Tom Scholz Rockman - Blast from the past!

Started by vtgearhead, April 22, 2016, 02:47:00 PM

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vtgearhead

Found this in my garage.  After some TLC (mostly switch and connector cleaning) it was "Party Like It's 1989" (I miss Prince already..).  Surprisingly the Rockman still sounds good for the limited number of settings it offers.  I don't think there are many 'RockMount' chassis floating around.

Brent Flash

#1
I have this one.

GraemeJ

I recall Phil Palmer coming into a studio I was working in, laying some tracks for Tony Colton, with one of the little headphone amps (see picture).  At that time it seemed quite an amazing tool, especially in the hands of a good player.

The main reason I remember this is because I learnt a valuable lesson on that session.  We had already laid most of the tracks, including the vocal.  Tony asked Phil to come in and just add a little 'sparkle' to what was already a pretty decent track.  He arrived and said he wanted to use this box he had just got, so we plugged it up through the mixer and he did his thing in the control room.  I ran the tape for him to hear the track and he blew an amazing solo - even more amazing in the fact he had never even heard the song.

After we'd run through the whole thing, someone said 'Did you get that' and I had to say 'No, it was just a practice run and I wasn't recording'.  We ran it again and Phil did another great solo, but not as good as the one I missed.  After that day, I always pressed the record button, rehearsal or no.  Doing so saved my arse more than once in the following years.

Lesson for recording engineers.  Alway record everything, you never know what might happen (and if it doesn't, you can wipe the track).

vtgearhead


Brent Flash

Quote from: snhirsch on April 23, 2016, 05:03:01 AM
Is that one device or two?  I honestly don't recognize it.
It is made up of the half rack collection. Here is a pic of a few more that were available to be mounted in racks or into combo amps made available by SRD.

aliensporebomb

Yes I had the sustainor and chorus/delay.  Kind of wish I still had them for certain sounds.
My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

GK Devices:  Roland VG-99, Boss GP-10, Boss SY-1000.

Now_And_Then

 I have the Sustainor and Graphic EQ with the rack tray. According to one of the sites below, all the graphic eqs were wired or somehow built incorrectly. The Sustainor is said to benefit from modding and I have been considering it for a long time but not sure if it is really worth it for me.

There are some very good sounds in the Sustainor, though - and not only the "Clean 2" setting. Obviously the Scholz/Boston guitar sound is in the box too but I personally don't consider that among the "good sounds" to be found therein.

The "Clean 2" sound is great and supposedly available in the "Acoustic Guitar Pedal" but there are two such pedals: the original and a Dunlop reissue that sounds, reputedly, nothing like the original.




http://www.perfectsoundrockrefurbs.com/index.html

http://www.rockman.fr/Menu/Menu.htm

http://www.rockman-repair.com/

Now_And_Then

Quote from: GraemeJ on April 22, 2016, 06:02:22 PM
Lesson for recording engineers.  Alway record everything, you never know what might happen.

You are very lucky: most of the time, "lessons" are learned at the cost of one's job.

Quote from: GraemeJ on April 22, 2016, 06:02:22 PM
At that time it seemed quite an amazing tool, especially in the hands of a good player.

Good players can make any tool sound amazing (which is kind of the reason that I have always found the need to duplicate this or that player's signal chain to be something of a fool's errand.)

whippinpost91850

Yeas, I wish I still had mine as well. I still have a Headphone amp though, don't think I'll ever get rid of it ;D

szilard

Quote from: Now_And_Then on April 23, 2016, 08:07:45 AM
I have the Sustainor and Graphic EQ with the rack tray.

I have that combination as well. I use the eq occasionally, but I haven't used the sustainor for some time.

GraemeJ

Quote from: Now_And_Then on April 23, 2016, 08:13:12 AM


You are very lucky: most of the time, "lessons" are learned at the cost of one's job.

The studio concerned needed me more than I needed them, so yes, I was lucky.

Kenmac

I don't have any rack-mounted items but I do have this Rockman XP-100 with the MIDI controller pedal. They both still work great.  :)





"Let them brush your rock and roll hair."

GuitarBuilder

Quote from: snhirsch on April 22, 2016, 02:47:00 PM
Found this in my garage.  After some TLC (mostly switch and connector cleaning) it was "Party Like It's 1989" (I miss Prince already..).  Surprisingly the Rockman still sounds good for the limited number of settings it offers.  I don't think there are many 'RockMount' chassis floating around.

You're right - not too many of those around.  Rockman collectors pay a good price for them on eBay!  I'm lucky enough to have one as well for my Rev 10 Rockman - it's more convenient than clipping it on your belt.
"There's no-one left alive, it must be a draw"  Peter Gabriel 1973

GuitarBuilder

Quote from: Brent Flash on April 23, 2016, 05:12:14 AM
It is made up of the half rack collection. Here is a pic of a few more that were available to be mounted in racks or into combo amps made available by SRD.

