Under A Blood Red Sky

[The_Pac_Mule]

I'm trying to get a tone similar to Edge's during the War tour, that tone you hear from the Red Rocks is just really raw but powerful. Especially in Sunday Bloody Sunday. Does anyone know what kind of pedal he was using for his overdrive at the time?

 

[branwalls]

I'm trying to get a tone similar to Edge's during the War tour, that tone you hear from the Red Rocks is just really raw but powerful. Especially in Sunday Bloody Sunday. Does anyone know what kind of pedal he was using for his overdrive at the time?

I'm right there with ya . The distorted tones on the remastered UABRS are so awesome . So, until Edge Orchestra chimes in with the correct info, I'm thinking it's probably a Boss pedal, either an OD-2 or SD-1. Of course, you'll also need a Vox AC30 to really nail the tone .

 

[Edge_Orchestra]

Boss OD-2 didn't come out until 1985. (2 years after the Red Rocks show).

It is possible that he could have had a Boss SD-1 in 1983 as it was first produced in 1981.

It's been long rumoured that Edge was using a Guyatone Zoom distortion during this period. It's possible.

Other drive was from using the volume knob on the guitars, the Explorer in particular. Playing the cleaner bits as a lower volume setting on the guitar and then rolling up the volume for the more overdriven bits.



Per Musician magazine (1983) and U2 magazine (Vol 7 / May 1983) - below

The Edge uses a Fender Stratocaster or a Gibson Explorer through a vintage Vox AC30 amp with a Memory Man echo "which is a real budget echo, but it works really well; it's functional and uncomplicated." He likes "very heavy" strings, ranging from .011 or .012 gauge up to .056. "My Explorer isn't one of the vintage '58s, it's more like a '76, but it's great in that it has a nice top end without that extra raunch and distortion that a lot of players like in a Les Paul; it's like a compromise between a Les Paul and a Strat." He admits to occasionally using a Les Paul in the studio, as well as an Epiphone steel guitar he picked up at Gruhn Guitars in Nashville. "It helps give an 'American' feel to "Surrender",' on the new album. The Vox amps are like the original Beatles amps, with the original box speakers -- little 12-inchers with a very gutsy middle sound." The Edge is partial to Roland's Chorus 120 amps, because of their "tough, clean sound."


Bassist Adam Clayton favors a Fender Jazz bass played through Ampeg amps, while Bono Vox opts for a Shure SM-57 mike for the vocal chores.

Larry Mullen's drum kit is a Yamaha Studio series with Zildjian cymbals. He notes, "For 'Like a Song,' we wanted a pastoral, Celtic feel, so I got hold of a bass drum and some skins and used my hand instead of my foot."

© Musician, 1983. All Rights Reserved. [/I]

 

[branwalls]

Other drive was from using the volume knob on the guitars, the Explorer in particular. Playing the cleaner bits as a lower volume setting on the guitar and then rolling up the volume for the more overdriven bits.



[

You know, I was thinking the guitar overdriving the amp was probably a large part of the tone Pac Mule is describing, but he mentions SBS, which I believe (may be wrong) was still played with a strat back then. It doesn't sound like he could have gotten that tone with a strat and the amp, unless he was using a boost pedal too? I can see getting it with the Explorer, but not the strat.

Thanks for setting me straight on the OD-2, E_O.

It seems like the pre-Dallas era is kind of a black hole when it comes to Edge gear.

 

[Edge_Orchestra]

You know, I was thinking the guitar overdriving the amp was probably a large part of the tone Pac Mule is describing, but he mentions SBS, which I believe (may be wrong) was still played with a strat back then. It doesn't sound like he could have gotten that tone with a strat and the amp, unless he was using a boost pedal too? I can see getting it with the Explorer, but not the strat.

Thanks for setting me straight on the OD-2, E_O.

It seems like the pre-Dallas era is kind of a black hole when it comes to Edge gear.

Nope, not that black of a hole at all.

The volume knob was used more then than now to help boost. Alongside that there were a few other ways to boost things.

I've heard that Edge used a Guyatone Zoom pedal during some of the later October tour dates. That might have still been in the rig.

You can get drive from the EH Memory Man delay (oddly enough).

The preamp from the SDD3000, which Edge had (per The Edge) during the Red Rocks shows.

The Boss FA-1 Bi-Fet preamp pedal was used to boost the lower output pickups of the Strat. But it isn't the FA-1 alone that gave it boost.

 

[The_Pac_Mule]

Thanks for the info

Are the new Boss SD1's Im finding on eBay for $60 still the same as the vintage ones?

 

[Edge_Orchestra]

Thanks for the info

Are the new Boss SD1's Im finding on eBay for $60 still the same as the vintage ones?

Originals were made in Japan. One's made today are made in Taiwan. Some collectors will insist there is a difference. I've used both and they both some the same to me.

Is the SD-1 a good overdrive?
Yes.

What do they sounds like?
They sound similar to an Ibanez Tubescreamer.

• So if it is a basic overdrive pedal you are looking for, an SD-1 will be useful.
• Boss OD-2 or OD-2r is also great. The tone is a bit more compressed.
• Boss BD-2 "Blues Driver" is quite nice too.

Others?

• Visual Sound Route 66. It's two pedals in one. A Tubescreamer-like overdrive and it has a compressor. You can use either effect or both at the same time. Both sound great and saves a bit of space on your pedalboard.
• And the aforementioned Ibanez Tubescreamer. There are a few versions. The 808 is more like the original. TS-9 is close. There are also KEELEY and ANALOGMAN that both do modifications to TS-9's (and tons of other pedals) to make them sound more like the originals.

 

[Edge_Orchestra]

Thanks for the info

Are the new Boss SD1's Im finding on eBay for $60 still the same as the vintage ones?

$60 IS TOO MUCH. You should be able to find a Boss SD-1 for LESS than $60.00.

MUSICIANS FRIEND = $39.95
Buy Boss SUPER OverDrive SD-1 Pedal | Overdrive, Distortion, Fuzz & Boost | Musician's Friend

SWEETWATER = $39.97
Boss SD-1 Super OverDrive | Sweetwater.com

ZZOUNDS = $49.95
Boss SD-1 from zZounds.com

 

[The_Pac_Mule]

Thanks!

 

[Edge_Orchestra]

Thanks!

Glad to help

 

[GrüßGott]

for example eleven o clock tick tock

i just use for this sound this effectchain:

Explorer-->TS9--> a bit Analog Chorous (Pod xt)-->EQ (Pod xt)-->TC2290-->Vox AC30 (Pod xt)-->a bit Reverb

i knew that the effects is not the same from 1983, but it sounds best to me...

my rehearsal: www. mega upload.com/?d=I13SY910

 

[McJeffery]

A really good overddrive pedal is the luther made by gearmandude its a basically a modified ibanez tube screamer. I have one and i love it. and its only $100 brand new go to youtube and check it out..