software

any tips for gettin a sound like allan??
that clean overdrive???
thanks


Originally Posted by felipe_alonso_ruizany tips for gettin a sound like allan??
that clean overdrive???
thanks

59 pup
sd pup booster
low gain preamp distortion
drive el84 output tube hard
parametric eq may help
tie picking hand behind your back and use fretting hand only hand to pratice legato phrasing.
that's a start

interesting approach, faraday, given that (iirc) holdsworth used solid state gear for most (all?) of his career ... i think a CC would be better than a 59 ... his studio tone also comes largely in part from 're-amping' where the signal is mic'd then processed ... inventive use of time-based effects ...

the legato thing is a must ... so are incredibly long fingers to grab some of those stretcheshey evan, can you ask the boss what his lt;cough coughgt; educated opinion lt;wink winkgt; would be about the approach for an allan holdsworth tone? mag types, resistance, coil balance, etc ... not the exact details, of course, but just in general terms

cheers
t4d

his holdsworth SD pickup was a JB with allen (get it?) screws as polepieces, i believe. he doesn't use tons of gain, but you may need a lot of cormpression to get those notes to ring out. he *barely* picks. he also used a bank of digital delays to get his chorus sound.
i love his sound- his clean sound is amazing too- it barely sounds like a guitar, and with his strange impossible chords, it sounds glorious.


Originally Posted by Mincerhis holdsworth SD pickup was a JB with allen (get it?) screws as polepieces, i believe. he doesn't use tons of gain, but you may need a lot of cormpression to get those notes to ring out. he *barely* picks. he also used a bank of digital delays to get his chorus sound.
i love his sound- his clean sound is amazing too- it barely sounds like a guitar, and with his strange impossible chords, it sounds glorious.

That's pretty much what I would say as well. I thought the Allan Holdsworth pickup that Seymour made was a JB with a double row of phillips screws. Even though his solo technique is, for the most part, legato, you can't overlook his right hand rhythm technique. He uses the hybrid method; where he quot;clawsquot; the chords with a pick and fingers.

He's used a bunch of gear over the years. His early tones were an SG into an AC30, in the 80s he moved to Charvel and Ibanez strats, and later Steinbergers with Pearce solid state gear, in the 90s he did a lot of work with early Mesa rectos. Recently, he's been endorsing Yamaha modelling stuff, and helped develop the UD stomp delay unit.

all this stuff is off the top of my head. I'd have a sniff around from : localhost/for more concrete info. There's bound to be some experts on the forum.

Don't be afraid to crank the midrange.


Originally Posted by tone4daysinteresting approach, faraday, given that (iirc) holdsworth used solid state gear for most (all?) of his career ... i think a CC would be better than a 59 ... his studio tone also comes largely in part from 're-amping' where the signal is mic'd then processed ... inventive use of time-based effects ...

the legato thing is a must ... so are incredibly long fingers to grab some of those stretcheshey evan, can you ask the boss what his lt;cough coughgt; educated opinion lt;wink winkgt; would be about the approach for an allan holdsworth tone? mag types, resistance, coil balance, etc ... not the exact details, of course, but just in general terms

cheers
t4d

Actually most of his career he has used tube amps far more. Boogie, Marshall, Vox, Gibson, and Sundown. EL84's are his fav tube. He is currently using the Yamaha Solid State, and he did use a Dan Pearce and a Hartley Thompson briefly.

The 59N in the bridge position is closest to what he uses with double rows of screws. He never used his signature pup (which are regular screws, not allen) which is way too hot. He prefers 7-8k. Also one pup per guitar because the neck pup would still pull the string, decreasing sustain.

He uses a compressor only occasionally if needed. He does boost the front end.

When he was using tubes he would sometimes mic a cab then run it into time based fx like t4d said, but alot of times he would just take his signal from the line of his load box and then run into processing and then amp it and mic that cab. Rhythm guitar is lined mostly without being mic'd at all, then fx.

Now he is opting for a simpler rig since the Yamaha emulates pa dist very well and then he runs that into the ud stomp, which is awesome (and unfortunately discontinued).

Oh, and even though he has a thick tone don't forget to use:
008,011,013,018w,024w,036 gauge strings.


Originally Posted by FaradayOh, and even though he has a thick tone don't forget to use:008,011,013,018w,024w,036 gauge strings.

Fair enough...but when checking through the various Double Ball-End Steinberger strings,(particularly those manufactured by LaBella and D'Addario), none of those sets feature a WOUND 018! I see all the other string gauges either in the Ultra Light, Extra Light, Light or Regular sets, but NOT a wound 18. How would you get hold of one of those?, or does Holdsworth use one of those string adapters which allow him to use regular single-ball end strings?

from : localhost/Allan#8217;s tone woody? Well, I guess if it sounded like a woodwind instrument, technically the answer is yes. But it isn#8217;t organically woody. It#8217;s processed.

It looked like Allan#8217;s white trapezoid-body Steinberger (trem bar pushed to the back of the guitar) ran into six (!) Yamaha Magicstomp pedals and then to two volume and/or expression pedals. Or maybe it was the other way around.

The six Magicstomps were not on the floor #8211; maybe because of the small stage? #8211; but instead were at a level where Allan could operate them with his hand.

