Amps Used on Matthew Sweet's Girlfriend Album

[atomicmassunit]

Anyone know what they used? I hear a lot of Stratocaster, but not sure what amps. EL84s?

 

[56_Special]

Robert Quine was a big Deluxe Reverb guy. Just a guess.

 

[OnlyVees]

Robert Quine was a big Deluxe Reverb guy. Just a guess.

He also claims a Fender (Rivera) Super Champ is the greatest amp he's ever owned... that's a quote from his website.

 

[sparkle**]

I would guess Vox ac30....

 

[p.j.]

I was watching Quine w/ Sweet on the Dennis Miller Show on Youtube today. Great stuff!!!

PJ

 

[lespaul6]

I would guess Vox ac30....

this

 

[pete100199]

Fantastic tones on this album. One of my favorites.
I remember reading vintage Voxs and Fenders.

 

[Custom Deluxe]

One of my favorite aspects of the recording is how dry it is. No reverb, nothing. Was quite a tonal difference from some of the recordings that proceeded it.

 

[CloneTone]

Reviving a 10 year old thread:

The late great Robert Quine can be seen playing what appears to be a late '50's Tweed Bassman, on the Dennis Miller show from 1992. This would account for the Fender dry grind on this tune, and explain why there's no reverb on the lead guitar (or any of the guitars it seems):


Video is great but audio quality is hissy, and not a good example of how this really sounded back then:


Best audio quality version on YT, but still lacking:


Back in 1991 - when this video first aired on MTV, even if you had an old TV with a small speaker, this song kicked a hole in it, ripped it wide open with those old fuzz guitar tones. On top of the swinging drum kit that has just the right amount of reverb, it made the dry guitar really prominent in the mix. This song stood out in a big way on MTV for sound quality, and vintage tone. Felt like it was louder than the rest of the videos too.

I couldn't understand how that lead guitar sound was even possible (didn't know what a fuzz pedal, or Bassman was back then).

 

[Laurence]

I always thought they were super reverbs.

 

[seiko]

Quine used a Tech 21 original SansAmp and a Peavey Classic 20 for that album. Not sure what LLoyd used in the studio. He had a Marshall and Vox AC30 live, as did Sweet. Must have been loud!

 

[CloneTone]

The Genius Of... Girlfriend by Matthew Sweet

Nirvana’s Nevermind may have been the headline rock hit of 1991-1992, but a less-heralded release offered equal guitar thrills. If you haven’t already, get to know the power-pop masterstroke of Matthew Sweet’s Girlfriend.

guitar.com

Both Lloyd and Quine relied on their Fender Strats and the amps were by Vox, a SansAmp (for Quine), and various other vintage Fender valve amps.

Those various other vintage Fender valve amps, sound a lot like a Bassman, which looks like what was on Dennis Miller. My Tech21 Sansamp v2 had a Bassman setting on it.

 

[Andrewlou302]

Love that song, the idiots in my band didn't want to play it when it came out.

 

[TheNewWhatNext]

Superb record, just a great slice of power pop. So many great guitar parts and tones too.

 

[Twisted_Kites]

Quine used a Tech 21 original SansAmp and a Peavey Classic 20 for that album. Not sure what LLoyd used in the studio. He had a Marshall and Vox AC30 live, as did Sweet. Must have been loud!

I saw them live on the “Girlfriend‘ tour and it was loud as hell.

 

[alexanderplatz]

I saw them live on the “Girlfriend‘ tour and it was loud as hell.

Yes. I saw them at the Cat's Cradle in Chapel Hill and it was a great show, but they didn't play for very long. I don't think it was literally a 30 minute set but it might've been 45. For an encore they did the Beatles' "She Said, She Said."

 

[HomeInMyShoes]

Love that song, the idiots in my band didn't want to play it when it came out.

I would agree with the idiots sentiment. It's a fun song to play.

 

[Twisted_Kites]

We played “Divine Intervention” with an extended solo break.
The whole album is great.

 

[A440]

Love that album! We did Girlfriend on my band’s demo tape at that time. Albeit, with a faster tempo. Our drummer was energetic!

 

[SkippyD]

Robert Quine is one of the most interesting characters from that period.

Loved that entire Sweet record and the follow up 100% Fun.

Here is an extensive collection of facts and accolades on a fansite.

Robert Quine home page by Douglas Boynton Quine

Home page for Robert Quine, guitarist and musician (Robert Wolfe Quine). Includes links to fan web sites and other Family Web Sites by Douglas Boynton Quine.

www.quine.org