Derek Trucks Tone [Archive]

tholle1

11-11-2008, 09:49 PM

just wondering if anyone has any info on the amp settings used by derek trucks. been trying to find his tone (yes i know he is great and its in his hands, etc.) but cant seem to dial it in. just looking for some tips as to what settings i could use to get closer to his tone. like what EQ settings? gain and volume settings? reverb? guitar settings? etc. this might be tough to answer but any info or advice would be appreciated.

shngn7

11-11-2008, 11:52 PM

The only thing I have heard about how he gets his tone at one point was by using Super Reverbs with cheap, "inefficient" speakers and leaves his V1 empty. Might want to check this out:

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/archive/index.php/t-250491.html

Jazzydave

11-12-2008, 12:14 AM

His tone is amazing, isn't it? I know he nearly exclusively uses SGs - most of them appear to be similar to the '61 reissues. Although, his are most likely actually vintage. I'll look at the Allman Bros DVD I have later today and see if I can't tell what all he has going on there...

He is a TONE MONSTER though! I saw an article not too long ago comparing him and John Mayer. IMHO, JM has nothing on Derek!!!

sovtekking

11-12-2008, 12:31 AM

loudboy

11-12-2008, 12:40 AM

His tone is amazing, isn't it? I know he nearly exclusively uses SGs - most of them appear to be similar to the '61 reissues.

I saw him when he endorsed Washburns, and he still had the same tone. If ever there was a case for "tone in the fingers" he's it...

Jazzydave

11-12-2008, 04:15 AM

Found this for you brother...just as I suspected though, pretty much straight into an amp!

Trucks avoids processing and effects, preferring to get the purest tone possible by connecting his guitar (Gibson SG custom 1962 reissue) directly to his amplifier (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amplifier), a 1965 Fender Super Reverb (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fender_Super_Reverb) loaded with four Pyle Driver MH1020 speakers. He modifies his tone with the controls on the guitar. In early 2006, an equipment trailer with Trucks' gear was stolen. Some of the gear was recovered from a field outside Atlanta (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlanta), including the 1965 Fender Super Reverb (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fender_Super_Reverb) (an amplifier (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amplifier) he's been playing with since he was a young boy), a 1968 Super Reverb (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fender_Super_Reverb) (one of the backup amps), a Hammond B-3 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hammond_B-3), two Leslie (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leslie_speaker) rotating speaker cabinets, a Hohner (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hohner) E-7 Clavinet (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clavinet), and a few other minor items.[13] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derek_Trucks#cite_note-12) He said, fortunately, nobody was home at the time, he was away "gigging" with the Allmans, so nobody was hurt.
Trucks regularly plays without a plectrum (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plectrum), or "pick". He generally plucks or strums (together or independently) with his thumb as well as his index, middle, and ring fingers. Electric guitarists using this method are rare: most prefer to use a pick. Termed "fingerstyle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fingerstyle_guitar)" guitarists, Howlin' Wolf (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howlin%27_Wolf)'s supporting (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Support) guitarist Hubert Sumlin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hubert_Sumlin) and Mark Knopfler (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Knopfler) of Dire Straits (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dire_Straits) are also among the notable exceptions who play without a pick. He uses custom gauge DR nickel-wound strings on both his SG and resonator guitars: .011, .014, .017, .026, .036, and .046. Most of his guitars are tuned to open E . Derek has used Fender Super reverbs in the past, but as of September 30, 2008, was not doing so when he played Meriweather Post Pavillion. In addition he had several new custom made amps (believed to be new Ceaser Diaz amps).

I hope this helps!

Jazzydave

11-12-2008, 04:16 AM

I saw him when he endorsed Washburns, and he still had the same tone. If ever there was a case for "tone in the fingers" he's it...

I agree completely...I didn't know about him and Washburn. I've just always seen him with an SG but then again, I was just introduced to him about a year ago. :JAM

bobcs71

11-12-2008, 07:03 AM

SG through a cranked super reverb....Speakers and whatnot are obviously variables but I've gotten very very close with the above setup. The finger style technique that he uses is a big part as well. Watch him play and you'll see what I mean by that...

That's about it. It's his technique. When his gear was stolen (and the Pyle driver speakers in his normal Super Reverb are car stereo speakers) he used a stock Super Reverb. I saw that one in at the "Guitar Factory" here in Orlando. When the Super is cranked it does sound different than at normal levels. I just wish I had his techinque, note choice & feel!

ChrisP

11-12-2008, 08:15 AM

I stumbled into DT at the World Guitar Conference, or whatever it was called, in Maryland a couple years ago. Someone here gave away tiks and I was fortunate to be the recipient. I'd heard of him but had never heard him. I was blown away by the performance and his tone. His tone was pure Steel, Glass and Wood. It was so pure and organic sounding and the breakup of his Super was ridiculously fat sounding. This was before his gear was stolen.

JMarck

11-12-2008, 08:42 AM

One of my favorite players today. It's funny, his setup is simple yet he can coax more sounds out of that, than some people can using pedals!

reddgeetarzan

11-12-2008, 08:47 AM

I saw him when he endorsed Washburns, and he still had the same tone. If ever there was a case for "tone in the fingers" he's it...

He was using Randall amps at the time too- SAME great tone!

He used to use the Bassman 10's or Super 6's as well (they were the bigger combo bassmans with 6x10's)- they were modified for sure. I've seen some info on the net regarding this, but its been a while.

I also saw something recently where he was using a Sewell of some type.

He's one of the best on the planet!

