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doomboy
- FB Fan -
15 Posts |
 Posted - 09/25/2003 : 04:21:02
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Anyone ehre be able to tell me what kind of guitars Frank used when in the Pixies? A "special prize" to anyone who can.
Luv, Ash xxx
Oh. My. Golly. Could I <i>BE</i> any more alternative? |
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Scarla O
= Cult of Ray =
United Kingdom
947 Posts |
Posted - 09/25/2003 : 04:21:34
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I thought he used telecasters no? |
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doomboy
- FB Fan -
15 Posts |
Posted - 09/25/2003 : 04:25:39
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Wow, that was quick.
So was it just telecasters? I'm not a particularly musical person. I sing in a band but thats it. I was hoping to start learning how to play, to do a bit of rhythm playing, and I've been looking at my heroes guitars, to see which would be a good one to buy.
Luv, Ash xxx
Tell me Frank, how exactly DOES lemur skin reflect the sea? |
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Scarla O
= Cult of Ray =
United Kingdom
947 Posts |
Posted - 09/25/2003 : 04:45:16
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I don't know if it was just telecasters - there are probably other people around here that can give you a more precise answer - but that's the impression i got.
I've never played a telecaster before though - i've got a Patrick Eggle New York which I'd certainly recommend. |
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Sheamus
= Cult of Ray =
Australia
345 Posts |
Posted - 09/25/2003 : 05:36:51
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I don't know much about guitars, but Telecasters are great, cheap all round rock guitars.
Two of my favourite musicians ever used primarily Telecasters. These people being Frank Black and Joe Strummer. If that's all they need to make brilliant music, it's all I'm ever going to need (though my music is far from great).
I'm buying one when I have the spare cash lying around. My current guitar is a piece of shit. Telecasters ahoy.
_________________
NATURE'S TIME IS CUBIC AND PERPETUAL. LINEAR TIME IS WRONG AND SUICIDAL |
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doomboy
- FB Fan -
15 Posts |
Posted - 09/25/2003 : 05:50:38
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Strummer! Definitely gonna look into getting a telecaster now. I knew that's what he played, but I wasn't sure about Frank.
The Clash are by far and away one of my favourite bands. Even their remix album was amazing (Super Black market Clash)
Luv, Ash xxx
Tell me Frank, how exactly DOES lemur skin reflect the sea? |
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pixie punk
> Teenager of the Year <
2923 Posts |
Posted - 09/25/2003 : 07:10:29
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| The answer to your question can be found in Alec Eiffel,The French Pixies Page: membres.lycos.fr/alec (Check the instruments and equipment section).I collaborated with them for the Spanish section and Lyric translations. |
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WolfManMikeLonely
= Cult of Ray =
USA
936 Posts |
Posted - 09/25/2003 : 08:58:26
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I believe in the Pixies he played a tele that had two humbuckers in it and in that case the closest you'll come to what he played in that era is a Custom Telecaster FMT Musicians Friend has them listed at $629.99 but with a little looking into on EBay you can probably find it for half that. They look like decent guitars and the guitar player in my ground has talked about picking one up himself. It looks like now Frank is probably playing a vintage tele so if you're strapped for money you might just want to look into a Standard Telecaster as they're only about $350, but let me tell you, you can usually tell where that extra money went in how much better the guitar plays... You should also take into account that the sound you're looking for has a lot to do with what kind of amp and effects you decide on.
"Hey fuck you if you don't like it."
-Johnny Thunders |
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Douglas
= Cult of Ray =
Sweden
308 Posts |
Posted - 09/25/2003 : 10:22:36
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quote:
Originally posted by WolfManMikeLonely
a tele that had two humbuckers in it
Yeah, so if you're trying to get the same sound as he had in Pixies, most teles wont do it, since they usually come with single coils. If the sounds isn't that important to you and you just want a cool guitar, then buy a tele! |
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Homers_pet_monkey
= Official forum monkey =
United Kingdom
17125 Posts |
Posted - 09/25/2003 : 11:00:20
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I would wager a fair amount that the sound you are after is the sound that Joey is actually producing. It's his distinctive guitar sound that stands out in pretty much ALL the Pixie's songs.
