The Edge's new rig

[Muad'zin]

Right, I remember reading about Ed using AMS delay in the studio while making that Karma Police sound. I still haven't had real analog or good analog-emulating pedal to really enjoy the self oscillation. I know it'll be crazy fun making crazy noise with it.

It has limited applications though. It's the crazy sound paradox. A really interesting unique sound has less applications then a standard generic sound. Because the former sounds so different it gets identified with those who use it first. Making them one trick ponies. Like how you can't play a whammy and not make everybody think Tom Morello, whereas everybody can use an overdrive pedal and still not make people think 'I have heard that a million times before'.

But if you want to have fun with oscillating delays, try and get a used Boss DD-20 space echo. Just turn up the feedback and it oscillates. Or press down the left switch and it will oscillate for as long as you keep on pressing down.

Right, lots of players tend to be confined within very small niche of guitar playing. And some of them end up being Yngwie imitator, some becomes crazy tapping acoustic player. I might also be anti guitarist in some way because I often end up just playing with effects, not necessarily with guitar. That could be why I like Lee Ranaldo. Or even Edge who uses guitar as a tool (I'm secretly waiting for Edge to be into electronics and suddenly stopped op using guitars on the album and tour. That'll be amusing.)

I think the Unforgettable Fire era pretty much qualifies as that period, as Bono did say that Edge rediscovered the guitar afterwards during the Joshua Tree recording sessions. Or the Zooropa era?

Actually atU2, the fan site already called Edge anti-guitar hero. Whatever that means.

The same as in movies I'd say. There's the hero, who adheres to everything we think heroes are made off, and there's the anti-hero, who has none of those qualities and yet we still identify favorably with him as the main protagonist. Edge has become an iconic guitarist despite not being or doing anything we ascribe to the classic guitar hero. Being an excellent technical guitar player which usually translates into loud long flashy solos, crazy stage antics with often a signature move, larger then life egos that can actually rival the larger then life egos of lead singers. And of course an instantly recognizable sound. Well, he has that at least.

 

[Mack_Again]

Right, Zooropa is pretty guitar-less, except for some occasions. And even then it doesn't even sound like typical guitar sound. Like that sound from Numb or Lemon. I like that record despite having some weird mixing decisions. And that intro of title track is, I think, the best thing U2 have done in the 90s.

The phrase "guitar hero" kinda sounds funny to me as there is none in this generation (at least that's what it seems like). Or anti guitar hero is the new hero, just like Venom has been sometimes treated like hero in some occasions (I think I made accidental Spider-Man reference, in relation to the Edge).

Self-oscillation in the delay sure is controversial aspect (meaning that it's seemingly unnecessary while its loved by some) but because I love warmer repeats on the delay, I kinda want one with that function. Right, maybe big Boss delay will do. I was really thinking about buying new DD-500 (I think that's how it's called) which is basically Boss' version of Strymon Timeline but I kinda stopped as it seemed too expensive.


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[Mack_Again]

Still no info about U2? Or at least about Edges rig? Hm......

I actually wonder about how much the Edge used Collings Guitars during last tour, you know, because it seemed to be new addition to his rig.


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[Muad'zin]

It would seem that the news is that there is no news. My guess they're busy and will remain so for a while longer. Bands only promote themselves when they have something that needs promoting. When they don't they're either busy recording new stuff or doing other things. Which in U2's case can mean lots of things, usually Bono being a self righteous ass again.

As for rig info, only Edge and Dallas can give us any. Either by posting grainy social media pics or by allowing others to have a look. The latter of course will only happen when the band has finally something to promote again.

 

[Mack_Again]

I'm eagerly looking forward for the time when U2 starts to delete all the posts from their Instagram, Facebook and Twitter page and disappear from the Internet completely. To promote the album, of course.

I'm starting to be convinced that if Edge would join the Electric Counterpoint with someone like Brian Eno, that could be a cool project.


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[Mack_Again]

well I saw the old threads back and I indeed saw H9 in Edge's rig on picture taken by Bob Bradshaw. But I can't really spot where he used Eventide-sounding effects in the last tour (you know, whole IE tour, both legs). is he seriously underusing that pedal or has he taken off that pedal off of his board and make Axe-FX do that kinda thing (like shimmery delay with modulation and cool harmonies)? do you guys have any clue about this?

I'm asking as I see more and more H9 on lots of professional pedalboard (meaning pedalboards used by pro musicians) and I'm so intrigued by it. (for me, they'll be just a cool toy but who knows? what if I actually became a pro musician?)

 

[Rockhound252]

Much of the pedals has not been used yet. I think they are spare units

 

[Muad'zin]

Isn't it the usual MO of Edge for spares to only include additional rack units into his rack, but pedals, not so much? There's always been a gazillion TC2290's, SDD3000's and A3's in his rack, nowadays 4 Axe-FX's, and nearly duplicates of all other rack units, but pedals are single units only. Except for his Zoo TV rig, where there was a duplicate pedal rig as well.

