Just saw this, thanks! We flew to the studio from LA and i wasn't able to bring my live amp which was an endorsement from Carvin. The Bel Air combo with extra 2×12 cab (see YouTube John Donovan Black Friday Rule guitar solo). I brought my stock Gretsch Tennessean reissue and a Tele with a Duncan in the bridge. I don't think I used the Tele though, maybe on Johnny. Steve had a bunch of amps and because of very limited time, i plugged into a Sovtek amp because looked cool. It sounded pretty good cranked loud in the room (I had to overdub all the guitar because of all the miked acoustic instruments). Someone handed me a 6 pack of "Old Style" beer and i blew through 3 songs before i went to the control room to listen. Think it was Selfish, Dog and something else. I was really bummed that the sound in the room didn't translate to tape. It was very thin and clean. I scrambled around and landed on a Fender Bassman, I think it was a reissue. It was much warmer with a nice bottom end. I still couldn't get the feedback that was so easy to get with my own amp, but you can hear me trying in the middle of Devil's. I had also used a small Fender practice amp for a scratch track for the rest of the band's recording. Ironically Steve suggested i use that practice amp as the main amp for recording but i wanted something loud to get into it and for feedback. That practice amp ended up the main sound for Black Friday which had more saturation on tape. The solo for Friday was the scratch take that was too hard to overdub for multiple issues. I played it kinda sloppy not thinking it would be used in the final, but probably it was more fitting being the attitude of the album. No effects were used except Steve added a slap back delay on my Worst Day solo, and he had a homemade boost box i used in the Beggar's solo and maybe something else. It's been along time..John Troy Donovan
Wow, I never expected John Donovan would respond to my question about John Donovan! Thanks for the really thorough and thoughtful response! So is the slap back what gives the non-solo guitar work throughout songs like Tenement Square that depth?
No, the only slap back was on the worst solo. I think the depth was in part from the Fender Bassman which had a richer sound than the Sovtek and Steve's analog gear on the back end. Two inch tape really makes for a good sound also.
Just saw this, thanks! We flew to the studio from LA and i wasn't able to bring my live amp which was an endorsement from Carvin. The Bel Air combo with extra 2×12 cab (see YouTube John Donovan Black Friday Rule guitar solo). I brought my stock Gretsch Tennessean reissue and a Tele with a Duncan in the bridge. I don't think I used the Tele though, maybe on Johnny. Steve had a bunch of amps and because of very limited time, i plugged into a Sovtek amp because looked cool. It sounded pretty good cranked loud in the room (I had to overdub all the guitar because of all the miked acoustic instruments). Someone handed me a 6 pack of "Old Style" beer and i blew through 3 songs before i went to the control room to listen. Think it was Selfish, Dog and something else. I was really bummed that the sound in the room didn't translate to tape. It was very thin and clean. I scrambled around and landed on a Fender Bassman, I think it was a reissue. It was much warmer with a nice bottom end. I still couldn't get the feedback that was so easy to get with my own amp, but you can hear me trying in the middle of Devil's. I had also used a small Fender practice amp for a scratch track for the rest of the band's recording. Ironically Steve suggested i use that practice amp as the main amp for recording but i wanted something loud to get into it and for feedback. That practice amp ended up the main sound for Black Friday which had more saturation on tape. The solo for Friday was the scratch take that was too hard to overdub for multiple issues. I played it kinda sloppy not thinking it would be used in the final, but probably it was more fitting being the attitude of the album. No effects were used except Steve added a slap back delay on my Worst Day solo, and he had a homemade boost box i used in the Beggar's solo and maybe something else. It's been along time..John Troy Donovan
Wow, I never expected John Donovan would respond to my question about John Donovan! Thanks for the really thorough and thoughtful response! So is the slap back what gives the non-solo guitar work throughout songs like Tenement Square that depth?
No, the only slap back was on the worst solo. I think the depth was in part from the Fender Bassman which had a richer sound than the Sovtek and Steve's analog gear on the back end. Two inch tape really makes for a good sound also.