Fogerty

beefandbones · Post by **beefandbones** » Fri Apr 16, 2004 12:30 pm

So I was reading John Fogerty's comments about optimizing the rickenbacker rhythm sound by playing through 15" inch speakers. I've always admired the CCR rhythm sound - nothing finer! Anybody tried this? What do you think?

I've love my tech21 trademark 10, but it's got a wee 8" speaker and I'm thinking of getting another larger playmate for my mapleglo 330.Thanks!

Ethan

milo · Post by **milo** » Sat Apr 17, 2004 8:39 am

Hi Ethan,
I'll have to try one of my Ricks through my Dual Showman Reverb and the 1x15 that I have for it. I have put my G&L Asat's through it and I was pretty impressed, although I just take my Reverend Hellhound or Blackface Vibrolux Reverb when I play out. It does add quite a bit of fullness to the rhythm sound.

I haven't played a Tech21 but I've heard some rave reviews. You may want to check out Weber speakers at www.webervst.com for a possible replacement. They have an Alnico 8" that runs about $65 that made my Fender Vibro Champ sound like it had a 10" in it. They also have a Signature series 8" speaker that runs around $25 and is still a big improvement over the majority of 8" speakers that are being used out there, although I have no experience with the Tech21.

gt40graham · Post by **gt40graham** » Mon Apr 26, 2004 5:16 am

I'm not well up on CCR. What Ric(s) did Fogerty play?

Pardon my ignorance!

rickwatt · Post by **rickwatt** » Thu Apr 29, 2004 8:15 am

His "ACME" guitar was his main CCR Rick. I believe it's a '68-'69 325 Fire-glo, with f-hole and Bigsby.

dr_evil · Post by **dr_evil** » Sun Jul 18, 2004 9:48 am

They should do the John Fogerty signature RIC, 325 FG with Bigsby and humbucking RIC pickup in bridge position. Listenend to the old CCR records recently, tremendous sound and extraordinary playing all over. But you knew that!

rnm97345 · Post by **rnm97345** » Thu Oct 21, 2004 4:37 pm

Does anyone know what happened to his 'Acme' Ric? I believe it is in the Hard Rock Cafe in Chicago, unless that was a copy I saw.....and...why did he call it 'Acme?'

ibmindless · Post by **ibmindless** » Thu Oct 21, 2004 7:41 pm

This site says John and his brother, Tom played Rics:

http://personal.nbnet.nb.ca/mccorp/framespage.html

John Fogerty 325 FG 1997 SPC FG

Tom Fogerty 360 FG

And here's a picture of John with his Ric:

http://personal.nbnet.nb.ca/mccorp/fogerty2.html

ibmindless · Post by **ibmindless** » Thu Oct 21, 2004 7:46 pm

Oh, and here's more pics of John & his Ric:

http://personal.nbnet.nb.ca/mccorp/fogerty.html

Here's John's comments on Rics in an interview:

Daniel Levitin: "In many of the Creedence recordings you layered a lot of guitars. As a producer, how do you layer so many guitars without it sounding muddy, without them smearing together? The Creedence records have this quality that you can follow any part through the song and it doesn't get lost in the other parts."

John Fogerty: "That is arranging. That's exactly what that is - knowing the qualities of a Rickenbacker guitar and how it will mix with other guitars. Also, knowing your equipment. Like a Rickenbacker guitar sounds best through two fifteen-inch speakers if you're using it for rhythm. The 10" speaker or 12" is much more focussed, that's why all the lead players like them so much, for playing single note stuff. Then if you're going to have an acoustic rhythm over that - let's take "Green River" for example, and that's me playing pretty much all the acoustic guitars on Creedence. I think the only time Tom ever played acoustic was on 'Bootleg" because we did that live, and then I just overdubbed the same part on acoustic, with me doubling Tom."

Daniel J. Levitin © 1998

360dave660 · Post by **360dave660** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 5:55 am

Ethan,

I have a T-10 and like it with the Ric. I finally got a tube amp as well. I chose a peavey delta blues 2x10 which I like a lot. It was suggested to me by my local shop in France, and who happens also to do the back line and repairs on the equipment of different French recording "stars" like Jean-Louis Auber of Telephone or a guy named Bashung - whatever. You can get voxy sounds out of them, and according to the dealer, he found the voxes quite problematic. Many though are allergic to peavey because it is not a boutique amp, but, I have found a lot of bang for the buck.

hold on to the tech 21 anyway ; they are always super handy to have.

good luck

soundmasterg · Post by **soundmasterg** » Sat Oct 23, 2004 10:41 pm

Ethan, where were you reading that info on CCR and Fogerty? I'd like to see that myself.

beefandbones · Post by **beefandbones** » Mon Oct 25, 2004 11:05 am

It wasn't really a complete article, just a sentence. Mark reprinted it above.

rick481 · Post by **rick481** » Sun Oct 31, 2004 11:27 pm

My first post after many years of lurking!

There is a great reprint of an interview with John Fogerty at http://www.creedence-online.net/forum/index.php?action=vthread&forum=5&topic=15

In it, he mentions that he now plays a 375 with a Bigsby. On the Premonition DVD he uses what looks to be a 1997 or 1998 with a Bigsby for "Susie Q" and "I Put a Spell on You". I love the scratchy sound he gets from these guitars, even though it bears no resemblance to the jangle.

qmoder · Post by **qmoder** » Fri Nov 19, 2004 4:34 pm

In my opinion some of the credit for the Forgerty CCR sound is due to the Kustom amps he used and they used not just the fifteen inch speakers themselves. They have a rare tone almost like having reverb when its not on. I have five of those old buggers.
I used to use a couple of the 2x15 Kustom cabs with my 66 Bassman head for guitar and bass in the past. Now I have them set up for bass, rymthm guitar, and even one for keyboards into a 131 tall boy Leslie.
My set up for jams at my house for lead guitar lately have been my Ric thru my Deluxe reverb and Pro Jr..
My buddy who plays rymthm just has just been leaving his amps at home and using his 335 into one of the Kustom 200 heads into one of the Kustom 2x15 cabs. It was the best rymthm sound he ever got in his life. He and the drummer and bass player were equally impressed by his rymthm tones.
He never brings either one of his Fender amps anymore. He has a silverface Bandmaster and Ultimate chorus. His cab for the Bandmaster is one of the later gaint 2x15 Bassman cabs not the small 2x12 ones like I use with my old Bassman. So its not just the fifteens alone that are the secret of the Forgerty CCR sound.
Kustoms also use germanium transistors that the older better sounding foot pedals use. At higher volumes these amps take on tube amp like characteristics.
Since all of the early CCR stuff was recorded with those old amps it had to have effected his recorded and live tones.
There is even what is commonly referred to as a Forgerty head. The only difference in it from other Kustom 200 heads is that it had what Kustom referred to as a harmonic clipper. Its sort of a built in fuzz tone. I'm sure that did'nt play much of a role in the rymthm sound though.

soundmasterg · Post by **soundmasterg** » Fri Nov 19, 2004 5:30 pm

I've always liked those Kustom amps, and agree they played a huge part in CCR's sound. I've never been able to find any myself, but would get one if I came across it.

adam_swapp · Post by **adam_swapp** » Fri Nov 19, 2004 5:57 pm

I've got one of those mondo 2-piece Kustom amps. Blue sparkle tuck and roll, 2x15", what a beast. Bought it in 1980 for about $100. I used to gig with it, but no more; it's just too freaking big. I haven't played through it in years.