Used Gear Discovery's and guitar playing/recording

Visit guitarist Denis Taaffe's Official Website at http://www.dtguitar.com

Alamo Tube Amp – sweet 70’s tube tone

Well, it was Saturday and I needed to get an instrument cable and thought I would go to a local music store to get one. They also happened to have some amps I was curious about. After seeing the strange Yamaha amp, I recall that they had something similar, a Sunn ½ stack that quite old. Well, While I was there I looked at there fine assortment of amp. Yes, they had a lot of Fender amps, truth be known I am not that big a fender amp fan , but can appreciate their amps none the less. They had a 60’s fender bassman with 2x15” cabinet. Geez,I would hate to lug around a thing like that. The cabinet was about 5 ft tall and the amp head about another foot. So, I browsed and came across this crappy looking ancient tube amp, it said early 70’s on the tag, it had maybe 2 knobs per ch and looked like it came out ofr a sears or radio shack early seventies catalog. The tube amp was a brand I had not heard of. An Alamo tube amp. The tubes were exposed and the speakers were quite old looking, they looked like old jensen’s, but were not. Still it was a tube amp and just for fun, I though I would try it out.A salesman was interested to try it too. IT had 2 12” speakers, yet was small and light.

I expected a tinny clean sound which was weak. However, I was wrong; instead this amp produced some really amazing clean tones. Just a direct sound, super clean and warm!! I mean I loved that sound. It had 2 ch’s, one with vibrato, the other was just clean. It was a solid sound, no crackling or anything, just a great tube sound. WOW!! ,then we tried the vibrato circuit, just as amazing, there was a directness to it that I have not heard in other amps.

Well, I was sold on it, then the salesman brought out an older Alamo combo amp, it looked a little similar but it was white. Same simple layout and very light, maybe from the sixties or early 70’s to, but this amp sounded even better or at least different and had a screaming lead ch. Hmm, it was tonal bliss!! Both amps had more of a marshal clean then a fender clean and I hate to say a Marshall, because the clean sound was better than that, just a directness and warmth.

I asked how much for the white one and sadly one of the salesmen who worked there had already purchased it on layaway, well he had good taste and I would have jumped on it otherwise. In fact, he did give me a great price to consider on the other one, about $275.00. Geez, I was so tempted, but have learned not to buy guitar gear on impulse. If I did, I would probably have bought ½ the store hahaa.

Also, this leads down a dangerous road, vintage amps aren’t cheap and starting a collection of them is sure to ruin someone financially. However, I have come to really appreciate the “vintage” tube amp, especially uncommon brands, as I said I have never really been a fender amp fan and the marshal clean sound leaves something to be desired.

Yes, The Alamo combo amp would be a joy to use in the studio, it’s just so clean and direct and warm sounding, the recordings would just be ideal. My mind was racing a bit and I was already thinking about how to incorporate it into my studio guitar setup ahaha. However, I came back to my senses.

Well, I prudently told him I would think about it and who knows maybe I will go back there and buy it. I would love to have that “Alamo” amp, I guess they were (are?) a small amp company in texas . I would have never guessed that such an old amp from the 70’s would sound so very good. I was expecting a cheap crud sound, but I was blown away. Well, we will see!!

So in three days, I have seen 2 amps and a mixing console I would lik to purchase, the Yamaha ½ stack for $127+75 s/h=about $200, the Alamo tube combo amp for $275+7% sales tax=about $300 and the behringer mx9000 console for another $500. So that is about $1000.00 , wow!! In three days. While I have a passion for music gear of all kinds, if you are not careful, you really can ruin yourself financially.

I guess one must think logically and practically on such things. How much would you use it. Do you need it?? Would it make a difference to your sound? And most importantly can you afford it? Well, for now I settled for the $17.00 instrument cable I bought;It’s a nice one, it’s a ten foot Fender Vintage voltage cable (see photo) mine is like the last one (on the right) in the photo...fancy heh?... I like those, I had one in the past but it broke and got stepped on. As it turns out it like the Fender California cables, I can send them in and get replacements supposedly. So I should do that.

