Peter Buck's Alternate Stringing

[electrofaro]

Does anyone know the title of the new album?

Yes: Collapse into Now - not named after a song title as far as we know now!

[Sweden]

I always thought I heard more of a slow phaser sound on some of the early-mid 80s REM guitar tracks. It doesn't quite sound right using a chorus to me.

Seems reasonable. The UE-400 multi effect hs used (and uses) has both a "chorus/flanger" and a phaser.

Thanks to Dewitt (and John Hall) for providing the information. As has been indicated above I think Dewitt's answer relates to CT/Murmur/Reckoning rather than Fables. If someone could get hold of Joe Boyd we might be able to get Fables specific information.

/David

[electrofaro]

Some Rick content... plus Peter's LP? Has it resurfaced?

[Folkie]

Thanks, Werner, sounds promising!

[analogpackrat]

Cool! Sounds like a slightly more polished sound than Accelerate, but not too overdone. I see a new 620 in there, too. Anyone else notice the bent tuner on Mike's P-bass at around 1:15? Ouch!

[electrofaro]

Isn't the JG 12-string an old one? I thought Peter owned a newer 6-string MID 620?



To me it's like New Adventures in Hi-Fi mixed with Up.
What I've heard so far I love! I'm more excited now than in Dublin in 2007!

[firstbassman]

Holy cow! That was too cool. Great playing.

[kingblud]

Cool thread and good info. I'm interested in the idea mentioned of Buck playing "rolled chords", anyone have any video examples of this?

[fluffy]

there are several song samples to enjoy on their site

[indianation65]

Mr. Bassman,
It's great to hear those 80s progressions. I've battled internally my whole adult life as to my favorite REM album, "Reckoning" vs. "Reconstruction." Every time I question myself the result is that if I was forced, and had to choose, "Reconstruction" gets it. "Reconstruction of the Fables" or "Fables of the Reconstruction" was another topic with my college buddies. Regardless, GGtRGrow and REM music is without question, my favorite "road" music. I listen to it every time I travel I35 near Turner Falls in Oklahoma...good stuff. Oh, Big Country is also good road music...it's makes me "feel" the vastness of the US!

Addendum: Nice Gibson 135 as well, or is it a 137?

...wisdom

[Folkie]

I'd have to agree with you, Joe. I think "Fables" was R.E.M.'s purest folk rock record and their finest moment. As one critic in "Stereo Review" put it, the album is "simultaneously up to date and as old as the hills." It has that quintessential Rickenbacker 12-string sound written all over it.

[s4001]

I'd have to agree with you, Joe. I think "Fables" was R.E.M.'s purest folk rock record and their finest moment. As one critic in "Stereo Review" put it, the album is "simultaneously up to date and as old as the hills." It has that quintessential Rickenbacker 12-string sound written all over it.

Definitely. That's where they peaked for me.

[Kilaen]

Isn't the JG 12-string an old one? I thought Peter owned a newer 6-string MID 620?

I don't know about a MID 620, but here he is playing a MID 660/12...

[electrofaro]

Isn't the JG 12-string an old one? I thought Peter owned a newer 6-string MID 620?

I don't know about a MID 620, but here he is playing a MID 660/12...

That must be it - I'm getting old, remembering it as a 620

[blue330]

As I recall, 7 Chinese Brothers is mostly Peter's Rickenbacker 360 6 string, with what sounds like a clean amp sound (I don't remember what amp it was- Peter's Fender Twin was back in action, so probably that one, most likely picked up by an EV 635 mic, thence to the MCI 600 console)- then there's that fuzzy 6 string line which introduces the chorus- pretty sure that's the same 6-string through a Rockman. The 12-string is my Fender Electric XII, also through the Rockman, probably on the fabulous "clean 2" setting! I never had a Stratocaster XII, in fact I'm not sure those even existed then. The Electric XII is the one that has a Jazzmaster body and what is usually called the "hockey stick" head. And you can see it in DeWiit's photo! My dad got me that guitar when I was 13.
We were sort of Rockman mad on Reckoning! That thing gave us a bunch more useful sounds for Peter's style, and the slightly unreal quality of it was cool. The sort of "ultimate direct box" top end and built-in compression was great on the 12 string. I wouldn't be surprised if there wasn't as much "fake" stuff as amps used for the guitar sounds on all the tracks on that record.