We are back this week with Steve Carr talking about the new Raleigh as well as the tried and true Mercury. Also, take a listen as Steve talks about the design and evolution of the Raleigh and takes us on a tour of the rig he plays on stage.
To find out more about Carr amps please visit their website:http://www.carramps.com/
In this episode Steve picks up right where we left off. I had just asked him about his early beginnings as a builder. Not only does he answer that question he talks about the Mercury’s nursery test and the esthetics that are unique to Carr Amplifiers. Check back for more episodes in our continuing conversation with Steve Carr.
To find out more about Carr amps please visit their website:http://www.carramps.com/
We had a chance to meet up with Steve Carr of Carr Amps at NAMM 2009. Due to a technical difficulty, more likely human error that I will take responsibility for, we lost the interview. However, from the ashes rises the phoenix. Steve was kind of enough to touch base over the phone and I am glad we did. Take a listen as Steve talks about his background as a player and his early inspirations in tone as we answer the pressing question…..What is Barron Von Rumblebuss? This is the first episode of a multi-part series and concludes with the opening question about Steve’s background as a builder. We will pick up next week where this week’s episode left off.
To find out more about Carr amps please visit their website:http://www.carramps.com/
Welcome to NAMM 09! Have you ever wondered what Peter Stroud is doing while waiting to take the stage with Sheryl Crow? The same thing the rest of us guitar playing gear nerds are doing. He is swapping tubes and making circuit adjustments on the amps that he, Dan Boul, and the great staff at 65 amps are designing. Take a listen as we talk with both Dan and Peter about the inspiration and design of the new Lil Elvis and Stone Pony.
For more information about 65 amps, please visit their website at: http://www.65amps.com/
The evolution continues! With the release of their newest amp, Joe Mloganoski checks in and chats with us about the Custom Clean and it’s genealogy.
For more information on the Custom Clean, visit their website at:
In part II of our conversation with Tim Schroeder we talk with him about his recent amp release, the DB7. It began as a prototype project but quickly found it’s way into the hands of Nels Cline. Take a listen as Tim talks about the amp’s design, construction, and history.
For more information about the DB7, please visit Tim’s website at: http://www.schroederguitarrepair.com/
According to Rogers Stevens it is! Take a listen as we chat with guitarist Rogers Stevens of Blind Melon as we talk about his short stint as a luthier, his effective use of Analog Man effects, and everything else that has shaped his signature sounds over the last 15 years.
If you are interested in picking up Blind Melon’s most recent studio album you can find more information here: http://www.myspace.com/blindmelon
p.s. Frank, I tried to reply to you email request. Your spam blocker stopped me cold!
In this episode we will be introducing a new segment entitled “Quick Clips With Chris Contreras”. No, it won’t have the profound impact of Jack Handy’s Deep Thoughts but it will provide you a taste of some great gear being built. Chris will be lending his chops over the course of this next year to highlight what builders are designing. The idea of “QCCC” is to simulate how you might choose to demo a pedal when approaching it for the first time. For example, you might simply demo a the gain extremes. In these clips, Chirs plays a low and high grain riff and lead with both a HB and SC equipped guitar. Finally, he takes us out with a tasty styling featuring a warm HB tone. These clips are intended to be raw and unrehearsed. The amp was a tweed type circuit set clean miced with a e609 about 1.5″ off the cone. Take a listen as Chris demos the new PlushFX Plush Drive. We hope you like our new segment. I know we do! 
We had several listeners report an apparent audio failure in Episode 31. Upon playback we realized that we left some ‘dead air’ between the buffer music and the interview with Andy Fuchs. Dead air is apparently just as disastrous in podcasts as it is in radio. Thanks for the heads up, here is the remixed episode dead air free.
This will be our last episode from the ToneFest earlier this year. Thanks again to everyone who participated. It ended up being a great way to spend an afternoon. I want to thank our sponsors again for making it possible. Thank you to Fuchs Audio for donating several of their pedals to support the backing band and Two Rock for sending several of their amps for our players to demo. It is obvious these companies are not only committed to quality, they are truly committed to the very foundation of the musical community. I wanted to conclude our ToneFest series with another extemporaneous session featuring the musicians from the previous episode. Take a listen as a group of strangers continue to find common ground.
Again, a 62 concert and a Plush FX Drive and Cream through a Two-Rock Classic Reverb.
Here at TheToneCast.com we spend our time celebrating the creative and passionate minds that continue to redefine the frontiers of tone. That being said, I don’t want to lose sight of why we all do it. As the media continues to remind us what is wrong in the world, it seems that finding what is right becomes more and more difficult. Taking liberty on a soap box for a second I will point out that as musicians it might be easier for us to discover that elusive space where the tides of all that is wrong begin to recede. As musicians I hope we can help those that listen to us find that same place. At this year’s tonefest we stumbled across it in the middle of a classic…..
