Glenn Pearce Tone Question

[GregS]

Hi all. I have a live concert DVD that I watch all the time because I love the guitar tone so much. The DVD is Michael W. Smith Live In Concert - A 20 Year Celebration. The guitar player is a guy named Glenn Pearce. The amp he has on stage is a /13 of some sort. At the /13 web site, Glenn is listed under the ERT 33 customers. Here's my question.

If you own an ERT 33, can you tell me if that amp is capable of such a great crunch tone on its own or do you need some kind of pedal to get there? I'm guessing that the amp is turned WAY up to get that tone. If not, please tell me. I can't stop thinking about that tone. However, if I can only get there by cranking the amp then there's no point.

Any insight on the ERT 33, and Glenn's tone would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Killcrop]

Danocaster?

 

[Mark Kane]

Not sure on the amp but I bet the fiddle was a Tyler classic.

 

[hansoloist]

If volume isn't an issue, you don't need a pedal at all with the ERT 33 to get great crunch and lead tones. I actually prefer the amp by itself for the best crunch tones...any pedal I've used seemed to alter things too much for my taste. Why try to improve on perfect, you know?

I think you'll find that most NMV amps in the 30 watt range get pretty damn loud before they give up their best crunch tones. Even in half power mode, the 33 is still a fire breather. Still, if you need to use pedals, I've found that the Joyride, Dyna-Ranger, Sommatone Overdrive, Hotcake and Fulldrive II work very nicely with the ERT 33.

peace
-jeff

 

[sparkle**]

Originally posted by GregS
Hi all. I have a live concert DVD that I watch all the time because I love the guitar tone so much. The DVD is Michael W. Smith Live In Concert - A 20 Year Celebration. The guitar player is a guy named Glenn Pearce. The amp he has on stage is a /13 of some sort. At the /13 web site, Glenn is listed under the ERT 33 customers. Here's my question.

If you own an ERT 33, can you tell me if that amp is capable of such a great crunch tone on its own or do you need some kind of pedal to get there? I'm guessing that the amp is turned WAY up to get that tone. If not, please tell me. I can't stop thinking about that tone. However, if I can only get there by cranking the amp then there's no point.

Any insight on the ERT 33, and Glenn's tone would be greatly appreciated!

Don't quote me but does Glenn use the sjt37?

 

[hansoloist]

Originally posted by sparkle**
Don't quote me but does Glenn use the sjt37?

I believe he owns both.

peace
-jeff

 

[GregS]

Here's the deal. Glenn's /13 amp and 2x12 cab are right behind him on stage. The amp is obviously on, but there's no microphone in front of the cab. That makes me wonder if he is really playing through the /13 or something else.

If you have the concert DVD, I'd like to know if the tone is really from a /13 amp or maybe something else.

 

[Ztone]

Originally posted by GregS
Here's the deal. Glenn's /13 amp and 2x12 cab are right behind him on stage. The amp is obviously on, but there's no microphone in front of the cab. That makes me wonder if he is really playing through the /13 or something else.

If you have the concert DVD, I'd like to know if the tone is really from a /13 amp or maybe something else.

I wondered the same thing. Maybe he has a 2nd cab offstage that's isolated and mic'd.

Someboday mentioned he was a Tyler player. He may very well play Tylers, but everything I've seen of him he's been playing an Anderson Cobra. If you take a look at MWS' last DVD, Worship, you'll see Glenn playing the Anderson through a Dr. Z Route 66. He gets some cool tones on that DVD as well.

I've really come to enjoy Glenn's playing after seeing him on these 2 discs, however, the highlight for me was when Will Owsley came on stage to play Lead Me On w/Amy Grant. He was playing an amazing Les Paul through, I believe, a Matchless. His tone was incredible! If you don't know much about Owsley, he has a couple of CDs of his own out that are really good. I highly recommend checking him out.

Jeff

 

[bigredhaus]

Hey guys,

Here's an email I received from Glenn's tech for the MWS tour last summer detailing Glenn's gear ...

"For the MWS tour . . .

