Flexi Clip

[Scott Peterson]

I don't like it when folks post clips on the Soundclip page and come down here to hype it, but... well there you are.

This is less a "listen to me" and more, well, here is what my rig sounds like recorded this way and encoded this way. And since I am more of an "everyman" player than some of the monsters that prowl that section, well....



Well, here you go.


Soundclick Page - click on "FlexiMelancon Clip"

The mp3 sounds like an MP3; but there you are.

Me - playing my Melancon Custom Artist "S" (chambered Swamp Ash, Koa Top, blocked Trem, maple/rosewood neck, WCR SR/SR/Goodwood S/S/H pickups) into the Flexi (Telefunken ECC83/Mullard CV4004, Telefunken ECC83; Svetlana CED EL-34's biased to 25mA) into the Hot Plate (-4db only) into the Guytron 212 Open Back with their Big Tone 55's. Mic'd on the grille with a SM57. No processing, no compression, no reverb, no sweetening.

I just wanted to show what you can do with the amp a touch; cleans into heavier stuff. Also to show how you can use the master volume defeat/enable as an effective boost for solos.

0:00 - 0:50 Neck pickup, No boost, no Master on the Flexi, only tweaks you hear are volume pot on guitar
0:50 - 1:00 neck and middle pickups
1:17 - 1:42 middle pickup
1:17 - 1:42 middle + bridge (not split)
1:42 - 2:31 Goodwood bridge
2:31 - 3:42 Boost on/Master on Flexi
3:43 - 3:58 Master off
3:58 - 5:03 Master on
5:03 - 5:19 Master off
5:19 ------> Master on

Just more of an "everyman" playing rather than the monsters doing their stuff here.

 

[Bryan T]

Originally posted by Scott Peterson
Me - playing my Melancon Custom Artist "S" (chambered Swamp Ash, Koa Top, blocked Trem, maple/rosewood neck, WCR SR/SR/Goodwood S/S/H pickups) into the Flexi (Telefunken ECC83/Mullard CV4004, Telefunken ECC83; Svetlana CED EL-34's biased to 25mA) into the Hot Plate (-4db only) into the Guytron 212 Open Back with their Big Tone 55's. Mic'd on the grille with a SM57. No processing, no compression, no reverb,no sweetening.

Yeah, but what pick and cables were you using? What was the temp and humidity.

Seriously, I think it sounds really good. I particularly like the bits where you let a chord sustain and keep picking the bass note. That really showed the character of the amp.

How loud was this? Ears ringing loud? Wife complaining loud? Did you have to pick things up that had fallen off of your shelves?

Cool amp!

Bryan

 

[Scott Peterson]

Originally posted by Bryan T
Yeah, but what pick and cables were you using? What was the temp and humidity.

Seriously, I think it sounds really good. I particularly like the bits where you let a chord sustain and keep picking the bass note. That really showed the character of the amp.

How loud was this? Ears ringing loud? Wife complaining loud? Did you have to pick things up that had fallen off of your shelves?

Cool amp!

Bryan

Pick is a Clayton .88; cables are all Bayou. 82 degrees F, 60% humidity (really!)

Very loud, even with the Hot Plate. Probably 105db at a yard away. Wife could have been screaming and I wouldn't know.... or care. I was working at home alone.

 

[ButchR]

Cool Scott. I wish you would be a little more exact with the info!

Does that Melancon guy know how to build a guitar or what!!

 

[Myron Stratis]

Sounds great Scott!

 

[Marcello]

sounds very good Scott, really dug the dynamics, great amp !

 

[Tag]

Nice playing and tones Scott!

How do you set the input gain before you start recording? Do you set it so that the red light blinks at the loudest point you will be playing? In other words, how do you keep your volume on your guitar low, then turn it up without overloading the heck out of the recorder? I could do that with my old tascam tape unit, but my Roland digital recorder clips like mad when I try it. Are you using a compressor?

 

[Scott Peterson]

Originally posted by Tag
Nice playing and tones Scott!

How do you set the input gain before you start recording? Do you set it so that the red light blinks at the loudest point you will be playing? In other words, how do you keep your volume on your guitar low, then turn it up without overloading the heck out of the recorder? I could do that with my old tascam tape unit, but my Roland digital recorder clips like mad when I try it. Are you using a compressor?

No compression, no limiting.

Simple, and just like you guessed. I set the level based on the hardest and loudest I am going to play; make sure I just barely get stay out of the "not safe zone" with my loudest tones; turn down and then just.... hit record. So when I go into the loudest stuff, it'll not redline. If you have a chance, look at the waveform. It is pretty surprising actually how low the clean tones are amplitude wise; but the ear is fooled into hearing volume based on the voicing of the amp.

The Flexi is wierd (though COOL!) for keeping lots of volume even though you turn down the guitar's volume pot; it turns down the gain, but not the volume. Strange, unique and very cool.

That is why I play with the clean tones and the master defeated; then when I go for the boosted higher gain thing, I just click the master "on" and it keeps the levels consistant. Then I can pop it off (like I did in the Filter tune there around 5:03) for solo volume "boost".

It just works well that way.

But recording wise; levels are extremely important, but simple.

 

[Tag]

Thanks Scott.
The flexi is a coll amp! Nice smooth overdrive which obviously I really like. I was impressed (and surprised) with the one I tried at Lark Street music.

I have to cheat with my recorder now. I set the gain the same way you do (red only at loudest) but then my tones are totally punchless. So I record even lower, then I use the "boost" function on playback and mixdown to get it to stand out. Problem is, it makes eveything sound a bit artificial.
Its still better than the wicked digital clipping I was getting before though. I can get nice and punchy with clipping, or no clipping, but dead as a door nail.

Nice timing in the clip. VERY hard to do with out a back beat of some sort. Good show!

 

[fyler]

wow, that's a really accurate clip of what the flexi sounds like! great job! i love my flexi.

 

[hipfan]

Nice sounds! Was that a little "Courage" by the Tragically Hip I heard sneaking in and out there?

 

[Scott Peterson]

Originally posted by hipfan
Nice sounds! Was that a little "Courage" by the Tragically Hip I heard sneaking in and out there?

You *know* it man. The Hip are my boyz! Huge fan. I usually get my rock cover bands to work in "The Luxury", "Courage" and my fave, "Grace Too". Fine band, fine songs. Incredible catalog of work from our Northern neighbors (to me anyway).

 

[hipfan]

Nice choices! My original/cover band just worked "Nautical Disaster" into the repetoire. I'm on vocals and Langlois guitar. I think it's no. 2 on the set list for tomorrow night's gig.

 

[Gearhead]

Just listened to your clip (via your Trutone cab thread suggestion).

Wow, great tones. Those Guytrons have more highs and lows than GBs. Is this the samy Guytron that makes the amps?

 

[Scott Peterson]

Originally posted by Gearhead
Just listened to your clip (via your Trutone cab thread suggestion).

Wow, great tones. Those Guytrons have more highs and lows than GBs. Is this the samy Guytron that makes the amps?

Yes it is the same Guytron. This is their new about to be released open back cab loaded with their new speakers on the clip; the speakers in the Trutone cab are the 35 watt versions. The ones you hear here are the 55 watt versions.

Thanks for the nice comments.

 

[Fretmaster]

Nice job Scott. I wish I would quit hearing all these great FLexi clips. It really makes it hard to stay on my downsizing mission.