My Back Pages

[bowser2533]

The tone on Rogers Rick sounds a lot different on this tune than it did on the previous recordings from the first 3 albums. It almost sounds to me like he is using a VOX amp on these sessions with a lot of MRB. I believe the old ac30 and 15 had this feature. I believe it was called mid range boost or MRB. And other ideas out there about Rogers tone on this incredible record. Gary

[8mileshigher]

Was it possibly because Roger had the "Byrd" wired 370-12 by the time of "Younger Than Yesterday" compared to playing a standard 360-12 on MTM ? ? Only a guess on my part .

[kvalois]

Yes. I agree. Roger's Rick DOES sound different on "My Back Pages" and that same sound doesn't appear elsewhere-- in my opinion-- on the "Younger Than Yesterday" LP.

I don't know if he used a Vox. My RM 370-12, when played through a Vox AC-15, sounds nothing like it!!!

And, my favorite time period for Roger's 12-string Rick sound is the" Mr. Tambourine Man" LP. I still love the airy, trebly chimes. The intro to "Mr. Tambourine Man" is, of course, classic. And, just listen to the intro to "Don't Doubt Yourself, Babe." On this last song, in particular, it is way different than anything on the "Turn, turn, turn" LP.

Maybe Steve Lasko might know what caused the differences in sound over the first few years.

[jimk]

One question that hasn't been asked is: How much influence did Terry Melcher, the producer on "Mr. Tambourine Man," or Allen Stanton producer on "Eight Miles High" have in Roger's sound?
JimK

[8mileshigher]

One question that hasn't been asked is: How much influence did Terry Melcher, the producer on "Mr. Tambourine Man," or Allen Stanton producer on "Eight Miles High" have in Roger's sound?
JimK

That's a good point, Jim K, as well as what studio compressor(s) and other tone shaping equipment being utilized, in the different studios, by these different producers.

[Zurdo]

having played a 370-12 since 1967, I am convinced the sound in "My Back Pages" is the front (Bass) pickup by itself without any compression or Tone, i.e., unprocessed; My 370-12 sounds exactly like that. Also I've been using Thomas Organ Vox amps since 1966, back then it was a Royal Guardsman. But whether they were using a Vox amp, that is another story, at least during Live performances I saw of The Byrds in 1967, they were using Fender Showman amps.

the sound in "My Back Pages" is the same pickup sound used in "So You Wanna Be a Rock 'N Roll Star".

in my opinion, the sound used in the album "My Back Pages" is the exact opposite of the first two albums where the rear (Treble) pickup was used almost exclusively, with a few exceptions like "All I Really Want To Do" where both pickups were used.

The front pickup sound was also used in "Notorious Byrd Brothers" in songs like "Change is Now".

The 3 pickups sound was used in "Mr. Spaceman" and particularly in the song "What's Happening". It is the most delicious sound I ever heard from an electric guitar.