me THE most signiture 12 string sound. I have a 1991 360 12 with the 'hotter' 12K pickups. Somehow having tried all 3 versions of the JBOX through a 50 watt tube combo (Crate Club combo) I never got the right sound.

However I recently tried the guitar through a VOX AC50CP, that hybrid one with tube channel 1 and digital channel 2 (which is frankly awful). In channel one with the GAIN at about 1:30, TREBLE at 5 o'clock, MID at 2, BASS at 4 and the TONE CUT at 12 o'clock, with the guitars volume and tone controls wide open, except for the TREBLE and small knob facing straight up (towards me) I get the closest thing to "RIO" I have heard yet on the treble pickup.

NOTE: a key to this is going through a BOSS ENHANCER EH-2 with the first 2 knobs at zero and the 3rd on full up. You have no idea how this no longer made (find one on EBAY) box "takes the blanket off your amp" and pulls out the crisp usually missing. There is something about the VOX circuit in that slightly dirty gain range that sparkles out the RIC The only way I can describe the sound (Roger's sound) is a nicely "soaked" 'shizzling' drone. The VOX has that 'about to break up, but not quite' hang time down to a science - play lightly and get "RIO", dig in and it WILL 'just' distort, so it is a very fine line to remember. I use the Crate for natural overdrive on full gain which sounds just like the lead parts in King of the Hill, but chords are too dirty.

The VOX and BOSS do both, crackling chords and just a little drone on the lead notes. Your mileage may vary, but I have been after that tone for some time, and now have it in spades, despite the VOX's completely useless channel 2. By the way, the ENHANCER does not diminish or color your orginal sound like an effect AT ALL. You just 'hear' what your fingrs are doing so much better!