He used a few different guitars but mainly he used a Les Paul Gold Top that he borrowed from Kim. Apparantly he removed the humbucker covers to allow dust to settle on them. This apparantly helped produce his very distinctive sound.
However I must warn you that a genuine Les Paul Gold Top costs a couple of thousand pounds. You may wanna go to Harmony Central and check out peoples reviews of the various copies around. Some are said to be excellent and a hell of a lot cheaper. Les Paul have always over-priced their guitars, believeing their name is worth the extra cash, which is of course a load of b*******.
That said Telecasters are excellent guitars anyway. Personally these two guitars are two of my favourite along with the Fender Jaguar which produces a distinctive surf guitar sound. Joey used them occasionally but they are heavily used in the underground scene of past and present. Perhaps their most famous exponent was the late, great Mr Kurt Cobain. I do believe the Original Cecilia Ann by The Surftones was played on a Jaguar/Jazzmaster (virtually the same guitar) and the Pixies cover was probably also played using one. That's the kind of sound they produce.
Happy shopping!!!
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Edited by - Homers_pet_monkey on 09/25/2003 11:03:11 |
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WolfManMikeLonely
= Cult of Ray =
USA
936 Posts |
Posted - 09/25/2003 : 11:11:13
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Yeah Joey's guitar sound is more important to the Pixies I'd say then Frank's, I'll agree with that. Once again though that Custom Telecaster FMT is pretty much identical to what Frank Black was playing in all the footage I've seen from back then. Generally I'd say it's better to start with a Fender than a Les Paul especially if you're new to guitar they're cheaper and for the most part always seem to be a good investment.
"Hey fuck you if you don't like it."
-Johnny Thunders |
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massif snake
= Cult of Ray =
United Kingdom
282 Posts |
Posted - 09/25/2003 : 12:20:48
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i read in some biography that joey wanted to use tele's but frank beat him to it-that was probably for the good of the pixies in hindsight.
have sex with the nuns at my school. |
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Brackish Girl
~ Soul Eater ~
Ireland
1750 Posts |
Posted - 09/25/2003 : 12:32:23
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did anyone mention his martin accoustic? did he play any other semi/accoustic geets?
 "In the Cult of Frank / i will eat you soul...heh." |
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misleadtheworld
* Dog in the Sand *
United Kingdom
1222 Posts |
Posted - 09/25/2003 : 12:36:00
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Frank played a mustang on allison...well, at least, he does on the video to allison. an all white one of course. *mmm* mustang.
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Doog
* Dog in the Sand *
United Kingdom
1220 Posts |
Posted - 09/25/2003 : 14:30:14
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'Spose being in a tribute band, I should share my knowledge.
Fender Contemporary Telecaster in off-white. I have one, it's neat.
http://www.angelfire.com/space/nimrods-son/livepix/gz8.jpg
Vintage Tele (blonde) and Jag(vintage white), Jag only used in the studio.
Fender Mustang in sonic blue, used live in the Bossanova/TLM era.
A few semi-acoustics used on the last few tours, Gibson I think, not sure on the models. Big fat mothers.
Washburn Festival electro-acoustic as in the Here Comes Your Man vid... and a non-cutaway Martin. |
Edited by - Doog on 09/25/2003 14:44:26 |
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misleadtheworld
* Dog in the Sand *
United Kingdom
1222 Posts |
Posted - 09/25/2003 : 14:48:06
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Wow, where did you get that tele from Doog?
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Doog
* Dog in the Sand *
United Kingdom
1220 Posts |
Posted - 09/25/2003 : 22:54:15
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| Ebay, it was originally a gross pinky/red colour, but I got it refinished.. |
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doomboy
- FB Fan -
15 Posts |
Posted - 09/28/2003 : 08:32:20
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Such wonderful, wonderful people... My precious little sex-muffins! I adore you all.
