How to sound like an 80s guitarist

Its all in the fingers, or is it?

Moderators: Slowy, Capt. Black

User avatar
jeremyb
Chorus of Organs
Posts: 40890
meble-kuchenne.warszawa.pl
Joined: Sat Dec 06, 2008 9:03 am
Has liked: 7692 times
Been liked: 4159 times

How to sound like an 80s guitarist

Post by jeremyb »

I had no idea that the Def Leppard boys used a Rockman headphone amp for nearly all the guitars on Hysteria, thats HYSTERICAL!!!!

Phil Collen confirms it here: https://www.guitarworld.com/gw-archive/ ... s-hysteria

Slowy wrote: That's the problem; everything rewarding is just such hard work. Regret takes much less effort.

Aquila Rossa
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 4930
Joined: Wed Jan 14, 2009 5:53 pm
Location: Auckland
Has liked: 163 times
Been liked: 98 times

Re: How to sound like an 80s guitarist

Post by Aquila Rossa »

I had a Rockman Distortion generator in the 80 :)

Weird unit. I remember it would only sound okay if i did a radical eq setting or something on it (I think it was turning the treble all the way down, but can' remember for sure).

Now that Andy has made this video, JHS will release a Rockman headphone pedal clone.

He is playing a Destroyer. i like those. A bucket list gat for sure.

kwhelan
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 1400
Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2016 9:25 pm
Has liked: 123 times
Been liked: 93 times

Re: How to sound like an 80s guitarist

Post by kwhelan »

how long has he been working for them, no more pedal fridays anymore?

User avatar
jeremyb
Chorus of Organs
Posts: 40890
Joined: Sat Dec 06, 2008 9:03 am
Has liked: 7692 times
Been liked: 4159 times

Re: How to sound like an 80s guitarist

Post by jeremyb »

kwhelan wrote:how long has he been working for them, no more pedal fridays anymore?
For ages, proguitarshop shut down last year from memory :(
Slowy wrote: That's the problem; everything rewarding is just such hard work. Regret takes much less effort.

User avatar
willow13
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 14558
Joined: Sun Dec 19, 2004 2:36 pm
Location: If less is more then just think how much more more is
Has liked: 372 times
Been liked: 634 times

Re: How to sound like an 80s guitarist

Post by willow13 »

yeah it has been a well known fact since the day the record was released :rofl: .... haven't watched that video so he may mention this but they used them because they love the sound tom scholz got in Boston
If Less is More Then Just Think How Much More More would be

User avatar
jeremyb
Chorus of Organs
Posts: 40890
Joined: Sat Dec 06, 2008 9:03 am
Has liked: 7692 times
Been liked: 4159 times

Re: How to sound like an 80s guitarist

Post by jeremyb »

Yup he mentioned Boston!! :lol:
Slowy wrote: That's the problem; everything rewarding is just such hard work. Regret takes much less effort.

User avatar
Danger Mouse
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 11459
Joined: Mon Oct 16, 2006 3:32 pm
Location: Jafa Land
Has liked: 351 times
Been liked: 661 times

Re: How to sound like an 80s guitarist

Post by Danger Mouse »

I never liked Hysteria, mainly because I was just discovering thrash metal when it came out, but it is a clever album.

Not what I'd call a great album, but most hair metal of the time was pretty basic and poorly produced, this wasn't, it was the opposite. Def and Mutt deserve some credit for that.
The older I get, the more disappointed in myself I become.

User avatar
willow13
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 14558
Joined: Sun Dec 19, 2004 2:36 pm
Location: If less is more then just think how much more more is
Has liked: 372 times
Been liked: 634 times

Re: How to sound like an 80s guitarist

Post by willow13 »

Frey wrote:no wonder they're shit lol
yep they must be...i mean they have only been around for nearly 40 years and sold over 100 million albums, not to mention they pretty much invented a style/sound that spawned a whole musical movement ... but obviously they suck
If Less is More Then Just Think How Much More More would be

User avatar
Danger Mouse
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 11459
Joined: Mon Oct 16, 2006 3:32 pm
Location: Jafa Land
Has liked: 351 times
Been liked: 661 times

Re: How to sound like an 80s guitarist

Post by Danger Mouse »

Frey wrote:music is subjective
It is to a point... I mean Coldplay really are just shit.
The older I get, the more disappointed in myself I become.

User avatar
Dharmajester
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 1587
Joined: Sun Apr 05, 2015 8:44 am
Location: Dunedin
Has liked: 273 times
Been liked: 377 times

Re: How to sound like an 80s guitarist

Post by Dharmajester »

Play too many notes through too many effects. Voila it's the 80's.
“The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench - a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side."
Hunter S. Thompson

Delayman
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 3091
Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2011 1:35 pm
Has liked: 48 times
Been liked: 227 times

Re: How to sound like an 80s guitarist

Post by Delayman »

Dharmajester wrote:Play too many notes through too many effects. Voila it's the 80's.
Never thought of def Leppard in the “too many notes” brigade.
They keep telling me tone is in the fingers, but I have yet to see a "look at my fingers" thread.
Lawrence wrote: Every orchestra that comes thru here is a covers band as are most of the jazz bands...

User avatar
jeremyb
Chorus of Organs
Posts: 40890
Joined: Sat Dec 06, 2008 9:03 am
Has liked: 7692 times
Been liked: 4159 times

Re: How to sound like an 80s guitarist

Post by jeremyb »

Danger Mouse wrote:
Frey wrote:music is subjective
It is to a point... I mean Coldplay really are just shit.
I think they have one song I like, most of it is a bit too wet for my likings...
Slowy wrote: That's the problem; everything rewarding is just such hard work. Regret takes much less effort.

HappyEnding
Ashton
Ashton
Posts: 161
Joined: Mon Jan 16, 2017 3:24 pm
Been liked: 46 times

Re: How to sound like an 80s guitarist

Post by HappyEnding »

I recall Phil Collen saying some guitars parts on HYSTERIA were recorded one note, one string at a time, with all other strings removed from the guitar to eliminate buzz. Bonkers. But worth it based on sales.

null_pointer
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 3674
Joined: Thu Nov 05, 2015 9:37 pm
Location: The Tron
Has liked: 162 times
Been liked: 410 times

Re: How to sound like an 80s guitarist

Post by null_pointer »

jeremyb wrote:
Danger Mouse wrote:
Frey wrote:music is subjective
It is to a point... I mean Coldplay really are just shit.
I think they have one song I like, most of it is a bit too wet for my likings...
When they first came out I liked them - Yellow was a nice change of pace from the Creed hits at the time, and I still love The Scientist. Not so much the later stuff.

User avatar
The Oracle
Stagg
Stagg
Posts: 19
Joined: Tue Jul 11, 2017 7:31 pm
Location: Auckland
Has liked: 3 times
Been liked: 8 times

Re: How to sound like an 80s guitarist

Post by The Oracle »

I've got two early rev Rockman X100's (one user, one back up) I use to thicken rhythm tracks. Pulls out a mean 80's lead but you have to give it a bit of external processing to get it out of the middy Boston zone.
The chorus clean tone is quite amazing considering when this thing came out. I also have a GK 250ML which has a similar chorus but the X100 is still one I go-to fairly regularly.
With the chorus off, you can get quite a good 'Schenker' lead which I've used on most guitar solos so they don't sound too scratchy if put through the Marshalls.
I've yet to get an Axe FX III into the studio but when I do, It will be interesting to compare chorus's because I've yet to hear anything come close to the 'Hysteria' X100 chorus sound.

Post Reply