Edge's Black 79 Strat.

[chrisn1]

Hi everyone,
I have just bought a 1978 All black strat with maple neck just like Edge's "Blackie" (although it's a left hander!) I have always wanted one and it's the guitar that first got me into the Edge and U2, because the 'Fender custom Shop" do not currently offer a tribute start!!!!!!!!! to Edge. I have decided to try and do my own tribute version as close to Edge's, I know he will have tinkered with it over the years but i'm after any information as to what I need to do to make it as close to it was during the Unforgettable Fire/Joshua Tree period, I have read he had Dimarzio FS-1 pickup in the bridge position and a white pick-up switch added, maybe the Keeper of all the Mysteries of Edge info 'Edge Orchestra" could help me out,
cheers
Chris.
England.

 

[silkensky]

Is it all original? If so I'd leave it stock and focus on pairing her up with a great amp and some quality effects. While the dimarzio FS-1 nails the "Red Rocks" bridge tone, it's a fairly high output pickup, and sort of kills the quack tones for songs like Streets, Bad, ISHFWILF, etc.

Got any pictures to share? Can't be very many all black 70's lefty Strats out there...

 

[chrisn1]

Its all original, It has not arrived yet from the states, hopefully some time next week, I have a dimarzio FS-1 but I agree with you that I should leave her all original, I know there isn't a lot of love for late 70,s Strats but I have always thought Edge,s Black strat looks and sounds awesome, I will be using the guitar with my 2 Vox AC15's with Alnico Blues and all so a Vox 212 extension cab loaded with blues, a Korg SDD3000 and a SDD200 with an SDD-3KP pedal and a Korg A3 along with a load of pedals so I should be able to get pretty close to nailing a few choice tones, you are right there are not that many Lefty strats around that match the spec of Blackie so when one came up I snatched my chance and got it, don't know how much import duty I will have to pay!!!!!!! but I have wanted this guitar for so long, I wonder if I will ever come across a Mahogany 76 Lefty Explorer.......doubt it. I will post photo's of my rig once I am allowed to by the moderators.

 

[silkensky]

Man that is an excellent gear line up you have. I assume you already have some Herdim picks. If not, definitely get some. Otherwise, I'd say you're pretty much set gear wise. The final tone ingredient will be in the fingers once you get that Strat...

 

[chrisn1]

Yeah it's a pretty good set up, I'm still sorting it all out with a voodoo lab foot switcher, I use Herdims all the time, even when I am playing different styles of music they just feel right to me now, whenever I see them I always buy as many as I can, looking forward to getting the Strat and A/B it with my other guitars to see if its got a little bit of Edge Mojo, I know no amount of gear can make you sound like him he is a one off, but its nice to try and get as close as you can, the ultimate goal is to develop your own style and sound but understanding how to get the best sounds out your equipment is something the Edge has become a unique exponent of...... Now if I could just get me a 1964 Vox AC30..

 

[mrsteve]

Hi Chris

My thinking is leave it as original. I have a 70's Strat too and have been emulating Edge for 17 years now. There is much talk (maybe too much talk) of what Edge has done to this guitar but there is no firm evidence. He did mention rewiring in one interview to give the bridge pickup a tone control. IMO the key issues are driving the amp by hot effects (we know he does this) and having, as you mention, a good AC-30 with compression and 'chime'. My Vox is a 1968 in original spec. Again the U2 team do not make any mods to Edge's amp. Also there is a world of difference between playing live with the amp cranked up and playing at acceptable levels at home. So many variables!

I agree with Silkensky that any major mods will affect the Quack tone for Streets, etc. I have a '76 reissue Explorer too and, like his, is a stock instrument with the original Gibson pickups. In one interview he confirms this as he said he hates the 'heavy metal whine' that hot pickups produce. Hope this helps

Steve
U2-2U Guitarist

 

[chrisn1]

Hi Steve,
Yes you are right, there are so many variables in tone, probably from night to night when U2 are on tour, a decent guitar with the right amp and correct FX is the "Core" sound, people do tend to focus on the minute detail I am guilty of this as I suspect a few others, Edge uses so much equipment that its impossible to sound exactly like him, because he is who he is!!! it is nice trying to emulate some of his tones and for players in a tribute band it's key. I am just waiting for the Black 78' to be delivered now its passed through customs, I am just gonna go straight through the SDD3000 in to the Vox's and see what happens, but I wont modify this guitar...... except maybe the white pick-up selector switch!!!!!!!!!!

 

[agocont]

hi all, i have a 1979 original brack strat, and a 1968/69 vox ac 30 tb, i had last year an sdd-3000 and i can confirm that sound is fantastic..

 

[chrisn1]

Hi all,
My Lefty 1978 "Black" Fender Strat arrived this week, boy is she a heavy one! so I tried it through my two AC15' set up going int a couple of Korg SDD's and the sound was great' I know strat's of this period are mostly loathed but it seems to nail the sounds I want it to' I am going to leave it stock as suggested hopefully one day Gibson might make a Lefty 76' re-issue Explorer... I wont hold my breath.

 

[Edge_Orchestra]

The short answer is that any Stratocaster with decent enough pickups that is set up well and intonated properly will do you good.

Tone comes from your hands.

Hands + Good Strat + Good Vox amp = your tone.

Start there. Your attack on the instrument, picks and picking style, your hands fretting the notes... are you fretting them cleanly... that is the most important bit.

Think of it as a cake. Frosting and decor & design are great but if the cake isn't any good... the basics... But if the cake isn't any good, no amount of frosting and decor will make it good.