Luv, Ash xxx
Tell me Frank, how exactly DOES lemur skin reflect the sea? |
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spoon
- FB Fan -
45 Posts |
Posted - 10/20/2003 : 09:30:15
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Ok, so I am late on this one....
BF played/plays a Tele mostly. Sometimes a strat (besides the occasional acoustic). Both have different sounds but overlap on alot of them. Both are long scale, bolt-on neck, solid-bodied (thin) guitars...using single coil (signature sound) and humbucker pickups. That is the Fender sound.
In the early days BF was quite a fan of the Japanese made Tele/Strats, in which he removed the "whammy" bar but kept the mechanism. (If you have ever seen him play Caribou, you will have seen him grab the bridge and bend the E chord at the end of the second section of the intro).
These are great guitars often surpassing the quality of the American made Fenders of that era. Quite cheap on ebay nowadays ($200-$400).
As an aside, the Pixies sound cannot be soley allocated to Joey's guitar. While integral, it needs to be balance with BF's Fender.
They are two distinct sounds.
Joey's LP is a short-scale rosewood necked, mohagany solid body guitar with "hot" humbuckers. A darker, thicker sound with great sustain. (The pickup covers were removed but the sound difference is not from dust settling on them, its from exposing the windings...).
He put this thru a JCM900 and a Pierce (custom solid-state amp!). Good heavy distortion with plenty of reverb.
Francis' sound is a long-scale mapel necked, ashed bodied guitar with both single coil and humbucker pickups thru a VOX or JCM800...a much crunchier mid-range distortion when heavy and twangier when clean.
A great example of the two distortion sounds at work are very clear on Gouge Away. Stereo separation clearly defines both guitars, with BF's on the left and Joey's on the right. At the end of the song when they are really rockin' you can hear BF's guitar almost overpowering Joey's.
Which guitar to get as a first....depends on where your interests sway. Country clean to country twain to cruchy midrange distortion....Fender.
Jazzy, milky clean to round bluesy breakup to full on thick solid distortion....Gibson.
Oh, and remember these are the two archtypes....there are a myriad of spinoffs that mimic these general sounds and mixtures of them.
Have fun,
spoon |
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Cult_Of_Frank
= Black Noise Maker =
Canada
11690 Posts |
Posted - 10/20/2003 : 09:38:58
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Great name, BTW, I love Spoon more than I love taffy. And I'm a man who loves his taffy...
Now if I could just get them to play western Canada/Saskatoon, I'd be set.
"Join the Cult of Frank / And you'll be enlightened" |
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spoon
- FB Fan -
45 Posts |
Posted - 10/20/2003 : 14:34:36
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funny, many think my name is based off the band....I have never heard anything by them (though I will the way people speak of them). It is from The Tic....if anyone is familiar with the comics....it is his battle cry...
_SPOOOOOOON!_
regards,
spoon |
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Cult_Of_Frank
= Black Noise Maker =
Canada
11690 Posts |
Posted - 10/20/2003 : 15:27:50
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You'd better check them out or change your name then. :)
That's an interestig battle cry to say the least. Maybe HE'S heard of them...
"Join the Cult of Frank / And you'll be enlightened" |
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mark t
- FB Fan -
USA
40 Posts |
Posted - 10/20/2003 : 15:45:58
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quote:
Originally posted by Doog
'Spose being in a tribute band, I should share my knowledge.
Fender Contemporary Telecaster in off-white. I have one, it's neat.
http://www.angelfire.com/space/nimrods-son/livepix/gz8.jpg
Vintage Tele (blonde) and Jag(vintage white), Jag only used in the studio.
Fender Mustang in sonic blue, used live in the Bossanova/TLM era.
A few semi-acoustics used on the last few tours, Gibson I think, not sure on the models. Big fat mothers.
Washburn Festival electro-acoustic as in the Here Comes Your Man vid... and a non-cutaway Martin.
