Brian's amp settings..

Hey gamg,
c\Can anyone help me with Brian's amp settings?
Cheers Pete.

HiYa Pete, cathyandnick.com it was there from the early days of this topic. I tried it just now but it could not be found. There may be some other info in that topic as Ijust breezed thru it to help you out. I think they had pics of the amps tape echo etc...

Here ya go... from Kathy & Nick site...

1963 Bassman - 50 watts
- blonde Tolex with wheat grille cover
- 6G6-B unmodified circuit with solid-state rectifier (less sag than tube rectifiers)
- preamp tubes - NOS Chinese 12AX7
- output tubes - NOS Philips 6L6WGB or NOS Tung Sol 5881
- cabinet - 2 x 12" Celestion V30, 8 ohm, 30 watt speakers wired in parallel (4 ohm total cabinet load)
with 12 gauge wiring
Settings
- normal input
- volume 4 (up to 5 for heavier overdrive)
- treble 10
- bass 4
- presence 10

From TVtheWiredTurtle - "Brian is using either the Phillips NOS 6L6WGBs or Tung Sol NOS 5881s, the amp is almost 10 watts less efficient hence the earlier breakup of the power section coupled by the "gainier" Chinese tubes that carry a bigger voltage than most NOS tubes and many Soviet reissues. It's running cloer to 40 watts." and "The nature of the EQ in the normal channel is such that when the treble is dimed, the bass is slightly attenuated which cuts down on the speakers farting out in the lows - although the V30s don't dive up the ghost very easily."

LONG Guitar cable lead (no wireless)

Setzer uses long guitar leads for room on the stage, but it also has the effect of eliminating the super high frequencies that can get "ice-picky." From TV again " He uses such long instrument cables, the capacitance loading smooths out the high end harshness that would otherwise be killing the crowd when using mere mortal cables like we all use (10'-18')"

Putting it all together
The trick to the amp sound is to set it just to the point of breakup. With a Gretsch, that happens at 4 to 4.5. At that setting, you can back the volume of the guitar off to clean up the sound or dig in with the pick to get a more distorted sound. The heart of Setzer's sound is overdriven tubes. Pedals will not get you the same sound.
Treble is the name of the game. Full treble, full presence. The bass is rolled off mainly because of the sealed cabinet. Sealing the cabinet tightens up the bass response and too much bass will muddy up the sound. There's plenty of bass in the cabinet without adding more.
The only real modification to the cabinet is replacement of the speaker wires. Heavy gauge (12 gauge?) is used to bring more, unrestricted signal to the speakers. Really an important part of the sound. The speakers are Celestion V30s. That seems to be a widely popular choice for a rock sound. Nice breakup.
Live, Setzer always uses the Bassman, but in the studio, anything's game. Supros, blonde Showmans, Gretsch Cowboy amps, Princeton, etc... It's impossible to know what's what on his albums ampwise, but the basic sound is the same.

What about factoring in the Roland Space Echo, pedalboard, and power attenuator?

Brian doesn't use a pedalboard or a power attenuator. It's guitar -> cable -> Space Echo -> 6G6-B.

That's it.

Hey guys especially ruger9,
Exactely what I was looking for! That's why you guys make this forum great!
Thanks Pete.

ruger9 wrote:

Brian doesn't use a pedalboard or a power attenuator. It's guitar -> cable -> Space Echo -> 6G6-B.

That's it.

add the following:

-> Celestion V30's...

Do not leave the speakers out of the tone chain. Actually, it should probably start:

Brian -> guitar -> ...

ruger9 wrote:

Brian doesn't use a pedalboard or a power attenuator. It's guitar -> cable -> Space Echo -> 6G6-B.

That's it.

So has he totally ditched the setup from his instructional DVD?

What provides the boost during the "hot" part of "Sleepwalk"? Sounds like an overdrive of some sort to me, and not just from a simple pickup selection. Sounds a lot like the TS-9 from the DVD.

Did anyone ever figure out what he keeps under that Sun Records flag/towel next to his Bassman? Speculation was that it was a THD hotplate.

Hey radioclash,
How goes? Those hotplates are great!

