Flexi Clip

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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).

 

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.