Tell me you own this rack in the photo!  :P
"There's no-one left alive, it must be a draw"  Peter Gabriel 1973

GuitarBuilder

Quote from: Kenmac on April 23, 2016, 10:41:11 AM
I don't have any rack-mounted items but I do have this Rockman XP-100 with the MIDI controller pedal. They both still work great.  :)






I converted my XP100 to a "Superhead":

"There's no-one left alive, it must be a draw"  Peter Gabriel 1973

Now_And_Then

Quote from: GuitarBuilder on April 23, 2016, 10:59:52 AM
Tell me you own this rack in the photo!  :P

He could look forward to an opulent and luxurious retirement if he did but, sadly for him, no. If you look in the middle of the picture, on the right rackrail of the rack on the left, you will see the logo for www.rockman.fr so, no.

Chumly

#16
I too own the Rockman XP100 rack-mount, but it stopped working a number of years ago and I've been too disinterested to open it up and repair it; I suppose I should but I'm getting such a collection of non-working gear as the years flash by. I get so tired at the end of the day and priceless time is no longer my friend, if it ever was. I used it for many years in my solo act, straight to the board, I loved it, it loved me, and all went well.
I think it's much more interesting to live not knowing than to have answers which might be wrong. - Richard P. Feynman

GtrGeorge

I,too, had a Rockman xp100 stereo amp....just like the above pics with the matching floor-board.  What a great amp!!!!
   Wish I still had it...but it does have certain sound..no matter what you do with it's controls.  And while its a good sound...its not a TODAY sound.  Plus, I never felt good about bringing rare gear to gigs.   So after a few years I sold it from my house (back then ) in Georgetown, Texas....and It was like saying goodbye to a friend.  The guy placed it into the back of his car...without strapping it down or anything..and I was like "Be carfeul...you can't these anymore".  The guy didnt seem phased....and off it went. 
  I moved onto more Tube stuff and  I do dig it MIGHTILY.   And if Tom Sholz ever made programmable tube amps...Hot Mamma..Id be all over them!!!
   

Kenmac

Quote from: GuitarBuilder on April 23, 2016, 11:02:41 AM
I converted my XP100 to a "Superhead":



Very nice! BTW I forgot to mention I also have a Bass Rockman, bought in the mid 80's to use with my Cort bass which was also bought in that time period, and it also still works great. GtrGeorge, I understand how you felt and I'd feel the same way if I had to sell mine for any reason. For better or for worse these units have a very distinctive sound and I agree with you regarding programmable tube amps. That would be fantastic. Here are some photos of my Bass Rockman.







"Let them brush your rock and roll hair."

aliensporebomb

Always wanted an XPR preamp or amp.  But that was then.

I'm very sure I could create a "sound-a-like" preset using the VG-99.  It had a very unique midrange and attack emphasis. 
My music projects online at http://www.aliensporebomb.com/

GK Devices:  Roland VG-99, Boss GP-10, Boss SY-1000.

GtrGeorge

KenMac,
you and I are on the same page.  So true,my friend.

squatch

#21
I recently got the Rockmodules again after listening to some stuff I did in the 80's that sounded good
I'll mostly use it for faux acoustic in parallel, I think the cleans sound nicer than piezos to my ears
I'm not gonna bother with the Rockman chorus and echo, I've got other boxes to cover that (and they want a bit too much for the Rockmans)

My little office desk rig

Guitars: Parker, Kinman, Wilkinson, MJT
Amps: Fender SR, Ceriatone OTS
FX: Big Sky, Timefactor, Infinity, Lexicon etc
Hex: Roland VG-8 VG88, GR1, GRS, GRD, GI-10, GI-20, GKP-4
Synth: Roland MKB1000, MKS20, MKS30, XV2020 Kurzweil K1000, Kawai K5000S, Yamaha SY77, MU100, Korg Micro Preset

Stevie F

Quote from: aliensporebomb on April 24, 2016, 06:44:02 PM
Always wanted an XPR preamp or amp.  But that was then.

I'm very sure I could create a "sound-a-like" preset using the VG-99.  It had a very unique midrange and attack emphasis.
yes you can with a boss 100 its been done 3 examples but try it on the katana funny though how its took 30 years  for boss to recognize tom Shultz was the  inventor of a speaker in a head and all the parameters to set amazing

Gurbz

Recently became a proud owner of a Rockman XPR, I use a Cube 80XL for amplification.
I consider a second cube for stereo spread, it's compact setup with very efficient tone.
Grtz,

Gurbz

Frankenstein GK2-A strat/VG-88/GP-10/Cube 80XL/M-audio black box/Heritage guitars/Hook Amps/ Boss ME-5/Boss ME-8/Boss GT-3/Boss GT-5/Pro co RAT 1987/ Meris pedals/ Ton of eighties rack gear