Well, I would hate to guess what my amp and guitar collection would be like if money was not a problem haah; I am sure it would be obscenely huge. On the other hand there are very few amps that impressed me like that little Alamo. Jut a very cool little amp. So maybe I might get it. The other stuff, well, Do I really need it? No…but maybe…Well, ok no,. I just got my Mackie board, but wow 2 consoles would be nice….haha..

Anyway, financial struggles for music gear and making CD’s has always been a problem, over the years I learned to be more prudent and to really get the most out of the gear I do have. In fact,I am quite pleased that If something worked for me, I stuck with it. For example, my Roland digital recorders are quite ld, yet they work great for me and I never had a need for or envy for some of the new models which cost a lot. I am kind of like that with guitars, I only have a few and I play them for years and years and years. My last one lasted 20 years or so and hopefully after I get the new bridge it needs it may last 20 years more. So lesson learned, there is always something you run into music gear wise that at the moment you seem not to be able to live without, but the next day it may be something else. Well, for the little Alamo amp, I will think about it and maybe if I really still would like it and have a need for it, I may just get it, but then again………

Improvement In my playing

I played and recorded most of today and noticed that I have been improving in one specific area. Before this, it was in my composition and lately though it has been in my guitar soloing and melody. I guess I have been working on this for a long time.

I used to be blazing fast but sloppy as can be in my soloing, I mean it sounded fast, but you couldn’t hear all the notes clearly. So , for the longest time I really slowed down and took the time to make sure each note was clear. Well, this taught me a lot about phrasing and also using silence and economy of notes to solo as well as melody.

Now though, my technique has improved greatly and even on fast passages each note is clear and round sounding which is what I had been striving for.

Also, I have been working on arpeggios for quite some time too, maybe sixth month’s, I don’t mean sweep arpeggios,but just standard arpeggios and it really ha affected my solo’s, just a really melodic sound and before I use to play arpeggios like you would her most guitarists play (shred guitar, neo classical ,instrumentals stuff), but hen I changed and went back to basics as I did not like the standard sound of sweeped arpeggios, instead it very much sounds like classical arpeggios. Using the neck pickup it just gives you a really neat sound.

I was very slow while playing the arpeggios to get each note to sound clearly with that hollow tone that makes them sound so good. But, lately, I have increased the speed of them when needed and to my surprise the sloppy playing is gone. I guess the lesson to learn here is to incorporate something new into your soling ,even if very difficult or complex, is to start out slow and make sure you can play it cleanly first before you play it at full speed in your solo’s. I recall that I used to frantically play some arpeggios and would miss a few notes or it was just not clear sounding well, using this new approach yielded much better results.

Improvement In my Recordings

Also, I don’t if it’s my Mackie board, but my recordings keep sounding better and better. I think it partly has to do with that, but also just playing and recording. Help too as over time you hear what you need to work on. Anyway, I just love this stuff!!! It’s a great hobby!! For those brief moments when playing and recording, your creativity really comes alive!! I am listening back to the recordings of today. Very nice! Good mix and the guitars are good. Its different than my previous recordings. Can’t explain how, just the approach I guess.

Improvement in my playing and recordings

In any case, I am just pleased that my solo playing is getting to be pleasure to listen too. What mean by this is that ,for many years, my soloing was about sqweals and running scales and things, but musically it was not pleasant to listen too. I think this is changing. I have give credit to Eric john son and joe satriani as Eric Johnson just has a great tone and his soling is really smooth and musical and joe satriani’s is melodic and every note is heard clearly. Funny though, it is when I try to play like them rather than myself that I mess up playing wise. But they certainly influenced and inspired me to have my soloing be pleasant to listen to and have each note be really clear. Still working on it and will be for years to be sure!! Haha

A tip: Find a good Balance

Also, just a small note of caution, while it may seem that my life revolves around guitar and recording and gear, I also realize that it is a really good thing to get away from it for a while too. For me it’s working a day job all week and watching a movie, working on computer stuff, movie scripts and writing and films too. I suppose this balance has kept the guitar music and recording fresh and fun for me for having played about 32 years or so on and off…….Ok till next time

Oh yeah, I still haven’t rearranged my studio, too busy using it aah