Scott Henderson Discussion

[adamsmale]

Hi Scott,

First thing, sorry your last tour in Europe was cancelled due to someone absconding with the funds. What a slime bag! Secondly, love the Guitar Wank podcast. I am one of the guys that mailed in telly Troy I listen a lot of times on my way to gigs here in NYC. Some funny shit! But, I have to say, informative as well.

Now for the real reason...

I was hopping you could explain your wet/dry rig. I watched the Tim & Pete Show with you as guest. I get the send wet signal to one amp, dry to another (your tone generating one). But how do you split the signal without causing any issues?

Oh, yeah. I'm originally from Toronto. Do you Remember John Pelosi? He was a student at MI in the 80s. We have both taught together for Guitar Workshop Plus, and the now defunct, National Guitar Workshop.

Man, I read a thread on here you talking about Yngwie's outtakes from an old MI video. I WISH I COULD SEE THAT!!!
_________________
Cheers,

ADAM SMALE
"Jazz for the common man"

AdamJazz.com
AdamSmale-jazz.com
NewApproachToScales.com
Facebook.com/adamsmale.jazz
Instagram.com/adamsmale

[Scott Henderson]

Yes I remember John - please tell him hi!

The signal split is done with a Suhr line box - it's the size of a small pedal. It's very easy - the line box goes in between the amp and the speaker cabinet. It uses the speaker voltage to create a line out, which you plug into your FX, and from the FX into a second amp. The FX are set to 100% wet, so you have only the dry signal in the main amp, and only FX in the wet amp.

[countandduke]

Scott, you had said that running your signal through the SE-70 changed the tone quite a bit but since you've got a direct signal going to an amp and then ONLY the effected 100% WET signal going to a separate amp, that's okay right? If you DIDN'T have that WET amp, you'd need a mixer or that SUHR line mixer in the loop to run the SE-70 PARALLEL right?

Thanks,
Chris

[Scott Henderson]

Yes, that's exactly correct. The SE-70 doesn't mess with the tone because the FX are only being heard - there's no dry signal running through it. Without the wet amp, a mixer would be needed, which loads down the FX loop and seriously damages the punchiness of the amp.

One great thing about John's line box - it has a volume knob. Since the SE-70 can accept both line and instrument level, I turn the line box down to around 2 and give the SE-70 instrument level. That way I can plug it into the front of the HRD, and EQ the FX with the amp's tone controls - very handy.

[adamsmale]

Yeah, that's what I like about this system, all you have to do is EQ the wet amp so that the effected tone doesn't interfere with your dry sound. And it doesn't matter what the amp is that you use for the wet signal because it all 100% wet anyway. Of course a tube amp will help warm up the effect a bit I guess.

Where did you get the idea for this set up, Scott? And have you ever tried a wet/dry/wet set up? But I guess that would only be if you are running effects in stereo.

I hope to see Pelosi in August. If I do, I'll tell him you said hi.

Thanks for answering Scott!
_________________
Cheers,

ADAM SMALE
"Jazz for the common man"

AdamJazz.com
AdamSmale-jazz.com
NewApproachToScales.com
Facebook.com/adamsmale.jazz
Instagram.com/adamsmale

[Scott Henderson]

I haven't tried a stereo wet/ dry setup but I imagine it sounds huge. The problem with stereo is that only the people in the center of the room hear it the correct way, so that's a problem in a big venue.

I like a dark reverb and the delay to be a little duller than the dry sound. Most amps will work, but one time on a rented gear gig, all they had for the wet amp was a Twin - no presence knob. It was super bright, even with the treble on 0, so I ended up throwing my coat over the amp to get the FX dark enough. Class A amps are even brighter so I wouldn't recommend one for a wet amp. If it has a presence knob, it should be OK.

[adamsmale]

Yeah, that's exactly what I thought. The wet/dry/wet rig sounds great to you and the 8 people in front of you. Well, whoever is sitting in the direct path. Not just the front row. Then all the people on the left or right only hear part of the stereo field. Which probably sounds weird. Sort of like only having one speaker plugged in on your stereo.

I bet the further back from the rig you are the less the stereo effect is registered with the ears. It just starts to sound more and more mono-ish the further back one is. Not to mention you now have 3 amps to lug around. Or at least two other cabinets and a stereo amp.

That reminds me...

Back in the late 80s and into the 90s, I actually had a small stereo rig. ADA preamp, into stereo digital effects, then running into a stereo solid state amp, out to two custom built 1x10s. All rackmount gear. Ah! Remember the 80s? Ha!!
_________________
Cheers,

ADAM SMALE
"Jazz for the common man"

AdamJazz.com
AdamSmale-jazz.com
NewApproachToScales.com
Facebook.com/adamsmale.jazz
Instagram.com/adamsmale

[countandduke]

Or............ You could do what Shawn Lane did... He hated the way lots of those older disco clubs sounded so he attempted to create his own reverb by using multiple Boss DD-2's (or 3's can't remember) so he'd have like 4 amps!!! One in real time, one delayed 10-15ms, the next 25-30ms and so on. Hopefully he had roadies! BUT ZThst was maybe when he played in the house band 5-6 nights a week.

Best,
Chris

[adamsmale]

Ha! Too complicated for me. Plus it's rare that I would even use two amps. I went from stereo rack gear in the 80s to guitar > cable > amp in the late 90s, to having a pedalboard since 2008. Don't get crazy now!! ;^)
_________________
Cheers,

ADAM SMALE
"Jazz for the common man"

AdamJazz.com
AdamSmale-jazz.com
NewApproachToScales.com
Facebook.com/adamsmale.jazz
Instagram.com/adamsmale