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mark t
- FB Fan -
USA
40 Posts |
Posted - 10/20/2003 : 15:47:26
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he also used an ovationquote:
Originally posted by Doog
'Spose being in a tribute band, I should share my knowledge.
Fender Contemporary Telecaster in off-white. I have one, it's neat.
http://www.angelfire.com/space/nimrods-son/livepix/gz8.jpg
Vintage Tele (blonde) and Jag(vintage white), Jag only used in the studio.
Fender Mustang in sonic blue, used live in the Bossanova/TLM era.
A few semi-acoustics used on the last few tours, Gibson I think, not sure on the models. Big fat mothers.
Washburn Festival electro-acoustic as in the Here Comes Your Man vid... and a non-cutaway Martin.
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PixieSteve
> Teenager of the Year <
Poland
4698 Posts |
Posted - 10/21/2003 : 14:22:22
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quote:
Originally posted by Doog
Ebay, it was originally a gross pinky/red colour, but I got it refinished..
I went and did a bit of research and found this...!
Price Paid: £275 (sterling) used
Purchased from: N/A
eBay, private sale
Features: 8
Same spec as the others, although I have the dual humbucker model. Not sure on the exact year of production, but its Japanese, old and kinda pink. I guess it could be Burgundy Mist thats yellowed or something. It's gonna be refinished soon anyways..
2 buckers, both coilsplit-able. Volume, tone, tremelo bridge, 3-way switch. What more can you want??
Sound: 9
I play in a Pixies tribute band, and hey, this is the same guitar Black Francis used! I took off the locking nut and added a string tree (like Black did), which keeps things a lot more simple, especially for live work. Obviously it gets the Pixies sound spot on.
And then some. (Both pickups coilsplit, for any Pixies fans)
I'm also involved in originals projects, and the guitar is flexible enough to meet most of my needs. Since the coilsplit feature splits to the outer coil of each pickup, the bridge is super trebley and thwacky, much like a Jaguar, making it excellent for surf.
Big meaty middly bridge humbucker, smooth bluesy neck bucker. Love it.
Its definately more a rhythm guitar than a lead guitar (especially after my little mods), but maybe I've just gotta mess with the action a little.
My basic setup is a Marshall JCM2000 DSL50 head into a Trace Elliot 4x12, with a Marshall Guvnor+ and original Marshall Bluesbreaker pedals in front of it. Whats with all the Marshall stuff? I have no idea! Good sounds I guess...
Action, Fit, & Finish: 8
Like I said, it feels like much more of a rhythm guitar than for super widdley solos, although readdressing the action and strings may sort this. I'm good for now.
Found this baby on eBay after years of wondering if they even existed over here in the UK. The fella did a nice job of setting up the axe prior to sending.
Feels great for chord work.
Reliability/Durability: 8
I've used it live three times now with little problems (just tuning/tremelo problems the first time, but that was my fault really).
The finish is dented and scratched in a few places, but the guitar is like over 15 years old! I'll let that slide. Anyways, like I said, I'm getting it refinished in off-white :)
I use a backup live to play the drop-D stuff, tuning down upsets the tremelo and throws the rest of the guitar out of tune- not what you want in a live situation. The bridge is a little rusted around the screws and such, but...again, its an old guitar. Due some TLC in the near future..
Customer Support: N/A
15 years old.... although I did find a PDF of the Contemporary Series manual on one of the Fender sites, which was neat.
Overall Rating: 8
The cool Black Francis factor, the nice array of sounds and the unique nature of the guitar just make me smile every time I pick it up. I don't generally like copying other guitarists, but being in a tribute band and all, its the perfect excuse..
It totally does the Pixies thing, and much more. Rawk.
www.Nimrods-Son.co.uk
Submitted by Andy Phipps at 02/10/2003 15:04
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Doog
* Dog in the Sand *
United Kingdom
1220 Posts |
Posted - 10/21/2003 : 14:24:59
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That'd be me.
 "I joined the Cult of Frank / Because I thought it would straighten out my life, SIR!"
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blue cadet3
- FB Fan -
USA
146 Posts |
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