VG-99 - Eric Clapton - Pretending

Started by Smash, October 12, 2014, 06:54:17 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Smash

Tricky one this. We know he was using his signature Fender at the time with that brutal mid boost pot, we also know he was using JCM800 Marshall at the time. But the tone on Pretending studio version is fair more complicated!

Initially I thought there might be a univibe on there but there's a definite control to the tempo going on that suggests wah to me. There's definite on the beat wah action plus also wah swells. What's so strange about it it is that the wah effect is very subtle - it can't just be a single amp and wah because it would be a much deeper effect. Also there's definite use of a time based effect before the input to the amp. It has that edgey grit you only get when you put the chorus in (what someone people might think is)the "wrong" position in the chain, lol!

So I got to thinking perhaps we have two amps running at once - one wah'd and one not - there is some definite stereo spread to the tone afterall but not really akin to a chorus.

Anyway, I came up with a custom wah, ran two models using almost identical chains on each but with only one having the wah.

I am convinced in my head that he would've used the neck pup for this and yet....it just doesn't sound right - there's not enough presence, so I ended up going centre pup which sounded closest.

So the reference setup is GK3 pup and FC300 used for wah duties - EXP1.

EXP1 switch turns wah on and off.

Demo here: https://soundcloud.com/smashmashups/pretending-eric-clapton-vg99-patch-demo?in=smashmashups/sets/vg99-patches

Couldn't get a decent backing track so it's out on it's own.

Original for comparison



May sound a bit fiercer on it's own but sit it in a mix and it'll take the edge off it.

papabuss

Great job, Scott!
THX for posting.
FENDER STRATOCASTER (1974); BRIAN MAY RED SPECIAL; VG 99; GR 55; Yamaha DX 7

Music was my first love and it will be my last (JOHN MILES)

supernicd

Strat w/ GK-3, Godin LGXT
VG-99, GR-55, GP-10
---------------------------------------------------------------

whippinpost91850

Wow. very nice job. Sounds just like it. I hadn't heard this album in a long time either , I also forgot how good it is.

Breno

Smash...."always doing incredible patches"
Fender Stratocaster, Ibanez AS200, VG-99, GR-55, FC-300 e US-20.

Smash

Easy I'm blushing here, lol! If you can find a use for it then it's all good  :)

I just noticed the other thread that prompted this is about 6 years old! :o