'Stones tone on a budget

[TeeBird]

Decent guitar, any moderate crunch pedal and/or decent sounding-amp and NON-WIMPY strings. Then work on getting the rest of the sound with your touch and by dialing in your guitar setup and amp settings.

(Raising your action a little probably wouldn't hurt).

 

[scantron81]

Here is my Keef on a budget:

 

[polymolly]

That little SF drip edge Vibro Champ is the one mic'ed up in that photo... I wonder which songs it was used on...

Very cool photo polymolly!!!

It it! Actually, I've done something that I don't do nowadays, that is going to a website of a band.

And the stones now have lots of cool pics there. They even have a category for gear. Including pics of another cool amp that I'm trying to get my hands on, the only solid state I wish I had: the vox supreme. It's stones tone all the way!

 

[cousinpaul]

I heard Keith being interviewed on NPR's Fresh Air show the other day. He went on at some length about how he played an acoustic guitar through an overdriven tape recorder on Gimme Shelter and other hits of the day.

 

[polymolly]

I heard Keith being interviewed on NPR's Fresh Air show the other day. He went on at some length about how he played an acoustic guitar through an overdriven tape recorder on Gimme Shelter and other hits of the day.

I don't think that's the sound of Gimme Shelter, that sounds like electric & amp. On the other hand, those bell like guitar sounds on "street fighting man" were done in that manner. Other songs on beggar's banquet have that kind of sound (parachute woman).

 

[fezz parka]

Budget Stones = CV Tele and Champion 600. Well under 500 bucks.

 

[Alamo]

For Gimme Shelter, Keith most likely used a Triumph Silicon 100 amp with the tremelo effect and a Vox Supreme, all solid state.
so since everyone seems to only suggest valve amps - ss amps also work for you when on a budget and beeing authentic.

 

[polymolly]

For Gimme Shelter, Keith most likely used a Triumph Silicon 100 amp with the tremelo effect and a Vox Supreme, all solid state.
so since everyone seems to only suggest valve amps - ss amps also work for you when on a budget and beeing authentic.

I once heard a demo of a supreme. Amazing sound, and amazing effects! (tremolo, reverb, and fuzz - think Sympathy for the Devil)

There's one for sale where I live. The seller is asking for €450 for it. It is an awful cosmetic condition. I've been trying to lower the price, but the guy won't budge...

 

[Alex W]

Count me in the camp of any good amp and any decent guitar will get you the sound you want if you can play the song. I like fender tube amps and find that, while there may be subtle differences in tone between them, the good ones all have a basic flavor that is great. Gimme a Princeton Reverb, a Vibrolux, a Deluxe Reverb, etc and I can play rock music on it. The biggest difference is their volume. A Twin Reverb is going be extremely loud compared to his little brothers.

So to me, the answer is to score a fender tube amp within your budget. The Vibro Champ is a great one. The prices asked on eBay seem to be pretty high; I just scored one for a lot less than a typical Buy It Now price. Another good tube amp to be on the lookout for is the Musicmaster.

These amps won't necessarily produce the EXACT sound of the studio version of Gimme Shelter, but if you have the song down in terms of your playing you're gonna sound great. And to the extent that you don't sound like the Stones you'll sound like You. They were probably just trying to sound like one of their heroes anyway.

 

[eggman]

Howdy,

Johnny Crash & DMace have already said it: Champ or Vibro Champ. At home this Keith Richards disciple prefers a Les Paul Special (w/ P-90s) plugged into my '68 vibro Champ or Dr. Z Carmen Ghia. It's the Indian more than the arrow here..

 

[d_byrne23]

Thanks, I think I'm going to hold off on the Blues Junior for now. What about between a Vibro Champ and a Super Champ XD? I've played the SCXD and loved it but have not had a chance to play the Vibro, any major tonal differences? Sounds like the Champ 600 will not be the way to go judging by everyone's suggestions, thanks again guys

 

[Ronsonic]

I know a lot of guys play the SCXD and like it and I am a bit of a curmudgeon and retro-grouch, but it just isn't the instrument that a Vibro Champ or any other classic design is. ATMO, if you're going for classic sounds just use a classic instrument. Just don't see the point of trying to get a sound with something so completely unrelated to what was used originally.

Besides, even with a 30 year head start the SCXD will still end up in a landfill first.

 

[d_byrne23]

I know a lot of guys play the SCXD and like it and I am a bit of a curmudgeon and retro-grouch, but it just isn't the instrument that a Vibro Champ or any other classic design is. ATMO, if you're going for classic sounds just use a classic instrument. Just don't see the point of trying to get a sound with something so completely unrelated to what was used originally.

Besides, even with a 30 year head start the SCXD will still end up in a landfill first.

I understand that I am not going to get the "exact" tone that was used so many years ago, that was not the point of the thread. I was trying to gain opinions on what would be a good reliable amp (in my budget) that may come fairly close and sound good in it's own right with my tele. Thanks for your input

 

[fezz parka]

A Champ 600 is pretty much a SF Champ with SS rectifier. The tone stack is pure BF/SF with treble and bass preset as if you were on "5". The only thing that makes it sound a little small is the stock 6" speaker. Go with an 8, or better yet a pair of 10's and it just yodels.

 

[d_byrne23]

^is it hard to put the Champ 600 in a different housing? Like say make a 1x12 cab or something? Sorry I'm an amateur but if it's the speaker holding it back then it might make sense because I can get a Champ itself for around 100.