McCarty Wood Library Demo

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Too Many Notes
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Apr 26, 2012
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As promised, a demo of the recently-acquired McCarty Wood Library guitar from the renowned Jack Gretz. This is actually recorded because one of the guys posted about the UA Tweed amp model, and I have UA gear, so figured I'd give it a try. I wrote a little track in the style I'd use a Tweed amp for.

McCarty, full 'bucker, bridge pickup on 5-6 for rhythm, 9 for lead. UA Tweed amp model.

https://soundcloud.com/lschefman/tweed-model-mccarty-4

My time's a little off due to recent surgery for fretting hand, forgive me.
 
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Les - NOTHING to forgive. That McCarty sounds pretty damn sweet, dig the tune. That also sounds pretty darn convincing for an amp model, to these ears.
 
That tweed model from UA sure sounds great. I have a real '55 tweed Deluxe and it's totally competitive with the real thing on a recorded track. Color me impressed.

Guitar sounds pretty righteous too.

The main clean/melody guitar on this track is the real tweed, set a fair bit cleaner than your track but the signature sound is there. The crunch guitar that comes in on the second verse (left channel) is through a POD HD Pro model of a blackface Deluxe Reverb + TS-808, btw. (and that guitar is a PRS, the first series Collection guitar that is gone now)

https://soundcloud.com/kingsley-durant/tell-me-some-good-news-v2-51
 
kingsleyd said:
That tweed model from UA sure sounds great. I have a real '55 tweed Deluxe and it's totally competitive with the real thing on a recorded track. Color me impressed.
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Nice track, Kingsley! I really dug it.

The model won't do what your real Tweed amp does. What's missing is the warmth, 3D immediacy, and the clarity, even clean. That isn't to say the model isn't a good deal for a plugin. It's just fine, a useful tool, but far less inspiring than your real amp, IMHO.

CantankerousCarl said:
That McCarty sounds pretty damn sweet, dig the tune. That also sounds pretty darn convincing for an amp model, to these ears.
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Thanks Carl! The guitar is really a great workhorse, I love using it on all kinds of tunes.

Re: the model, if you listen back to back, you hear that Kingsley's real Tweed amp has a singing quality and a 3D warmth that the model lacks. Still, not bad at all.
 
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g.wizz said:
Very cool Les... That Ted is really something.

And I do forgive you ;)
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Oh, it's not a Ted. It's just a McCarty from Jack Gretz' wood library run. Almost the same as the stock model but with Jack pickin' the woods, the Paul's bridge, and a Braz fretboard.
 
LSchefman said:
Oh, it's not a Ted. It's just a McCarty from Jack Gretz' wood library run. Almost the same as the stock model but with Jack pickin' the woods, the Paul's bridge, and a Braz fretboard.
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I'm not sure I understand the difference. What is a Ted, if not a McCarty?
 
So Les, if you had to keep only one, would you pick the Jack Gretz WL McC with the maple neck, or the hog-necked one?

My maple-necked JGWLMcC is (as I have said many times) the most magical of all my guitars. Sustains longer than even my PSes, and nearly every note in every position blooms into amazing overtones, even with minimal gain. She's my #1.
 
LSchefman said:
I've always preferred mahogany necks on electric guitars, and this one's no exception.
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I feel the same way, though I lack experience with as many fine instruments as you've had!

My only maple-necked PRS is my SE Custom 24. It was always a touch bright to my ear, until I needed a guitar tuned down a whole step - now the thing is smokin! I think certain woods react better with certain tunings, of course in the ear of the beholder. The maple secures a nice punch on those lower notes. For standard tunings, it's still all hog necks for me, when I'm the player. I've heard some seriously good times from other guys on maple necks though - Jimmy Herring on that NF3, d@mn.

Great clip, Les! You're not helping my GAS situation at all though!
 
andy474x said:
I think certain woods react better with certain tunings, of course in the ear of the beholder. The maple secures a nice punch on those lower notes.
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I agree; I pretty much stay in standard tuning, unless it's the 29th day of the 11th month of the 19th year when the moon is in the house of Neptune and it also has to be snowing in Hawaii...

There's also the matter of how everything comes together, guitar, pickups, amp, cab. My #1 is the HXDA. There's a tone (with variations from guitar to guitar) that I always love with that amp -- fat, warm, greasy, buttery -- and full humbuckers, and mahogany neck guitars fit that role perfectly.

Of course, the clip is of a Tweed amp model, and it's the opposite of the tone I usually go for, but for certain projects that need that type of tone, I'll usually try for something like it with the DG30 or Lone Star amps that give me a little more elastic quality.

I really fought that amp model; it was a little bit stiff and I had a hard time getting it to respond like a real amp.
 
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LSchefman said:
I really fought that amp model; it was a little bit stiff and I had a hard time getting it to respond like a real amp.
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Yeah, it's not like that with the real thing. That's one of those amps where pretty much any guitar you plug in sounds a little more like its ideal self. That said, it's from a time when it was all about dynamics. I'm not sure a Jackson guitar with a Floyd Rose vibrato would sing the way you'd want it to through that amp, although I suppose you could find a pedal that would make that happen...
 
kingsleyd said:
Yeah, it's not like that with the real thing. That's one of those amps where pretty much any guitar you plug in sounds a little more like its ideal self.
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Yup. I've played many of the real-deal originals. They're wonderful amps.

And not only do the guitars sound ideal when the amp is clean, the amps sound terrific dimed.

Between my lack of guitar skills and my hand issues, I have enough trouble just playing through a real amp. A model is really out of the question at this point.
 
Brad737 said:
Cool track, Les! I think I heard a little "You Shook Me All Night Long" in there.
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Really? In my head I was writing a new Tom Petty song. Go figure!

Brad737 said:
I dug the tune, KingsleyD. Ford & Carlton need to ditch their Dumbles and get a Tweed or two.
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I have always liked Tweed Deluxes, but...no. Dumbles and Dumble-style amps are their own, very special, thing. They do a different thing with sustain, gain, and all manner of other cool biz.

I could live with nothing but a Two-Rock, and have, several times.

I couldn't live with only a Tweed Deluxe. It'd always be a niche amp for me.

But I'll tell you what, if you like the tone of a Tweed amp, but also appreciate other added wonderfulness, the DG30 PRS amp is killer-diller, dressed to the 'ilt...you could say that it's attractively built. ;)
 
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