Take a listen to a guitarist from Chile, a bassist who has fled political unrest in Venezuela, a sax player from Austin, a drummer from Buffalo, and a guitarist and keyboardist from right here in CO show exactly what is right in the world. Most of these guys just met; it is clear they all speak the same language.
In case you were wondering, the clean guitar was the cleanest 62 concert I have ever seen, and the dirty guitar was a either a Plush FX Cream or Plush Drive.
Take a listen as Chris Contreras gives the new Plush FX Extreme Cream a run on SRV’s Pride and Joy.
For more information on the new line of pedals from Fuchs Audio Technology click on over to their website: http://www.fuchsaudiotechnology.com/plush.htm
TheToneCast Episode 34: ToneFest - Pride and Joy via. Plush FX Extreme Cream: Play Now | Play in PopupThe inaugural tonefest was a great success. Thanks to all those that came out to support it. We would also like to thank our sponsors again for making it possible. Thanks to Fuchs for the pedal donations. Everyone was very impressed with the new lineup of Plush-FX pedals. And thanks again to Two-Rock for sending out several of their amps to demo. We will continue to post the board capture over the next couple of weeks. For now take a listen to the ToneCaster’s version of Jeff Beck’s Come Dancing featuring guitarist Chris Contreras and bassist Jorge Lopez: Tele > Boss OC2 (to taste)> Two-Rock Kimock Sig > Two-Rock standard 2×12 Cab.
We are very excited to announce our first ToneFest. It will be at the DNote in Arvada, CO May 17th from 1-4pm. Come join us in celebrating this wonderful world of tone. A great backing band will be provided for your jamming pleasure. We hope you can make it out and we get a chance to meet you.
If you can’t make it, check back soon. We will be providing Audio/Video capture of the event for our out of town listeners.
We would also like to thank our sponsors Fuchs Audio Technology and Two-Rock. Without their support this event would not be possible. The Fuchs pedals will be sold at special event pricing and all proceeds will go directly to support the backing band. Thanks again for helping to support the local guitar community. Two-Rock has provided several amps to demo at the event and will be sold at special event discounts. Come check out the great gear and save yourself some money.
For more information visit the news page: http://www.thetonecast.com/news
In our final installment with Andy Fuchs we talk about his original design, the ODS. Take a listen as we talk with Andy about the history and evolution of a legendary platform.
We would also like to thank Andy for helping to sponsor our upcoming Gear Demo Day. Fuchs kindly donated several of his pedals for the event. The pedals will be available to demo and then be sold at special event pricing. All proceeds from the sales will go directly to the musicians in the supporting band. Thanks again Andy and the generous folks at Fuchs Audio Technology for supporting the music community.
If you are a fan of Blind Melon you know that Christopher Thorn and Rogers Stevens weave melodies that comfortably span the subtle to the supersonic. In our first episode featuring the guitarist of Blind Melon we talk with Christopher about gear past and present.
Blind Melon has recently released a new album. You can find out more about Blind Melon, the new album, and their current tour dates at: http://www.myspace.com/blindmelon
Tucked away in a back alley on the out skirts of Chicago is Tim Schroeder’s Guitar and Amp Repair. Tim has a very comprehensive skill set. He is a a triple threat in the world of boutique builders. As a luthier, effect designer, and amp builder Tim is equally comfortable crafting archtops as he is designing circuits. This summer, while exploring all the Chicago music scene had to offer, I was lucky enough to discover Tim’s shop where he introduced me to a very unique pedal design. In this first of two episodes with Tim take a listen as he talks about his background and his innovative pedal, the ‘Blister Agent’.
For more information about Schroeder’s guitar and amp repair, you can find him online at: http://www.schroederguitarrepair.com/
Galo Rivera is musician passionate about his tone. Take a listen as we talk with Galo about his personal philosophy on tone, his gear past and present, and his technique for dialing in an amplifier.
Galo is currently working on a new album due out this year. You can read more about Galo or purchase the first single from the album at: http://www.galorivera.com
A new line of pedals has been added to the lineup of Fuchs Audio Technology products. Take a listen as Andy talks about his newest offerings, how buffering cable runs improves your tone, his first effect pedal, and some new pedals to be looking out for this year.
You can find the complete lineup of Plush FX Pedals here: http://www.fuchsaudiotechnology.com/plush.htm
If you are looking to add some texture to a tune or turn your guitar into an organ, a good place to start would be with a volume swell. Just drop the volume when you strike the string (this will mask the pick attack) then raise the volume and let it ring. The delay pedal will sustain the sound so that you can drop the volume and play a note/chord again. You don’t have to have a volume pedal you can just as easily roll your guitar volume off. This is just another great way to expand your guitar’s horizon.