Amps were two Hughes amp; Kettner Switchblade combos (I assume that#8217;s the right model) on top of Hamp;K 2×12s (two total) turned on their sides. All four cabs (combos and stand-alones) were mic#8217;d.


quot;Strange Beautiful Musicquot; is actually Satch, not Vai.

Basswood bodies,
ebony fingerboards,
tall frets,
six point floating non-locking trem,
PAF type pickups.

Derryl Gabel has come about the closest to sounding like Holdsworth that I've come across. His tone is heavily processed as well. Did anyone notice this was a 2005 thread?


Originally Posted by The Dog BoyFair enough...but when checking through the various Double Ball-End Steinberger strings,(particularly those manufactured by LaBella and D'Addario), none of those sets feature a WOUND 018! I see all the other string gauges either in the Ultra Light, Extra Light, Light or Regular sets, but NOT a wound 18. How would you get hold of one of those?, or does Holdsworth use one of those string adapters which allow him to use regular single-ball end strings?

So...any ideas where I might find a wound 018 gauge double-ball end string? Anyone know whether or not Holdsworth uses one of those string adapters? Otherwise, I don't see how it's possible to put together a set of the particular string gauges that Allan uses.

Don't forget the Synth Axe, he's used it quite a bit over the years. Doubt you could get one of those easily, not that you'd really want it in the first place .


Originally Posted by vinterlandDid anyone notice this was a 2005 thread?

I did, but it is a subject that currently interests me, and it was the only place I could find where someone actually knew the exact string gauges that Allan uses.

Now, does anyone know the answer about where to find a double-ball end WOUND .018 gauge string?...or does Allan use one of those string adapters so that he can use regular old single-ball end strings instead?

Some of the double-ball sets by LaBella and D'Addario have an .018 gauge string,(for use as the G string)...but it isn't a wound one,(which Allan is apparently using as his D string).Would really like to know the answer to this.

Faraday...you came up with the goods about the string gauges. Any ideas?

i use steinbergers too (a synapse custom, and soon a ZT3)...I am not aware if allan uses any of the string adapters on his current guitars (he is using a zt3 lately)...however i doubt you'd find an .018 wound with 2 ball ends...i am thinking that was a typo...someone who uses a .008 would most likely not use any wound 3rd string. besides, he has used such varied gear and he always sounds pretty much the same. he is constantly experimenting with guitars and no doubt string size too.


Originally Posted by Minceri use steinbergers too (a synapse custom, and soon a ZT3)...I am not aware if allan uses any of the string adapters on his current guitars (he is using a zt3 lately)...however i doubt you'd find an .018 wound with 2 ball ends...i am thinking that was a typo...someone who uses a .008 would most likely not use any wound 3rd string. besides, he has used such varied gear and he always sounds pretty much the same. he is constantly experimenting with guitars and no doubt string size too.

Mincer....look again...he's not using it as the third(G string)...he's using it as the 4th string!(D string)

Just to clarify..the string gauges are .008, .011, .013, .018w, .024w, and .036w. See? That's why I have been asking, because I can find every other string gauge featured in the double-ball end La Bella sets,(the S838 set has the .008 and .011, the S942 set has the .024w, and the S1046 set has the .013 and the .036w). It's just this .018 wound string that's confusing the hell out of me!

Back to you Mincer...by the way, didn't know that Allan was using a ZT3 lately. Thought he was still primarily using his DeLap. Also, what string gauges are you using on your Steinbergers?


Originally Posted by felipe_alonso_ruizany tips for gettin a sound like allan??
that clean overdrive???
thanks

probably buying one of these would get you in the ballpark https://www.carvinguitars.com/catalo...php?model=hf2s


Originally Posted by The Dog BoyMincer....look again...he's not using it as the third(G string)...he's using it as the 4th string!(D string)

Just to clarify..the string gauges are .008, .011, .013, .018w, .024w, and .036w. See? That's why I have been asking, because I can find every other string gauge featured in the double-ball end La Bella sets,(the S838 set has the .008 and .011, the S942 set has the .024w, and the S1046 set has the .013 and the .036w). It's just this .018 wound string that's confusing the hell out of me!

Back to you Mincer...by the way, didn't know that Allan was using a ZT3 lately. Thought he was still primarily using his DeLap. Also, what string gauges are you using on your Steinbergers?

Doh! I see now. I am using the stock Steinberger D'Addario 9s on mine. I've found that the single string adapter is more a pain than it is worth. Strings slip (esp the plain ones) and the allen screws put kinks in them, where they break.
BTW, it is amazing how double ball strings are about triple the price of regular single ball strings.
There is a YouTube video of Allen a few weeks ago using the ZT3 (customized by DeLap with a larger radius, larger frets, and only 1 pickup)...I think you can find it on the steinberger.com site, and some up close pics of his zt3 on the Steinberger Yahoo group. You may want to ask this question there, as there are some obsessive Holdsworth fans there.
I was just listening to Secrets today trying to figure out the first song...my head hurts.

While I love AH and place him in my top 10 favorite guitarists, I cannot even begin to cop any part of his wonderful style. Get close to his tone? Maybe....

I have sat and watched him play; solos and chordings. His fingers are so long that it would be, at best, an embarrassingly feudal effort for me to try and chord like he does. I have resigned myself to the fact that I will have to be happy just watching and listening to him. You know what? I am.....

Oh, if I use a harmonizer and set the pitch to be a 7th up from my natural note, and set the level of the shifted note at about 60% of my real note, my chords do sound a little like his...