Eric Johnson Violin Tone Updates?

[tinkercity]

I posted this in another EJ thread.

Pedals are at :18 secs

WOW!

 

[Slow Graffiti]

See here's the problem I'm experiencing. Seems like every one of these Eric Johnson violin tone pedals comes out, and is discontinued within a few years.

Dover Drive seems to be discontinued, either temporarily or permanently. Meanwhile there are two for sale used on Reverb, one in Canada for local pickup - I'm in Texas - and one for $269.

Dover Drives are listed fairly frequently at reasonable prices ($100-$200), but sell just as fast. The one hanging around is hanging around because of the reason you aren’t buying. $269 is an exorbitant price.

In case you did not know, search for it, then click “Follow” above the search results. This will put each newly listed one on the front page of the app.

You can also see sold pedals (for frequency and trending price line) by filtering search results with “Show Only” > “Sold Listings.”

I think you can get a decent EJ lead tone from the left side of the Xotic BB Plus as well.

 

[Guitar Dave T]

Nope, fuzz face is always in the "dirty rhythm" chain and never used with the tube driver. It's EP-3-Tube Driver-Marshall.

Funny that the echoplex preceded the Tube Driver when that kinda bucks the effects loop common wisdom.

I mean I get it that the old EP's had a natural boost that, when placed before the Tube Driver, added compression without flattening out and squashing the amp's dynamic range with a compressor - I've used an EP Booster the same way in front of dirt pedals or just a good dirty amp.

But it's amazing how Eric always got a great delay tone with that Echoplex placed not only before the amp's natural overdrive, but also before the OD pedal.

Knowing this, I've got some pedals laying around I'd like to experiment with in this order: EP Boost > either a Zen Drive, AC Booster or SL Drive > El Capistan echoplex clone > Mild Gain 50w Plexi with PPIMV set for living room volume.

Who knows?

 

[Guitar Dave T]

Dover Drives are listed fairly frequently at reasonable prices ($100-$200), but sell just as fast. The one hanging around is hanging around because of the reason you aren’t buying. $269 is an exorbitant price.

In case you did not know, search for it, then click “Follow” above the search results. This will put each newly listed one on the front page of the app.

You can also see sold pedals (for frequency and trending price line) by filtering search results with “Show Only” > “Sold Listings.”

I think you can get a decent EJ lead tone from the left side of the Xotic BB Plus as well.

Good tips, thanks.

I had a Jetter Gain Stage Blue that really came close on lower-gain settings, pushing a low gain set tube amp just over the edge.

The Blue had a lot of Zen Drive DNA, just a whole lot more, so if my Zen Drive pedal experiment works, I might pickup a J Rockett "The Dude", which I understand to be capable of Zen-On-Steroids tones.

 

[tochiro]

I'm sure EJ sounds like himself even with his guitar unplugged. Gear is never the answer. Work is.

 

[Stressfest]

Gain stage blue was a great approximation of that tone.

 

[Demioblue]

The MXR FET Drive also works as a TD styled pedal that's more EJ tuned than Gilmour. It's definitely easier to find than the Dover Drive.

 

[Sammo]

Good tips, thanks.

I had a Jetter Gain Stage Blue that really came close on lower-gain settings, pushing a low gain set tube amp just over the edge.

The Blue had a lot of Zen Drive DNA, just a whole lot more, so if my Zen Drive pedal experiment works, I might pickup a J Rockett "The Dude", which I understand to be capable of Zen-On-Steroids tones.

I actually have Jetter GSB and The Dude on my board - love them both, but I think the are not that close related. But - I tried to get The Dude to sound like GSB set how I prefer it (dark and too loud, haha) and it was actually really, really close. I’m running them into clean amp (Two Rock Studio Pro 35). They can both do EJ/violin type thing but Jetter has some fuzz qualities I like. But The Dude does other things that GSB does not offer.

E: Low quality iPhone clip added: Prs DGT -> OD -> Ventris reverb - Ditto looper -> Amp (everything else bypassed). First phrase GSB, second The Dude.