Buddha Wah
Keeley Comp
Tonebone Classic
Analogman Chorus
Goodrich Volume Pedal
Mojo Vibe (he made sound amazing)
Boss DD-5 with Analog man mod (it was probably the hi-cut mod)
Small Tap pedal for DD-5
Nobels Tremelo Pedal
(not sure of the order of pedals except the nobels was last)



Divided By 13 amp....
Bad Cat Black Cat head
Div by 13 cab 2x12...(I think both were G12H30s)


He ran a red box, and later the little palmer (PDI-4) for a DI line
Then he had a little Pacific cab that was behind the stage that was mic'd up for the house...The div by 13 was mostly just for him to hear, and add a little sustain as they were trying to keep stage levels down.
We used to put his Pacific cab in a trunk and mic it....We did a show at Disney World where I didn't and it was pointing right at me for the whole show...We both agreed that it was the best tone we had all summer (I will not trunk his cab anymore), and it was a real treat for me...The man doesn't make a mistake, and is so relaxed and never in a hurry....Yet he totally burns when it calls for it. My favorite time of the night was listening to him cop the Dann Huff stuff on some of the older hits of Smith's.

He said that high end was not his friend and runs his amps pretty dark and he looks for darkness in his pedals too.....

The pro analog unit spent quite a bit of time on his board as well in place of the tonebone, but I think a switch may have gone bad.

He also spend a little time with one of the V-stack pedals...He had a few to check out, but I *think* he used the one that emulated more of a fender sound....I don't remember for sure, as he would come in and change his board after line check right before doors...

The keeley and tonebone were changed out for other pedals from time to time (most notably the proanalog and to a lesser degree the V-stack) ..

He also spent a spell with a sobbat phaser (II?) as well as a sobbat fuzz/octave pedal that he used for a few gigs...He had the AC and RC boosters in his bag, and I think I put one out when something went down right at set change from the opening act.. Also had an addrock electric smile that he used for a gig or two."


He did tell me that Glenn was selling the Cobra and getting a Tyler again. When I lived in LA I saw Glenn a number of times at Vineyard Music recording and it was always with a Tyler strat.


This post was from Glenn himself on the Paul Baloche board. It was before the MWS tour so obviously his gear had evolved already ...

"“My gear is constantly evolving (amps, guitars and effects). Also I don’t have exact settings for anything, because it always changes depending on the guitar and amp that’s being used, and who I’m playing for, style of music, the room or environment it’s in, etc. The general rule is to turn the knob until it sounds good to you.

“Right now my main overdrives are the Xotic AC-Booster for medium gain and either the MI Audio Tube Zone or Fulltone Distortion Pro for solos and heavier gain. I also love the Keeley Compressor for clean sounds, and sometimes I’ll use it to boost the distortions for solos.

“My setup is as follows:

Guitar into>
Keeley Compressor
Budda Wah (or Fulltone Wah)
Line 6 Modulation pedal (blue)
Xotic AC Booster
MI Audio Tube Zone (or Fulltone Dist Pro)
Boss DD-5 Delay
Fulltone Supa-Trem
>to AMP

“I use only tube amps. Really any decent tube amp will do. The ones I prefer are Groove Tubes, Bad Cat, Fender. Pick a tube amp that suits your style and budget.

“I use Jim Tyler Classic Strats, Tom Anderson Cobra models, and Gibson Les Paul’s.”


Scott

 

[Play by Tone]

Hmmm....MWS isn't someone I jump to listen to, but if the DVD is worth it for the tones, I might get it. Cool to hear about it. Thanks!

 

[DANOCASTER]

Most of what you wanted to know was already mentioned above but:

Glenn's a close friend of mine and a great guy. Also - a TOTAL gear slut but nothing is too dear and his gear changes ALL THE TIME !!

The Divided amps are usually what he uses LIVE (usually set a little dark) and usually pretty clean. Most of his gainier stuff is the Tube Zone. Frankly, I dont really like the pedal but it sounds great it his hands !! And then everything else is just pedals or combinations of pedals - COT-50,etc..but apparently he changes it show to show just to mix things up and have a little fun.

The Anderson Cobra is gone. I sold it for him on this board - along w/ his EL-84 Divided By head. He has the EL-34 model Divided and prefers the muscle of those tubes over the EL-34. His main guitars are still a Tyler strat, a Greenwich Village Inca Silver Tele ( which I sold him - like an idiot ) which now has a kinmans - and a Historic Goldtop

Last I saw him live the head was onstage behind him w/ a Pacific 1-12 backstage mic'd and it really wasnt all that loud - sounded GREAT though !!