I've heard the "hotplate under the towel conspiracy" before... lol. Now folks, why would Brian hide the fact that he's using a Hotplate? He hasn't hidden anything else about his career or gear to date. In all the interviews I've read, he gives great details on gear... like his speaker cable info above... why would he take the time to describe his speaker cable change, and deliberately hide an attenuator? I don't think so. At the volumes he plays at, he doesn't NEED an attenuator, he can just turn up. And no doubt has to to keep up with a 17-piece big band.

Ever since the BSO started it's just guitar->cable->echo->amp. Now, the trick with the echo, the Roland 301, is that is has an "input level" control, which is actually a preamp. Set to unity gain, it's doesn't add or take away from the signal, but it can be turned up a little higher to boost the front end of the amp. I have read that Brian does this occasionally, and I've also read he just walks over & turns the amp's volume up a notch or 2 if he wants a little more drive.

I've also read that he never really used all those pedals in his instructional video- just that he was sponsored by pedal companies at that time, and was sort of obliged to "use" them.

And the V30's do play a huge part- I currently have a Fender Super-Sonic 1x12 combo, and while it's certainly no 6G6-B, it does have 6L6s in the power section, and that V30. I can get a pretty convincing Setzer tone out of it. I, however, DO use an attenuator... 60 watts is simply too loud for the house!

So, what we have here is:

A Gretsch with TV Jones Filtertrons.
A very long guitar cable (cuts ice-picky highs)
An original Roland 301 Space Echo
An original Fender 6G6-B Blond Bassman
2x12 Celestion V30s in a CLOSED BACK cab

...and of course, Brian's fingers...

So you can pour over all this stuff, and try to duplicate it, for years (I have), but since I'll never have Brian's HANDS, just a "reasonable facsimile", then I figured I'd settle for a "reasonable facsimile" of the gear as well... in other words, "close enough for me." And just be happy playing instead of searching for gear/looking for the "perfect tone". Because let's face it, Brian could be playing thru a Vox DA5 with a 5.5" speaker, and still sound better than me playing thru HIS rig...

I will, one day, own a 6G6-B tho... I have to try it at least ONCE...


On one more note: I tried the Boss RE-20, and did NOT like it at all. The echos were fantastic, but the input level control on this thing did not make me happy. I find the quality of the "bypassed" signal, and even the "affected" signal, to do something I don't like to the bass frequencies. It "softens" the tone of the wound strings or something, hard to explain... suffice it to say, the guitar signal going IN is NOT the same signal coming OUT. (not talking about the echos here, just the base signal). And I'm picky enough about tone that I can't live with that. I know alot of people love the RE-20, and that's great, but when you've been playing as long as I have, you tend to get picky about such things. And this is not a case of "reasonable facsimile" for me, because I absolutely cannot tolerate something that changes my base tone. Call me anal.

If the RE-20 were true bypass, or if it at least had a better buffer in it, so that it did not change my base tone, it would still be on my board and I'd be loving it.

radioclash wrote:

What provides the boost during the "hot" part of "Sleepwalk"? Sounds like an overdrive of some sort to me, and not just from a simple pickup selection. Sounds a lot like the TS-9 from the DVD.

Today I had the luck to play an original '59 Bassman, but a combo, not a stack like Brian uses it. This Amp is awesome, after it has reached a special point of Volume it doesn't get louder, it just starts to produce a more distorted sound. If you got the right settings you control the overdrive completely with your fingers, it stays clean if you play normal but if you hit the strings harder you got the overdrive.

webelvis wrote:

Today I had the luck to play an original '59 Bassman, but a combo, not a stack like Brian uses it. This Amp is awesome, after it has reached a special point of Volume it doesn't get louder, it just starts to produce a more distorted sound. If you got the right settings you control the overdrive completely with your fingers, it stays clean if you play normal but if you hit the strings harder you got the overdrive.

Exactly. It's really all about sheer VOLUME, because it's the POWER tubes, not preamp tubes, that produce that amazingly touch-sensitive drive. (which is also why I use an attenuator at home, so I can still turn the amp up to those levels, but still be able to control the overall volume.)

A Master Volume IS NOT the same thing (before anyone asks!) For a Master Volume-aquipped amp to do the same thing, you'd have to start out by cranking the MV full up, then use the "Normal" volume, or "Gain" or "Preamp" or whatever it is called on the amp, to control your point of breakup... but depending on the amp's wattage, it could be MIGHTY loud by then...