 

[Humble Texan Fan]

If you’re going to use a Plexi, something that is often overlooked is how Eric dials in his Marshall. Bass cranked, Treble/Presence basically off and Mids dialed to taste, and jumper the channels. You can find it online. Start there and then add a smooth.. ish drive pedal, like a Suhr Shiba drive, Xotic AC, Wampler Euphoria, etc... and then delay. He keeps the drive quite low on his Butler Tube Driver. If playing a single coil guitar, roll the tone down to 7 and you’ll be close enough for Rock n’ Roll...

Treble and bass almost rolled back completely since bass only creates mud - same thing with the Tube Driver. Presence is usually rather low as well.

Yes and he does use the TD with a 12AU7 installed.

 

[Humble Texan Fan]

I'm sure EJ sounds like himself even with his guitar unplugged. Gear is never the answer. Work is.

Smooth yet complex breakup can be rather tricky to find though. And often tone and feel inspire us to a certain style.

 

[Humble Texan Fan]

The MXR FET Drive also works as a TD styled pedal that's more EJ tuned than Gilmour. It's definitely easier to find than the Dover Drive.

I only wish for it to be tighter in the lows and easier to dial in. Probably it's based on the same fundamental design as the Fulltone Fat Boost, which I keep forgetting the origins of.

 

[Humble Texan Fan]

My contribution would have to be rather off-beat and I use it more for for rhythm than anything else - yes: my lead is more complex than that.

At 7:15 things are getting quite interesting.

 

[Auditory Driving]

I have a 3 knob tube driver but it s way too bassy. I had an mxr fet driver and it was one of the few pedals i ve sold, hard to dial in and the bass was again either too much or non existent - of course ymmv. I ve built a dover drive and it s pretty good but if you can get your amp cooking it s an overkill.

And i agree with @TheSpricket , i think he makes some valid points when it comes to recreating the sound and feel of the ej tone and not the rig per se: for home use, a good fuzz face (i ve built multiple bc183 a la ej specs), a nice analog delay and a cooking amp with lots of mids is the closest you can get to ej's tone without going insane.

A fuzz face is the key for getting that violin tone easily povided that you can get your amp dirty. Plus, a fuzz face is very much fun to play (maybe it s the greatest pedal experience as far as drive pedals go) and you can get all sorts of sounds out of it. Add a switch for the input cap to dial in the bass and you re all set.

I only wish i could play even a bit like ej

My 2 cents, ymmv, imho and so on

 

[Daytona57]

My contribution would have to be rather off-beat and I use it more for for rhythm than anything else - yes: my lead is more complex than that.

At 7:15 things are getting quite interesting.

The Way Huge Swollen Pickle, is capable of lot of sounds. I keep one adjusted for brown sound.

The Fat Sandwich, can get a range of sounds from low gain, syrupy lead and distortion.

These pedals require alot of patience and knob twisting, but if you persevere, you will find what you're looking for.

YMMV

 

[Datsyuk]

WOW!

Because if your “WOW”...I actually watched the video...and I concur...”WOW@ is right!!

 

[Echoplexi]

I’m pretty sure Eric uses the Ei 12ax7 in his tube drivers, but I preferred a 12au7 in mine. I forget which make I settled on. Both EQs and gain set low into a Marshall and ep3 got it pretty close. The picking/touch is a big thing. Having the strat bridge pickup wired to the tone and set just right too

I’ve had decent luck with an older barber direct drive for that tone too

 

[ruger9]

Don't forget (not yet mentioned):

The Dunlop red jazz picks. They soften high end.

and +1 on the post about his picking technique. Go watch that video.

 

[buzzard blues bird]

Do they make those picks in the standard size using the same material? They are just too small for me .

 

[Kevy_Metal]

The Way Huge Swollen Pickle, is capable of lot of sounds. I keep one adjusted for brown sound.

The Fat Sandwich, can get a range of sounds from low gain, syrupy lead and distortion.

These pedals require alot of patience and knob twisting, but if you persevere, you will find what you're looking for.

YMMV

Agreed. I'm very happy with both of them, but I had to really put in the time to dial in what I wanted to hear. In both cases, totally worth it, especially with the Fat Sandwich. Had the black version years ago and couldn't bond with it. Picked up the gold version last year and tweaked it until I found what I was looking for. I was using it this morning and it was just pure violin tone.

 

[p.j.]

Most of it is technique not pedals really.

I love your house. What hammer did your carpenter use?