Schecter or Fender on Sultans - Alchemy Live?

[JF]

I don't think that the Schecter vs Fender guitar is the key of the problem, I'd rather look on the amps he played on this tour.

totally agree. You can hear the difference of tones between LOG and BIA tours for example, and he plays almost the same guitars, but with different effect-setup-amps.
I always thought that 75% of a guitarist's tone comes mostly from amps-effects (and production in studio) and that the guitar difference is sometimes more subtle.

Of course, you can hear difference between a LP and  a strat, but the overall tone comes from what is after the guitar in the sound chain imho

[Silvertown]

Guitar playing is amazing on Alchemy, but the guitar tone is not my favorite one.
I don't think that the Schecter vs Fender guitar is the key of the problem, I'd rather look on the amps he played on this tour.

That´s true. However, F500T microphones have very distinctive sound compared to standard mics from Fender.

[dmg]

Guitar playing is amazing on Alchemy, but the guitar tone is not my favorite one.
I don't think that the Schecter vs Fender guitar is the key of the problem, I'd rather look on the amps he played on this tour.

I agree on all points.

[dustyvalentino]

Guitar playing is amazing on Alchemy, but the guitar tone is not my favorite one.
I don't think that the Schecter vs Fender guitar is the key of the problem, I'd rather look on the amps he played on this tour.

While the amp is indeed important, the guitar is always the most important part of the gear

So what do tou think would sound better - MK playing a cheap Squier Strat and Epiphone Les Paul through his normal live rig, or playing his normal burst and Fender Sigs through a cheap solid state Marshall amp?

[jakehadlee]

Guitar playing is amazing on Alchemy, but the guitar tone is not my favorite one.
I don't think that the Schecter vs Fender guitar is the key of the problem, I'd rather look on the amps he played on this tour.

While the amp is indeed important, the guitar is always the most important part of the gear

I'm going to have to disagree - a well set up guitar with decent pickups is all you need, the amp and effects are by far the biggest influence on sound (leaving aside the player of course)

Personally, I don't think MK ever sounded better than on Alchemy

[ds1984]

Everything is important from Mark's fingers to our ears.

[herlock]

Guitar playing is amazing on Alchemy, but the guitar tone is not my favorite one.
I don't think that the Schecter vs Fender guitar is the key of the problem, I'd rather look on the amps he played on this tour.

Yes, love Alchemy but I slightly prefer the sweeter overdrive and synth from the BIA tour. TOL for instance is sweeter, Alchemy tone sounds a bit rough. Still Sultans is better rough than sweet IMHO.

Nothing is perfect, BIA tour also came with overused keyboards and overdriven-to-death drums which were ugly. Alchemy is more sober and probably aged better.
TR is amazing but a bit short and rough - I prefer the 96,01,and 05 versions with the pensa.

[JF]

I'm going to have to disagree - a well set up guitar with decent pickups is all you need, the amp and effects are by far the biggest influence on sound (leaving aside the player of course)

100% agree  (an that's excatly what I said in my previous post  )

Personally, I don't think MK ever sounded better than on Alchemy

yes quite agree, but I think that he sounded also at his best during 77-79 era

[JF]

Guitar playing is amazing on Alchemy, but the guitar tone is not my favorite one.
I don't think that the Schecter vs Fender guitar is the key of the problem, I'd rather look on the amps he played on this tour.

That´s true. However, F500T microphones have very distinctive sound compared to standard mics from Fender.

Yes but since 1981 the red schecter didn't have the F500T pickups anymore, it had the seymour duncan SSL-1 instead
(it had the original pickups in late 80, for example in Dortmund)

http://www.mk-guitar.com/mark-knopfler-gear-database/schecter-dream-machine-red-1980/


therefore, the sound on Once upon a time, expresso, sultans, twisting, portobello, going home is NOT the schecter distinctive sound, but rather close to Fender stock PUs

the sound on TOL and TR comes from F500T pickups though

[JF]

1) fingers
2) guitar
3) amp
4) delay
5) other effects

I think we are talking about slightly different aspects here.

of course, like Guy always answers, "it's all in the fingers", if we are talking about style, inspiration, "sound" in "artistic" term so to say.
of course the guitarist gives the original vibration to the neck and strings with his vibrato, his mind, his heart, etc...

BUT, in my opinion, the discussion was more about the difference in "electronic" sound, the "technical tone" I may say, regarding the gear, and in this case I think that amps and effects is by far more important than the guitar.

[/quote]

So what do tou think would sound better - MK playing a cheap Squier Strat and Epiphone Les Paul through his normal live rig, or playing his normal burst and Fender Sigs through a cheap solid state Marshall amp?

I think that obviously the 1st configuration would sound by far the best. the sound "body" comes first from the amp, and if itis cheap, the best PU and wood from the guitar won't sound the best you want.
On the contrary, weak pickups can be enhanced by effects and amps, I think


To illustrate that the amp is more promeminent in the overall tone than the guitar, here are some examples in Mark different eras :


1) going home/ freeway flyer. why worry / money that matters.
the same guitar but obvisously not the same sound

2) sultans live 91-92 or 96 / MFN or heavy fuel live 91-92
exactly same example : the same guitar, but totally different sound, from amps and effects

3) true love will never fade / seattle / the fizzy and the still
3 different guitars with different pUs (teisco / strat /gretsch) but almost the same sound, probably due to the tone king / reverb....

4) MFN live 85 / live 86
Les paul / steinberger
the sound is not THAT different, because of the same setup


I guess that we, guitar freaks can hear the subbtle differnece between different guitars, but mots of public hear first the difference in the overall tone produced by amps/effects

[herlock]

Guitar playing is amazing on Alchemy, but the guitar tone is not my favorite one.
I don't think that the Schecter vs Fender guitar is the key of the problem, I'd rather look on the amps he played on this tour.

Yes, love Alchemy but I slightly prefer the sweeter overdrive and synth from the BIA tour. TOL for instance is sweeter, Alchemy tone sounds a bit rough. Still Sultans is better rough than sweet IMHO.

Nothing is perfect, BIA tour also came with overused keyboards and overdriven-to-death drums which were ugly. Alchemy is more sober and probably aged better.
TR is amazing but a bit short and rough - I prefer the 96,01,and 05 versions with the pensa.

Re TR from Alchemy, I think the sound of the remixed version is spectacular.

When you say remix, do you mean the blu Ray or the MFN compilation ?

[JF]

MFN compilation, completely different sound

yes I agree that the mix on the MFN comp is great : you can hear Joop de korte's percussion at the beginning, Hal's guitar has been removed during the quiet solo, because he was a bit detuned, etc... but I miss the beginning and especially the ending that is so great on Alchemy imho