Is it a Strat?... Is it a Burns?... NO! It's a ...

[noelford]

I know that there are members of this forum for whom it is vital to play and sound just like the original Shads' versions, whilst there are others, like myself, who like to improvise and add their own touches. Whichever camp you belong to, that's your choice, because it's enjoying what and how you play that's important. However, if you belong to the traditional group, perhaps you should look away now.

Although, in general, when I play Shads' stuff, I stick to my Strats or Burns, I do find that some of the numbers sound better, to me, using something different. For instance, I think 36-24-36 sounds best using my ES 335, Riders in the Sky on a twelve-string setting on my Variax and Nivram on my Barney Kessel. I know Ecca does a wonderfully anarchic version of FBI on an SG and I wondered how many others here prefer something other than the usual for some of their Shads' interpretations.

Horses for Courses... Axes for...er.. Trackses?! What do YOU use when it's not a Strat or a Burns?

[Mike Honey]

Playing in a duo (with a programmable drum machine) we are a bit limited but we play about 20 shads melodies and always play Apache on two acoustic guitars. It never fails to get appreciative comments from the audience. As Monty Python would say...."and now for something completely different!!"

Mike

[Bob Dore]

What do YOU use when it's not a Strat or a Burns?

A piano.

Bob.

[ecca]

Noel please !
You wash your mouth out.
Everybody knows you must try to sound and play exactly like the originals.
With a pink guitar.

[noelford]

Good job I didn't mention my Heavy Metal version of The Miracle on my SG Special, then!

[Rosemary]

Hi Noel
I found this one recently - the Shads playing Apache on Burns guitars. It's been on Youtube awhile but I found it interesting and love the Burns sound too. Actually they could probably play on ukeleles and sound equally fabulous!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLocafpLMi0
best wishes
Rosemary

[Bojan]

I have a Rickenbacker 340/6 JG which I don't play so much because I am mostly oriented toward my Strat and Burns Apache, but I have to say that contrary to widespread belief, it is not a one-trick pony and can replace (and even sound better than?) the original guitar used by the Shadows, in the first case a Gretsch and in the second case a Strat.

Here are two sound files I recorded with a friend of mine, Roka, playing lead on my Rick . . .

http://www.4shared.com/audio/Z-1fj7oY/n ... cker_.html
http://www.4shared.com/audio/RB5iAUIM/s ... cker_.html

So, what do you think?

[noelford]

So, what do you think?

I think I might be looking for a Rickenbacker!

[cockroach]

I use my cheap Squier Affinity Tele (3 years old) more often than my old Strat copy (very worn frets and controls- bought secondhand about 13 years ago- putting new strings on doubles the value!)- works OK for Hank's stuff with some echo on the amp...and OK for Bruce's stuff with the echo turned off!

I can get most sounds for most styles from the Chinese Tele and the Indian made Marshall amp anyway- a good cheap cure for G.A.S. in fact!

A chap who plays in our small Shads club has a huge collection of guitars- but he sounds the same on all of them- a sort of delicate clean Hank echo sound...even on his Gibson Les Pauls and others...

[51 Relic]

Hi I use a 51 Nocaster and a Musicman Albert Lee (best strat sound ive found ) the Burns is still in the case (too heavy )

Cheers Nigel