 

[Mack_Again]

it could be that he is storing some presets as a backup for Axe-FX (again, Axe-fx has computational limits, too, you know?) but yes, its mostly true that Edge doesn't really bring out backup for pedals these days, so i down know whats what.


also Adam recently has got new Jazz Bass has anyone seen it?

 

[Mack_Again]

I'd like to revive this thread to talk about Edge's rig in TJT 30th anniversary tour. does anybody have some info on that?

 

[Rockhound252]

Nothing... but when i saw the picture of the stage i could appreciate less amps than the ie tour

 

[Rockhound252]

But i cant confirm until we get images

 

[Mack_Again]

Bob Bradshaw these days doesn't upload pix that frequently.


But he did uploaded pix of John Mayer's rig holy hell that was massive I thought Edge was being too excessive

 

[Mack_Again]

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/john-mayer-rig-hifi-speakers.1813773/


here it is. look at this shit man. can you imagine Edge doing Wet/Dry/Wet rig as complicated as this? I'm thankful that Edge doesn't do this

 

[Muad'zin]

I feel sorry for his guitar techs. On the other hand, it still beats having to go to work from 8 to 5 in some dreary office or factory.

 

[Mack_Again]

I feel sorry for his guitar techs. On the other hand, it still beats having to go to work from 8 to 5 in some dreary office or factory.

Well his tech has worked for SRV and Carlos Santana. So he must be really good at his job.

However John's rig isn't completely new or anything; I've seen Larry Carlton has done similar thing, where the sound coming from an amp is dry and the effect is applied after the sound is picked up from the mic (so he's got a console which receives signal from the mic in front of the amp then sends signals to some rack mount units like Eventide Reverb which would be send back to the console. This way you can actually adjust how much "wet" sound is mixed into the dry sound from the amp)

 

[Mack_Again]

I'm just making sure, but is Edge's only "stereo" effect just a shimmer? Stereo, I mean the wet signal being routed to different source from the dry one

 

[Rockhound252]

Sdd3000 is sterio too i think

 

[Mack_Again]

Wait really? So the wet signal from SDD goes to the dedicated amp?

 

[Muad'zin]

I'm not sure Edge actually runs a dedicated wet/dry setup. He seems to be fond of...., well...., lots of things. Some songs wet/dry, others all wet. Complete and utter flexibility seems to be his thing. Although shimmer does go to a separate amp.

 

[Mack_Again]

Got it, just wanted to make sure I'm somewhat correct.

I thought John Mayer is just being too excessive but apparently his rig sounds massive live, so....there's some win there?

 

[Rockhound252]

Wait really? So the wet signal from SDD goes to the dedicated amp?

I saw a picture from their studio where edge plays cedarwood in 2014 and the pedalbord appear the sdd3000 connected in two jacks in the output.

 

[Mack_Again]

Or that he doesn't do that when playing live because of difficulty associated with wiring/routing signal?

 

[Mack_Again]

wait did he seriously use Explorer for Elevation?

 

[Mack_Again]

also can someone provide us a list of guitars Edge used?

 

[Edge_Orchestra]

wait did he seriously use Explorer for Elevation?

Yep. #U2JT30 is Gibson SG-free.

 

[Edge_Orchestra]

also can someone provide us a list of guitars Edge used?

1.Sunday Bloody Sunday - B&W signature Stratocaster
2.New Year's Day - LP Music Rising (there are a few on the tour)
3.Pride (In The Name Of Love) - B&W Signature Stratacaster
4.Where The Streets Have No Name / California (There Is No End To Love) (snippet)
5.I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For - B&W Signature Stratocaster
6.With Or Without You / Shine Like Stars (snippet)
7.Bullet The Blue Sky - All black Stratocaster. Might be the original. Might be a signature made in all black. I'd have to look at more pix to see. I think it is the 1973.
8.Running To Stand Still - Keyboard
9.Red Hill Mining Town - Keyboard
10.In God's Country - Cloned 1975 LP Custom
11.Trip Through Your Wires - All black with Rosewood fretboard Signature prototype Stratocaster
12.One Tree Hill - Gretsch White Falcon. Looks to be a newer one (Not vintage)
13.Exit - Cloned 1975 LP Custom
14.Mothers Of The Disappeared - Black/Red Vertigo graphic Variax 700 acoustic

encore(s):
15.Miss Sarajevo / The New Colossus (snippet) - Gibson MR Les Paul (greenish one)
16.Bad / America (snippet) - B&W Signature Strat
17.Beautiful Day / City Of Stars (snippet) - Gibson Explorer
18.Elevation - Gibson Explorer
19.Ultra Violet (Light My Way) - Fernandes RetroRocket. The older of the two with the black oyster pickguard
20.One - Gibson MR Les Paul
21.The Little Things That Give You Away - I think it was the LP Custom again.

 

[nbelcik]

It's weird that he's using the cloned LP Custom when he said a while ago that he wasn't satisfied with the tone from it, guess he changed his mind

 

[Rockhound252]

Or he transformed his 2nd creamed les paul that used for zoo station during 2005-2006

 

[Mack_Again]

but I feel like all of his strats aren't from 70s because the end of the truss rod isn't sticking out (or in another words, the "bullet" isn't there on the headstock.