Edge's Guitars on Letterman Preformances and 12 string guitar questions

[Jdelbove]

My friend and I are wonder what was the red guitar edge used on Magnificent and Crazy tonight on the letterman performances. My friend told me he uses a 12 string on Magnificent.

I dont know to much about guitars but am interested and have started playing a little and am wondering what is the difference in sound between a 12 string and a 6 and what songs does the Edge use various 12 strings on.

 

[Edge_Orchestra]

My friend and I are wonder what was the red guitar edge used on Magnificent and Crazy tonight on the letterman performances. My friend told me he uses a 12 string on Magnificent.

I dont know to much about guitars but am interested and have started playing a little and am wondering what is the difference in sound between a 12 string and a 6 and what songs does the Edge use various 12 strings on.

The guitar that The Edge used for the Letterman show performances of "Magnificent" and "I'll Go Crazy..." was his a Gretsch Country Gentlemen.

The Edge doesn't use a 12-string on Magnificent.

In the past The Edge has used a Rickenbacker 330/12-string for:

• Angel of Harlem - Rattle and Hum film + during the Love Town tour.
• Even Better Than The Real Thing - All tours
• Mysterious Ways - All tours
• Gone - All tours

He was seen using an acoustic 12-string, unsure of the make and model, while rehearsing for the U2:360 tour. Speculation was that he'd used it for acoustic version of "Mysterious Ways" and for "Drowning Man".

 

[Chill Mike D]

In terms of general sound difference between a six and twelve string, twelve strings tend to have a "fuller" sound, with a kind of slight natural chorus effect, since the octave strings may not be exactly perfectly in pitch. It's hard to describe with words, but if you play a 6 string and 12 string back to back the difference is obvious. A 12 string is very lush.

They can also be somewhat taxing to play, since your fingers have to use more force to fret the doubled amount of strings.

They do sound nice though. I have an acoustic 12 string that I sometimes use with a removable pickup. I'd like to get an electric 12 string sometime. Probably not a Rickenbacker though, because I really don't want to spend that much on a guitar.

 

[Edge_Orchestra]

Like "Chill" said... fuller and richer. And 'jangly' to some extent. (Think The Byrds or the opening chord of The Beatles "A Hard Days Night".)

Edge uses more effects than George Harrison did so there is less 'jangle' but more of a fuller sound.

Rickenbacker makes the better of most 12-string electrics. Danelectro made some affordable decent 12-strings 5+ years ago but I don't know if they still do or not. Clarisse bought me my 12-string Danelectro DC-59 reissue for around $300.00 (Seen them on the 2nd hand market for between $300.00 and $650.00)

 

[Chill Mike D]

I wouldn't mind one of the Danelectro ones, but I haven't been able to find one. I'll probably end up getting one of the Agile Harm 12 strings with the three mini-humbuckers.

 

[Jdelbove]

doest he use a 12 string on sometimes too - i may be mistaken
what about city of blinding lights what does he use

and like i said I have little knowledge - does the edge do a lot of overdubbing live - like playing one part and then playing over it using fills

 

[Chill Mike D]

For Sometimes I think he may use the Rickenbacker.

City of Blinding Lights was a 6-string Gretsch I think. Maybe the Country Gentleman.

Live, as far as I know, he doesn't do any live looping. A lot of their songs do have recorded backing tracks of one sort or another, they also have a hidden keyboard player, and believe it or not occasionally Bono's guitar is audible in the mix to thicken things up.

But I'm not sure if they use any pre-recorded guitar parts.

 

[Edge_Orchestra]

I wouldn't mind one of the Danelectro ones, but I haven't been able to find one. I'll probably end up getting one of the Agile Harm 12 strings with the three mini-humbuckers.

Humbuckers might make it sound muddy and far from a more traditional sounding 12-string. But trust your own ears.

12 String Danelectro, Silvertone Guitar, Bass, Parts, Accessories. History, Vintage Danelectro

These guys get used Dano's all the time. Worth looking in to.

 

[Edge_Orchestra]

doest he use a 12 string on sometimes too - i may be mistaken
what about city of blinding lights what does he use

and like i said I have little knowledge - does the edge do a lot of overdubbing live - like playing one part and then playing over it using fills

"City of Blinding Lights" has been played on a Gretsch Country Gentleman during the Vertigo and U2:360 tours.

 

[Chill Mike D]

Humbuckers might make it sound muddy and far from a more traditional sounding 12-string. But trust your own ears.

12 String Danelectro, Silvertone Guitar, Bass, Parts, Accessories. History, Vintage Danelectro

These guys get used Dano's all the time. Worth looking in to.

Awesome, thanks for the link. Those look pretty cool.

For the mini-HBs, I've never played any, but I've heard that they're generally brighter than PAFs. Not quite Fender single coil bright, but brighter than PAFs or P90s. And on that note I would love to have a Firebird, but alas.

 

[Edge_Orchestra]

Awesome, thanks for the link. Those look pretty cool.

For the mini-HBs, I've never played any, but I've heard that they're generally brighter than PAFs. Not quite Fender single coil bright, but brighter than PAFs or P90s. And on that note I would love to have a Firebird, but alas.

Here's a picture of my Danelectro 12-string. Pretty cool guitar.

Mini-Humbuckers brighter than P-90s? Not sure. Have a listen and trust your ears.

Gibson Firebirds are pretty great guitars. Daniel Lanois uses one often in his shows. I am surprised that I've not seen Edge use one, unless he's borrowed Lanois' in the studio.