Question for JP players: The Edge tone?

[lonewolf74]

OK, all you JP owners out there...

I'd like to try to get a tone similar to The Edge. (Bear in mind that I use a Boss GT-8 processor into a FRFR amp, so I can only get so close...) I've seen some of the posts on the 'net about delay times and such.

But all that being said - what would you recommend in terms of the guitar itself? Middle pickup position, or bridge? Blackface amp sim, or Vox sim?

I'm sure the JP is as much up to the task as any of the types of guitar that Dave Evans uses... I'm just not so good at being able to dial in that tone myself.

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer...

 

[the24thfret]

Correct me if I am wrong, but the Edge mainly uses single coil pickups, so the only real way you'll get his tone is middle position, and personally I'd mix a bit of piezo in there as well for a bit more presence. As for amps, I'm not sure, but he uses digital delays and I don't know how well the GT-8 will run his stuff. His famous delay is a dotted 8th I believe. A friend of mine has achieved a near perfect tone with a SSH Ibanez, Line 6 Echo Park, and a Line6 POD.

There is a great website somewhere which mathematically breaks down all of his guitar work and includes sound clips.

 

[jonyq]

The Edge has used many guitars in many songs. It is quite flattering to say a EBMM guitar can nail all of them. I don't think even our Big Poppa will say it can be done.

The general tone the Edge does seem to shoot for though is a single coil tone that is chimey and bright, so the above reccomendation will work. (which isn't always the case)

e.g - Sunday bloody Sunday is a telecaster bridge into a Tubescreamer... not chimey at all, very contrasting to say Pride (in the name of Love) which is a midy-sy strat kinda tone.

Then again... is there a particular song you're trying to cover?

 

[robelinda2]

Surely a silo special SSS or AL SSS can do Edge tone.

 

[the24thfret]

he's asking about a jp though

 

[Silhouette89]

I might say that every pickup combination can be used to play U2,f.e. Vertigo-->Bridge
One--->Neck
Sunday bloody Sunday--->Combination of these two

 

[unclerico]

Edge tone meaning like a classic rock kind of sharp tone?

Well, I think the best kind of guitar for that would be like an Axis.

Or what rob said a silo or al

For Petruccis, when I played it, I liked it a lot for main lines, leads, chording, pretty much anything. Its a great Prog. Rock guitar.

 

[kissmyaxe]

as in the guitarist from U2. thought he was manly Danelectro's and Tele's.... far from a JP lol.. I am sure it can pull it off with the right tools though.

 

[robelinda2]

Edge uses a Les Paul plenty on stage too.

 

[kneeoh]

From Wikipedia:

The Edge plays: electric guitar, acoustic guitar, keyboards, piano, bass guitar (on "40" and "Race Against Time"), and lap steel guitar.

Compared to many lead guitarists, The Edge is known for using many more guitars during a show. According to his guitar tech Dallas Schoo, a typical lead guitarist uses four or five different guitars in one night, whereas The Edge takes 45 on the road, and uses 17 to 19 in one 2.5-hour concert. He is estimated to have more than 200 guitars in the studio.

Guitars/keyboards

* Gibson Explorer
* Fender Stratocaster
* Gibson Les Paul Custom

The Edge donated his cream Les Paul Custom to an auction to benefit Music Rising.

* Gibson Les Paul Goldtop
* Gibson Les Paul Standard
* Music Rising Gibson Les Paul
* Gibson SG
* Fender Telecaster
* Fender Jaguar
* Rickenbacker 330/12
* Gretsch Country Gentleman
* Gretsch White Falcon
* Line 6 Variax 700 Acoustic



* Epiphone Casino
* Epiphone Sheraton
* Epiphone Standard Music Rising
* Gibson J-200
* Fernandes Decade
* Fernandes Native Pro
* Fernandes Retrorocket
* Gibson ES-175
* Gibson ES-330
* Gibson ES-335
* Gibson Sonex-180 Deluxe
* Gibson Byrdland
* Washburn/Taylor Acoustics
* Yamaha CP70 (Keyboard)/Piano

When he plays Adam's bass for "40", He used the Ibanez Musician in The 1980s and the Lakland Daryll Jones Signature for The Vertigo Tour

"MLK" is the only U2 song The Edge has never played guitar or keyboard on.

Amps

* Vox AC30- his 1964 AC30 has been used to record every single U2 album and has been used for every single concert. He has said in interviews that he owns over thirty AC30's.
* Fender Deluxe Tweed
* Fender Blues Jr
* Roland JC120

Pedals and Rack

* "Floor board" - Digitech WH-1, Dunlop Wah, Skrydstrup SC-1 (foot controller which controls the gear in rack, and the pedals as well.)
* "Rack" -Lexicon PCM, TC 2290 Dynamic Delay, Line6 Pod Pro, Korg SDD 3000, AMS S-DMX, Korg A3, Line 6 CUSTOM Distortion Pro, Rockton DVC
* "Pedals" - BOSS CS-2, BOSS DD-3, BOSS FA-1, BOSS GE-7, BOSS PW-2, EHX Big Muff, Ibanez Tube Screamer, Lovetone Doppelganger, Lovetone Meatball,



I'd say he uses a fair number of humbucker equipped guitars. I'd also opine that much of his tone is derived from all the technology. For the OP, I'd suggest using the middle position on the JP for some of the strat-like tones or (this may be blasphemous) the piezo, if his JP is so equipped.

 

[jonyq]

Edge uses a Les Paul plenty on stage too.

That LP has Filtertrons, which make it sound really different. I'm reffering to the Creme one that he used lately to play "New Year's Day" and "Kite" on.

 

[threeminutesboy]

I would say that to play like the Edge you will need is fingers

This is one of those great guitarist you can identify at the first note, whatever the guitar

so to get close a JP and a VOX simulation on your GT8 a delay

 

[beej]

He definitely has a Voxy chime on most tracks, so I'd start with a Vox-type amp or something that has that EL84 chime to it. With some delay and a good amp I'd think you could get in the ballpark.

 

[lonewolf74]

Thanks for the suggestions, guys. I'll try the middle PU position and a Vox sim with a Tubescreamer, and see what I can do from there.

 

[Lou]

The secret to the Edge's sound is his pick believe it or not. Get yourself a textured pick - makes a HUGE difference. check out this website: A Study of The Edge's Guitar Delay (U2)

Also, set up your floorboard with a semi-clean vox sound.