Hey guys,
Forgot to mention my amp. I use a Fender Blues DeVille 4x10 running Tung Sol 6L6GC STR power tubes and Mullard 12AX7 pre amps.
The settings are pretty close to those that ruger gave me. The beauty is with the drive channel it really sounds like the tubes are working harder rather than an artificial sound, and without the overkill on the volume. The harder you attack the strings, the more it SCREAMS! And having the 2 channels, I can switch to a clean sound by stomping on the selector box.
Cheers Pete.

PICKIN' PETE wrote:

Hey guys,
Forgot to mention my amp. I use a Fender Blues DeVille 4x10 running Tung Sol 6L6GC STR power tubes and Mullard 12AX7 pre amps.
The settings are pretty close to those that ruger gave me. The beauty is with the drive channel it really sounds like the tubes are working harder rather than an artificial sound, and without the overkill on the volume. The harder you attack the strings, the more it SCREAMS! And having the 2 channels, I can switch to a clean sound by stomping on the selector box.
Cheers Pete.

Hello all, Hi pete,

btw, is it easy to change the tubes? I use a Blues Deluxe.

The problem with great sound of the fender amps especially the bassman, it is too loud in little clubs or other small venues. (Where i play most of the times).

Brian is playing Conts on huge stages. If i turn my Blues deluxe to 4 (Mastervolumen), the Barkeeper or the soundguys will kill me. So turn the Amp max to 3 (and a little ) which is much too loud for playing at home.
But it is interesting to see how Brian play.

Nice Weekend

ruger9 wrote:

Brian doesn't use a pedalboard or a power attenuator. It's guitar -> cable -> Space Echo -> 6G6-B.

That's it.

that's is not true, if you watch Brian's guitar licks him show his pedalboard.... and the explane also how tu use it... so ,him use

1 boss oc2 ( octave)
1 boss ce 3 ( chorus )
2 ibanez tube screamers
1 cry baby wah-wah

ruger9 wrote:

webelvis wrote:

Today I had the luck to play an original '59 Bassman, but a combo, not a stack like Brian uses it. This Amp is awesome, after it has reached a special point of Volume it doesn't get louder, it just starts to produce a more distorted sound. If you got the right settings you control the overdrive completely with your fingers, it stays clean if you play normal but if you hit the strings harder you got the overdrive.

Exactly. It's really all about sheer VOLUME, because it's the POWER tubes, not preamp tubes, that produce that amazingly touch-sensitive drive. (which is also why I use an attenuator at home, so I can still turn the amp up to those levels, but still be able to control the overall volume.)

A Master Volume IS NOT the same thing (before anyone asks!) For a Master Volume-aquipped amp to do the same thing, you'd have to start out by cranking the MV full up, then use the "Normal" volume, or "Gain" or "Preamp" or whatever it is called on the amp, to control your point of breakup... but depending on the amp's wattage, it could be MIGHTY loud by then...

Ah, ruger9, I fear you reveal too much! The Truth is out there, brother, but, beware the capability of those hearing, or reading, it to fully comprehend it!
Your Brother-in-tone,
Eddie Lee

ruger9 wrote:

So, what we have here is:

A Gretsch with TV Jones Filtertrons.
A very long guitar cable (cuts ice-picky highs)
An original Roland 301 Space Echo
An original Fender 6G6-B Blond Bassman
2x12 Celestion V30s in a CLOSED BACK cab

...and of course, Brian's fingers...

Perfect!

brett wrote:

PICKIN' PETE wrote:

Hey guys,
Forgot to mention my amp. I use a Fender Blues DeVille 4x10 running Tung Sol 6L6GC STR power tubes and Mullard 12AX7 pre amps.
The settings are pretty close to those that ruger gave me. The beauty is with the drive channel it really sounds like the tubes are working harder rather than an artificial sound, and without the overkill on the volume. The harder you attack the strings, the more it SCREAMS! And having the 2 channels, I can switch to a clean sound by stomping on the selector box.
Cheers Pete.

Hello all, Hi pete,

btw, is it easy to change the tubes? I use a Blues Deluxe.

The problem with great sound of the fender amps especially the bassman, it is too loud in little clubs or other small venues. (Where i play most of the times).

