Edge's guitar sound

[Soulgolem]

Hi, I own a Gt-6 and a Tech21 power engine, I can get some great tones with this combination, though nothing close to the edge, actually, the Vox sounds pretty realistic in some points, but there's one characteristic precisly that i need in order to play U2 that i just can't acheive.

You see, a song like with or without you (not asking about the eBow part, i'm fine with that), when the riff comes in, you clearly hear the Edge's guitar kind of distorted, i mean, his sound is not clean at all, but then the note fades away very rapidely ? is this the compressor acting up ?? It seems he uses a fairly driven sound for what people think is clean stuff, but since the notes fade away very quickly, you clearly hear all of them, when i play some U2 riffs, and i hit subsequent notes, it sounds more like the notes mix up together, forming a chord, because they all sustain the note well you know, stopping the other notes is just not the key.

Is this the Vox amp doing this or is it something else ? Because i will not get a Vox very soon and i need to be able to acheive this. I've been immitating his sound by hitting strings very hard with the pick backwards, it sounds more like him, but not as much as i would.

Every note he picks is like an explosion and then fades right away, how great is that, you don't hear that kind of tone from many bands ! I love the Edge.

I'm planning on getting a tech21 sansamp PSA preamp, any experiences on getting a Vox tone with this ? It's very flexible and I need flexibility, if i can get close to a Vox sound, and have a good quality tone maybe using an all tube power amp, it would be really great. By the way, for Gt-6 users, try the "Jazz combo" setting for the middle part and prechorus part in Vertigo, it simply sounds the same !!! I was just smiling in acheivement for this the other day, tho the reverb kinda s*cks on the Gt-6 !

Francis.

 

[OffAxis]

There's a site all about Edge's delay. The focus is all on delay though, but it's a very thorough site and quite impressive. Very technical approach to finding the sound.

Another critical piece is the picks Edge uses. Herdim dimple pick using the grip side to play with. It really makes a difference in the sound.

 

[notandanafn]

Another critical piece is the picks Edge uses. Herdim dimple pick using the grip side to play with. It really makes a difference in the sound.

A huge part of Edge's sound at that time is the way he picks, you can really hear it on Where the streets have no name as well...

You can get close to that sound without using the Hardim-picks by hitting the strings with the side of your pick instead of the tip as usual, sort of scraping the string. If you wanna go all the way the Hardim-picks really grab onto the strings before letting go, similar to the way a bassist slaps. But it takes a lot of practise to be able to do that.

I would also suggest using a single coil guitar, like a Tele or a Strat; if using a Strat try using Pickup position 4 (Middle and Bridge), should get you close.

A Vox30 would help but 80% of the character in that riff comes from the playing, which type of guitar (mostly pickup selection) and the delay. You should be able to cover it with an amp similar to a Twin or a JC-120 as well.

cheers,

LP

 

[the tourist]

Not a lot of gain, lots of volume, trebly.

 

[jcoriha]

You know I think a big part of the quick decay is the maple fretboard. If you've played enough (too many) guitars you start noticing the feel differances of fretboard woods. I mostly have rosewood boards, and I love them, but as irony would have it, most of my favorite sounds from my 2 favorite players (Corgan, Edge) were done with single coil maple fretboard Strats. The sustain just isn't the same on these as it is with a rosewood strat
or any Gibson style. The size of the body on Gibsons also play a part as well. A Flying V or Explorer seems a little thinner then a Les Paul, and an SG or 335 or Casino also seem thinner. The lEs Paul is the king of sustain, but sometimes the clarity of the maple or the single coil is better for the part I'm playing at the time.

So I would guess the out of phase Strat, or an Explorer sound would get you closer, turn down the gain, and crank the Treble and Compressor's level, but not sustain (much like Edge's DynaComp). If that doesn't work, go that extra mile and put felt on the strings by the bridge (Wire). Then you'll have no decay. (or just palm mute heavily)

 

[theAtomic]

Soulgolem: "Every note he picks is like an explosion and then fades right away".
This is excellent description of the edge's sound. Have you managed to do this ?
I am also trying to achive this.

 

[Canadiens1131]

Strat, only a little gain, use the neck pickups, loads of compression, you can't go wrong with that.

 

[SWlondnr]

Yeah i found that a strat isn't very tolerant of high gain settings, and i think compression helps quite a big deal too cos edge uses quite clean sounds with sustain