Early Weezer Guitar Tone (Blue Album, Pinkerton)

[Ryan84]

Any one else love early Weezer and how massive the guitar sounded? I've checked out a Weezer fan page that documented a lot of the early gear. If I remember right it was supposedly an older Mesa head that was somewhat rare into a Marshall cab. Anybody get early Weezer wall of sound guitar with specific pedals/amps you found to get close? I know a good amount of it is probably due to the Ric Ocasek production but I'm curious of your thoughts.

 

[ptdesign]

I think a lot of it was Sharps Fuzz bass sounding like guitar. Massive.

 

[lovesickmusic]

I am a huge fan of some of those tones!

 

[cookieshoes]

The Blue album was the Mesa recorded at very quiet levels, using Ocasek's P-90 equipped Les Paul special, I believe. But there is a lot of info out there which says that Rivers also used a Jaguar and a strat copy he had alongside Ocasek's guitars.

In my opinion, putting all of the rare or vintage stuff aside, for Blue album or Pinkerton, I think any P-90 (or hot single coil pickup like a Lace Sensor) with a Proco Rat will get you pretty much there for a lot of the tones from those albums.

 

[aaronblues]

I think a lot of it was Sharps Fuzz bass sounding like guitar. Massive.

Agreed. They really weren't the same after he left.

cheers

 

[guitarslinger21]

Just listened to "Say it ain't so" for the first time in a few years.

Man, the blue album really is unique and timeless. The 90's were such an awesome, original time in music.

 

[jdel77]

Haha, I posted this same thread about 18months ago
All p90s, Mesa heads and Ric Ocasek's freak power pop production ear.
I'm not sure how quiet the amps were as there's feedback all over the album. Just killer, hugely influential records. Matt Sharp was a brilliant bassist and harmony singer too. Ya known they were rocking Warmoth guitars? At least River's blue Strat and Matt's black bass were, in part or whole.

 

[wundergussy]

Haha, I posted this same thread about 18months ago
All p90s, Mesa heads and Ric Ocasek's freak power pop production ear.
I'm not sure how quiet the amps were as there's feedback all over the album. Just killer, hugely influential records. Matt Sharp was a brilliant bassist and harmony singer too. Ya known they were rocking Warmoth guitars? At least River's blue Strat and Matt's black bass were, in part or whole.

Yeah, but I thought Rivers's Warmoth strat had humbuckers?

 

[llamaiguana]

Hmm, wouldn't have guessed P90s. Cool stuff. Love pinkerton!

 

[Hulakatt]

Yeah, but I thought Rivers's Warmoth strat had humbuckers?

It did. He didn't finish building it til after they finished recording the Blue Album but it was used as his main guitar from then til he cracked the body near in half on tour. I believe the guts live on in another warmoth build Rivers did but I don't remember off of the top of my head. Weezer has their entire gear history listed on their website broken down into recordings and tours, pretty extensive archive!

In addition to the Mesa MKI and the Marshall 4x12-in-a-8x10 cab Rivers also fitted a Black Ice module from Stew Mac into the guts of his blue strat. Apparently only the volume control did anything so he somehow had it wired up to add distortion as he turned the volume down? No ones really sure how it was wired at this point anyway.

 

[ptdesign]

My fav Weeza show was Sep12 2001.
Day after 911. The Cal band marched in to the arena
And did 30 minutes of Weezer material.

I LOVE the green album and the late great Mikey.

 

[JamesSGBrown]

Sounds too fuzzy to be a RAT! I woulda thought a Muff would have been in there somewhere. The sound on "The World Has Turned And Left Me Here" is perfect!

 

[WolfmansBrother]

Peppermint Fuzz gets me close enough

 

[jdel77]

Sounds too fuzzy to be a RAT! I woulda thought a Muff would have been in there somewhere. The sound on "The World Has Turned And Left Me Here" is perfect!

I can pull that with a p90 junior into a Rat. It's all in those Weezer chords.
Hit a C chord: 3rd fret A string, 5th fret D string, and drop in the low G on the low E string. Instant Weezer!

 

[jdel77]

Yeah, but I thought Rivers's Warmoth strat had humbuckers?

It did.
BUT, is Rivers wearing (gasp) TAN PANTS???!!!11

 

[guitarslinger21]

It did.
BUT, is Rivers wearing (gasp) TAN PANTS???!!!11

the 90's man. People were adventurous.

 

[buzzp]

you don't get it! tan pants are so UN COOL they're COOL

 

[sonicspackle]

LOVE the Weezer guitar sound. You know what else I love about Weezer? They know the art of writing a short song. The Green album is only 28 minutes long! You ever notice that? Songs of the 50's and 60's were a lot shorter for the most part. Weezer does well with this.

 

[LowWatt]

You'd be shocked how well the lowly Boss DS-2 does all the early Weezer sounds. I was borrowing a buddy's for a while and it kept making me go through the Weezer back catalogue, which was strange because I hadn't played any Weezer in like 15 years. The two settings do a great job hitting that range of tones.

 

[Silent Sound]

I think a lot of it was Sharps Fuzz bass sounding like guitar. Massive.

This is what I was thinking too. Listen to the Return of the Rentals. It sounds more like Weezer to me than anything after Pinkerton ever did. Also, it's a great album and if you like Weezer and haven't heard it yet, you need to. Blows the Green album and everything after it out of the water.