shinksma
What? I get a title?
- Joined
- Mar 20, 2014
- Messages
- 5,318
I have had a wild hair itching at me the last couple of years to dig into that classic surf sound, and to also get even more into the modern heavier version of surf that seems to have elements of punk or grunge mixed in), partly spurred by an ex-coworker who plays sax in a modern surf-punk band.
Check out the "Monsters of Surf" compilation album (you can sample on Amazon) for what I mean about the modern heavier fuzz-infused version.
Not interested in Beach Boys per se - they incorporated some surf sound elements and riffed on the culture, but the vocals make it a little too "polished" ("California Sound" or "Vocal Surf"). Surf music is mostly instrumental to me, splooshy reverb and termolo-style picking, with a rapid snare beat (seems like 2/4 or 8/8 with hits on 1, 4, 6).
I've got a Boss FRV-1 pedal on the way (I might eventually get a proper tank, depending on how serious I take this and how portable I need to have everything!), and have a couple of tremolo pedal options already, and quite a few OD/dirt/fuzz possibilities.
So the next thing is to play! The classic sound was often played on those early Fenders, Mosrites, and Dan Electros, including baritones (also gets you that spaghetti western sound!). And many of the current bands seem to like to use those. I have a F strat, but would prefer to play PRS, of course.
Basic configuration seems to be whammy bar, single coil, bolt-on. Hmm, sounds like a DC3 or EG, or a SAS with coils split, maybe.
I have a 305 and an SAS, plus the McSoapy is technically single coil, as is the 277 SH baritone with soapbars, but those latter two lack a tremolo bridge, which seems to be an essential gizmo. And I could use the split coils on other guitars.
And I know that given the right technique a good player can probably make any guitar sound "good enough" for surf, but where is the GAS in that?!
So, anyone here play a little/lots of surf, either variety, and what do you like to use from your PRS arsenal?
Check out the "Monsters of Surf" compilation album (you can sample on Amazon) for what I mean about the modern heavier fuzz-infused version.
Not interested in Beach Boys per se - they incorporated some surf sound elements and riffed on the culture, but the vocals make it a little too "polished" ("California Sound" or "Vocal Surf"). Surf music is mostly instrumental to me, splooshy reverb and termolo-style picking, with a rapid snare beat (seems like 2/4 or 8/8 with hits on 1, 4, 6).
I've got a Boss FRV-1 pedal on the way (I might eventually get a proper tank, depending on how serious I take this and how portable I need to have everything!), and have a couple of tremolo pedal options already, and quite a few OD/dirt/fuzz possibilities.
So the next thing is to play! The classic sound was often played on those early Fenders, Mosrites, and Dan Electros, including baritones (also gets you that spaghetti western sound!). And many of the current bands seem to like to use those. I have a F strat, but would prefer to play PRS, of course.
Basic configuration seems to be whammy bar, single coil, bolt-on. Hmm, sounds like a DC3 or EG, or a SAS with coils split, maybe.
I have a 305 and an SAS, plus the McSoapy is technically single coil, as is the 277 SH baritone with soapbars, but those latter two lack a tremolo bridge, which seems to be an essential gizmo. And I could use the split coils on other guitars.
And I know that given the right technique a good player can probably make any guitar sound "good enough" for surf, but where is the GAS in that?!
So, anyone here play a little/lots of surf, either variety, and what do you like to use from your PRS arsenal?