Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I've been listening to some George Harrison solo work and I love that sad tone he gets out of his guitar (at least it sounds sad to me). The lead part in "My Sweet Lord" is a good example...I also like the tone in "Blow Away", "Cheer Down", "Life Itself", "Cloud 9" and "Poor Little Girl". I also hear that kind of tone in the solo of Julian Lennon's "Saltwater" and a few tracks on "Photograph Smile". What did they use to get that tone? Any suggested effects?

Thanks,
Me

Do you mean George's trademark double tracked slide playing?
If it is...this tone is made using (usually) Geroges psychedellic strat "Rocky". He has the strings up off the fretboard for slide work.
The recordings are double tracked. Sometimes in harmony to give a thicker tone. Some compression and light reverb can fatten up the tone. Also try some long echo (delay) settings. This usually gives a "sad" feeling.

Hi all, not trying to be funny here, the last post gave the "tech" answer to the original ?, i feel i can add something by saying that the sound also comes from within, (heart) maybe ?

The sound definitely comes from within, and also
all those minor chords George uses add to that
great 'sad' tone.

Sure it comes from within. Thats the artistic nature of the musician. I mean, you can get a strat and a chorus pedal but who can sound like David Gilmour BUT Gilmour?

However, look at the question asked...."What did they use... any suggested effects..?"
If I had answered "its in his fingers". That gives no help at all.
Not to get all defensive and such, but I was just answering the question with usefull info...though I probably should have mentioned the "inner sound" too!

Who said that, "If I play a Strat, it sounds like a Strat. If Eddie Van Halen plays a Strat, it sounds like Eddie Van Halen."
The tone is in your hand, not in your guitar.

It's kind of academic, but... of course that's why so many of us had to have a 4001, or a 12 string, AC30, etc. cause our heroes did. I'll leave my favourite comments on the issue to Rick Neilsen (of Cheap Trick) "I can make any guitar sound ******" and an ancient Hungarian proverb "'Tis not the glittering weapon that wins the battle, but the warrior's heart"

I'll leave my favourite comments on the issue to Rick Neilsen (of Cheap Trick) "I can make any guitar sound ******" and an ancient Hungarian proverb "'Tis not the glittering weapon that wins the battle, but the warrior's heart"

Ill drink to that.Little Phil ( where are you now you genius?) my old lead guitarist could coax the sweetest sound from $10 suzuki acoustic while in my hands its sound like alfoil being crumpled in a cardboard .

While I do agree that tone is partially in the fingers, not all of it is. You try and get a good Black Sabbath tone with a single coil strat. Or Brian May tone without a treble booster and a AC30. Yes, I agree style and fingering has a lot to do with it...I've said it many times on other forums (kind of the reverse of what Peter said above) You could play through Eddie Van Halens equipment, but you still won't sound like Eddie Van Halen. You'll sound like you playing through Eddie Van Halens equipment. I still believe equipment does help.

When I went to see Loggins and Messina play in the 1970's I was surprised to see Jim playing a Gibson ES 335 part of the time .Jim was known for his Tele playing .

It did not matter ,as the way he plays ....he still got the same sound from the ES -335 .

I have tried it ....I can't get that sound from a stock ES-335.His was .Nothing trick about Jim .

Fingers really have a lot to do with it .

Example 2-Jeff Beck .....just go see him .Awsome tones and chops .....how do you get what he gets out a guitar ?

Fingers!