MikeNiteRail

11-12-2008, 10:19 AM

I think there is a marked difference between his Allman Bros and DTB tones. There is much more gain going with ABB...it is much more in your face. The reverb is less crucial to the ABB tone too. I have some cool Derek Trucks vids in the favorites category of my Youtube profile (see below).

I always go back and forth between which tone I dig more. For good examples of these ones recorded check out the ABB and DTB DVDs. There is a 2 CD set from the ABB DVD and an EP from the DTB DVD on iTunes.

tholle1

11-12-2008, 11:24 AM

sovtekking

11-12-2008, 11:58 AM

If this is the right vid then this kid nails his technique/tone...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7whVxIZ1bkw

traviswalk

11-12-2008, 11:59 AM

As of last Thursday in NYC he had the two Super Reverbs going again. Also used some vintage Danelectros for a few tunes, notably the new single that they have out for the new album.

sovtekking

11-12-2008, 12:02 PM

thanks for the info.. ive heard most of this before but was really just looking for advice on the actual amp settings he uses(probably pretty tough to figure out) and i guess why the settings are what they are. like if you are trying to get a fat tone how would you set your EQ? sorry if im not clear on what im asking, i just am new to guitars and amps in general so just looking for some basic info as to what settings produce which types of tones.... preferably the tone of derek trucks...

I think the general idea is that the EQ is relatively negligible as the amp gets louder. The louder you get with a super reverb, the less the preamp tone matters and the more that the power amp is giving you you're tone. Derek's tone is predominately coming from that super reverb's power amp break up and some speaker breakup. About the only way to nail his tone is crank a super reverb and play slide with your thumb and fingers to get the power amp section of the super to respond to your attack...

MikeNiteRail

11-12-2008, 12:03 PM

thanks for the info.. ive heard most of this before but was really just looking for advice on the actual amp settings he uses(probably pretty tough to figure out) and i guess why the settings are what they are. like if you are trying to get a fat tone how would you set your EQ? sorry if im not clear on what im asking, i just am new to guitars and amps in general so just looking for some basic info as to what settings produce which types of tones.... preferably the tone of derek trucks...

There are pictures of his SR amp settings somewhere...I've seen a few, but haven't bookmarked any. From what I remember...

Volume is around 8
Bass is around 2
Mids around 3???
Treble is around 9

If you search the forum here you can for sure find the exact tubes he uses in his SR. I am fairly certain that his guitar is modded...that might skew the amp settings a bit. I am willing to bet that most SR's with those settings won't sound like DT unless the guitar is set up in similar fashion.

There are some minor amp mods that are floating around this forum somewhere too.

The most important thing, IMO, is to realize that although he can get a way with a cranked SR, that doesn't mean the rest of us can! You might have to try a smaller amp or some sort of attenuator to get the amp about to explode tone.

MikeNiteRail

11-12-2008, 12:45 PM

never knew he used danelectros. speaking of the new dtb single.. did anyone else think it was sub-par to their earlier stuff? i thought it was good and liked the tune but i hope the rest of the album is better.

From a song standpoint, I loved it and started covering it the day I heard it on archive.org. The album cut was fantastic...if you want to hear a great song. By that I mean it isn't a guitar-god tune. His playing is great, but it isn't as guitar heavy as his earlier stuff.

From what I've heard of the DTB live recently, the new record will not sound like the other stuff. I haven't made up my mind about whether I like that or not. That being said, I tend to lose interest in bands that record albums that sound like the same album over and over.

I tend to enjoy how DT live and DT studio have different feels.

tholle1

11-12-2008, 01:12 PM

MikeNiteRail

11-12-2008, 01:57 PM

The most important thing, IMO, is to realize that although he can get a way with a cranked SR, that doesn't mean the rest of us can! You might have to try a smaller amp or some sort of attenuator to get the amp about to explode tone.

yeah thats what ive been wondering, as i play with a orange crush 15r in my bedroom, i was feeling that there was really no way to get that tone with such a small amp. also, what is an attenuator? does it help small amps sound large? also, to emulate a SR would i need to crank my reverb all the way?[/quote]

Someone else can better explain the attenuator, but it lets you crank the amp for the tone you want and then adjust the volume to appropriate levels.

If you are gigging, miking a smaller amp can get a similar sound, IMO. The feel of a small combo compared to a large will be different on stage, however. My suggestion to anyone who wants a cranked amp sound is to either...

1. Use a large amp with an attenuator or pedal.

or my choice

2. Use a smaller in wattage amp...have it on a stand or tilt back legs...and mike it.

mlynn02

11-12-2008, 02:29 PM

bad news for those of us trying to sound like derek...it's not the gear.

i've seen him play many times with ABB and DTB and he always sounds great. a couple weeks ago he sat in with a local band (yonrico scott and friends) and used borrowed gear and still sounded great. his tone was "all there" despite using a cheapo es-style semihollow guitar and a silverface bassman head into a 2x12 port city cab. this was the rig that the other guitar player used all night and sounded nothing like derek. i think derek just cranked the amp up but barely adjusted the EQ, used no pedals, and got the same unmistakable tone he always gets when i've seen him live.

all he needs are humbuckers, slide and a cranked amp. the minut details are irrelevent.

jetattblue

11-12-2008, 03:58 PM

While I loved his tone on Clapton's most recent tour, I just read in Guitar Player that he uses a Tweed Champ on the new McCoy Tyner album. I can't wait to hear that!

B_of_H

11-12-2008, 06:19 PM

get a SR and crank it, plug in SG. :)

I think he's using tone tubby speakers now but i might be wrong.