But dont go buying the gear trying to sound like Glenn because I've seen him go thru TONS of gear and it always still sounds like Glenn- so maybe "that sound" is just GLENN himself , dig ??

 

[stealth]

Originally posted by DANOCASTER
Also - a TOTAL gear slut but nothing is too dear and his gear changes ALL THE TIME !!

Hey Dano...I resemble that remark!

A clarification: The only reason I sold the ERT was to get the KT-88 amp Fred is making. At the moment I prefer the SJT and more marshall sounding amps. Fred is an awesome guy if you ever get the chance to hang with him.

The Tyler strats are killer - I didn't take them on the road much because I left them at home for studio work. Jim just built me a new rosewood/alder strat that is unbelievable, the best one yet.

Thanks for the positive tone reviews guys. I'm a junkie just like everybody else here...

 

[Play by Tone]

BTW, so what I'm reading is that what you hear on the DVD is a Bad Cat?

 

[Gril Grissom]

DANOCASTER great advice and thanks for the post!

Thanks!

g

 

[sparkle**]

Originally posted by stealth
Hey Dano...I resemble that remark!

A clarification: The only reason I sold the ERT was to get the KT-88 amp Fred is making. At the moment I prefer the SJT and more marshall sounding amps. Fred is an awesome guy if you ever get the chance to hang with him.

The Tyler strats are killer - I didn't take them on the road much because I left them at home for studio work. Jim just built me a new rosewood/alder strat that is unbelievable, the best one yet.

Thanks for the positive tone reviews guys. I'm a junkie just like everybody else here...

I just bought a SJT37... did you ever you a ftr37? Just wondering how you would compare them? I also prefer the "marshall" sound hence why I picked up the SJT, I am looking to order the Rsa 23 soon....

 

[Luke Gibson]

I've really come to enjoy Glenn's playing after seeing him on these 2 discs, however, the highlight for me was when Will Owsley came on stage to play Lead Me On w/Amy Grant. He was playing an amazing Les Paul through, I believe, a Matchless. His tone was incredible! If you don't know much about Owsley, he has a couple of CDs of his own out that are really good. I highly recommend checking him out.

Will Owsley is a friend of mine from way back, he is a monster player. Do yourself a favor and check him out...... Last time I saw him he was using a '60's plexi head that he converted into a 2-12 Bluesbreaker combo with V30's.

 

[GregS]

Originally posted by Ztone
I've really come to enjoy Glenn's playing after seeing him on these 2 discs, however, the highlight for me was when Will Owsley came on stage to play Lead Me On w/Amy Grant. He was playing an amazing Les Paul through, I believe, a Matchless. His tone was incredible! If you don't know much about Owsley, he has a couple of CDs of his own out that are really good. I highly recommend checking him out.

Jeff

I enjoy that song too. I agree that the Les Paul looks awsome. I have been wanting to learn that song and now that I can see it played live, I have run out of excuses.

 

[hansoloist]

Originally posted by sparkle**
I just bought a SJT37... did you ever you a ftr37? Just wondering how you would compare them? I also prefer the "marshall" sound hence why I picked up the SJT, I am looking to order the Rsa 23 soon....

Sparkle, don't you live about 20 minutes from Fred's shop? Why not just go over there and play everything for yourself?

peace
-jeff

 

[sparkle**]

Originally posted by hansoloist
Sparkle, don't you live about 20 minutes from Fred's shop? Why not just go over there and play everything for yourself?

peace
-jeff

More like 45 or hour with our traffic...
I have played many of them or heard them... Just not the rsa 23, I heard the sjt for about minute or so... Fred is busy enough without me showing up to "demo" some amps... It is cool to hear someone else describe amps...

 

[hansoloist]

Originally posted by sparkle**
More like 45 or hour with our traffic...
I have played many of them or heard them... Just not the rsa 23, I heard the sjt for about minute or so... Fred is busy enough without me showing up to "demo" some amps... It is cool to hear someone else describe amps...

Man, I'd be over there once a week if I were that close to Fred. I would even ask him to take me on as an apprentice. How cool it would be to learn the craft from a master.

peace
-jeff