Brian is playing Conts on huge stages. If i turn my Blues deluxe to 4 (Mastervolumen), the Barkeeper or the soundguys will kill me. So turn the Amp max to 3 (and a little ) which is much too loud for playing at home.
But it is interesting to see how Brian play.

Nice Weekend

Hey brett,
Yeah easy to change tubes, pull one out, push one in, just be careful not to bend the pins.
Hot plates will allow you to play with the tone, but WITHOUT the volume, could be the answer.
Stay cool, Pete.

sunrecord wrote:

ruger9 wrote:

Brian doesn't use a pedalboard or a power attenuator. It's guitar -> cable -> Space Echo -> 6G6-B.

That's it.

that's is not true, if you watch Brian's guitar licks him show his pedalboard.... and the explane also how tu use it... so ,him use

1 boss oc2 ( octave)
1 boss ce 3 ( chorus )
2 ibanez tube screamers
1 cry baby wah-wah

The Brian Setzer Hot Licks video is over 10 years old now! (around the time of Choo Choo Hot Fish) That was his set up at the time.

ruger9 is correct about Brian Setzers current setup. I also remember reading somewhere that his amps aren't standard Bassman's and are modded to sound a lot hotter, almost Marshall like, (wish wouldn't be to hard when you remember the original Marshall amp was just a copy of a Bassman.)
On a side note re his 60 foot guitar chord, on the YouTube video of the Stray Cats at the US Festival in '82 or 83, Brian Setzer and Lee Rocker are both wireless!!

ruger9 wrote:

Brian doesn't use a pedalboard or a power attenuator. It's guitar -> cable -> Space Echo -> 6G6-B.

That's it.

How does the analog unit compare to the new(ish) pedal? I was looking up the tape delay machine on Rolands website and saw the RE-20 pedal as the updated new whatsit and was wondering if it was any good?

Ooops, never mind ... I just looked two threads down and saw the post. Damn need a coffee....too early!

Couple of things:

For what I think of the RE-20, see earlier in this thread.

About Brians Bassmans: they have not been modded at all... not really. The info I posted about the speaker wires, tubes, and the V30's in the cabs, are all the "mods" that have been done.

I just re-read all the interviews I have of Brian, to verify the info.

Ok, time for the Captain to add his two cents to this discussion.


There's been some really great information posted here by ruger9 about Setzer's rig. I think some of the confusion about the RE-20 vs. Roland 201 Space Echo vs. Roland 301 Chorus Echo stems from the fact that the 301 is effecting not one but two things to Brian Setzer's sound. The obvious one, is that he's using it for the Slap-Back Echo sound, but the not so-obvious one is that he's using the preamp in the 301 to overdrive the Bassman at a lower volume (compared to old Stray Cats sound). Now I was unaware of this at first until reading up on these settings awhile back from both (Cathy&Nick) and the other forum (HDVDL), originally thinking I suppose like some other people that the 201 was just a 301 without the chorus. But, since the 301 has a different preamp circuit, it will produce a hotter output to the amp, although the basic Slap-Back echo sound is still there in the 301 or the 201 or the RE-20. Now the RE-20 is a digital model of the 201, and granted the tone will not sound exactly the same as a 201, and you will be hard pressed to get the same overdrive effect as a 301, but the basic Slap-Echo sound will still remain. I have noticed the volume drop/bypass effect that has been described, but I get around that by changing my amp's EQ settings, running the pedal in an effects loop, and using the amp's channels for the overdrive boost; as I use Marshall/Fender amps with that feature and am not employing a 63 style Bassman. Now this is just my approach as I'm not trying to nail the Setzer sound exactly 100%, but there's no right or wrong way, whatever works for your particular rig and your ears are fine. I personally couldn't get the right sound out of some of the analog pedals I tried for echo/delay, but when I got the RE-20 I felt like I could easily conjure up the basic Stray Cats/Setzer tone as well as the Sleepwalk sound.

The other reason I opted for the RE-20 is the convenience factor of having a pedal in your rig as opposed to the cost/upkeep of the reel-to-reel units. Comes in handy since UPS won't deliver to Davy Jones' Locker!

On a side note, I'll be posting the A.L.A.I.S. and H.N. song transcriptions soon. My apologies for it taking a little longer than I expected.

Capt. Jones