Prodigal Son - Iron Maiden Solo Help finding tone

[Skyweaver]

I've been a fan of the guitar tone of the solo of Prodigal Son on the Killers album Iron Maiden for years

Can anyone help me chase down what head, guitar etc they might have used to get that tone ?

I'm thinking it was a JMP + Fender or SG

any help would be awesome

 

[The Shrink]

don't be confused by the stuff is up on the net.

My guess is that he used his les paul with stock pickups and the mxr OD pedal to the old modded plexy. It was tracked in 1981, so there were not many options at the time.

Adrian gets a lot of the tone out of his hands, with a steep pick angle and the thum almost touching the string.

I hope it helps

 

[Skyweaver]

Thanx

I saw them live last night Dave was using his fender with hotrails in it and the tone was exactly how I thought it would be from a JMP with some delay, I'm going to experiment with some different heads

 

[GuitarHack]

I was there too and on the side near Dave and Adrians Gear. They were using either a JCM900 or JCM2000, with the bright Red Rocker Power switch on the left and one row of knobs (more knobs than a JCM800). I could see the tech tweaking Adrians amp a few times during the show.

 

[Skyweaver]

thanks for that - I loved Daves tone, just awesome

The sound from the PA was truely horrible, but apart from that, what an amazing show !

 

[GuitarHack]

Amazing show indeed. Murray and Smith are awesome, Gers.........I don't know what to say about him. I can't think of anything good anyway, rhymes with anchor.

Still Life, Flight of Icarus, Phantom of the Opera, Remember Tomorrow and Killers would have been nice, could have done without "Heaven can wait" and "Can I play with madness". Just bitchin.

Overall, brilliant though.

 

[kev]

Glad you guys had fun! Im either going to catch them in Prague or Twickenham this year, should be good Killers was Daves black strat with the yellow dimarzios and adrians les paul gold top with i recall stock dimarzio in the bridge and a stock neck humbucker possibly. Both are them were switching in and out of sgs too, dave had the wacky one with 3 pickups but neck and bridge replaced with dimarzios and middle left stock. Adrians SG i cannot remember much about.

No guarantees that this was actually on the album though ;p

 

[SickBoy]

I've been a fan of the guitar tone of the solo of Prodigal Son on the Killers album Iron Maiden for years

Can anyone help me chase down what head, guitar etc they might have used to get that tone ?

I'm thinking it was a JMP + Fender or SG

any help would be awesome

AFAIK both Adrian and Dave played humbucker equipped axes in those days...
First solo is Adrian's, sounds like an ordinary healthy Marshall head+cab (now, was it non-MV mkII, MV mkII or JCM800 I wouldn't know), wouldn't know if it was boosted maybe with TS or some other pedal... Dave's solo is pretty processed though, but I suppose the same equipment was used, the soloing sound is pretty consistent throughout the album...
Gotta love those two, rare are the players today that can be so easily recognized.

I too adore not just the tone of the solo guitar, but the overall sound of the album, it's so refreshing to listen to something so organic sounding, makes me feel as if they've blasting their instruments right before me!
Didn't expect a topic like this one on this board though...

 

[Nebulous]

Thanx

I saw them live last night Dave was using his fender with hotrails in it and the tone was exactly how I thought it would be from a JMP with some delay, I'm going to experiment with some different heads

I was there too and on the side near Dave and Adrians Gear. They were using either a JCM900 or JCM2000, with the bright Red Rocker Power switch on the left and one row of knobs (more knobs than a JCM800). I could see the tech tweaking Adrians amp a few times during the show.

Aw man, we should have had a Sneap meet on that side of the stage haha!

I think I must be the only one who actually enjoyed Vanishing Point more than Maiden haha. They played and performed well, but they did not have $150 worht of great songs in their set IMO.

 

[GuitarHack]

I was going to post the day before and ask if any of you guys were going. Should have.

Vanishing Point had a terrible sound. That Bass was punishing for the ears and the PA. Best move whilst watching them was to go outside, much more enjoyable. Gotta love his Scumshine comment though. You seen them before Neb?

 

[Nebulous]

Yeah, seen them afew times, been a big fan for about 3 or 4 years now haha. They always seem to have a really crap, bass heavy sound, but because I know the songs I sorta listen through that haha. That fact doesn't make it right though. They had their album launch at the HiFI afew months back, the sound was better then, and htey played really awsome.

As for asking if I was going, I would have said no haha. I got a call at 4 from a mate saying that people were selling Gold tickets because friends had pulled out. I was at the Corner hotel by 6 to get them haha.

 

[chrisvp]

Whenever any band supports an international band its hard to get a good soundcheck , so maybe the sound may have been bass heavy out front , but on stage it was tinny as hell heh heh , anyways thems the breaks , we had fun though
Cheers for the heads up Neb , hope to catch up with you some day , my shout for a beer

I was going to post the day before and ask if any of you guys were going. Should have.

Vanishing Point had a terrible sound. That Bass was punishing for the ears and the PA. Best move whilst watching them was to go outside, much more enjoyable. Gotta love his Scumshine comment though. You seen them before Neb?

 

[GuitarHack]

chrisvp

Absolutely no disrespect to you intended, believe me I think it may be a deliberate thing to put a not-so-perfect sound in the PA for the supports. I was in fact looking forward to checking you guys out but the Bass guitar in the PA was killing me as we were on the side very near the PA. I think you guys performed well and seemed to enjoy yourselves. I guessed you guys may have had a hard time hearing yourselves since every time any of you ventured past Maiden's main monitors to get up personal with the crowd, none of you stayed out there too long, particularly Stage Right guitarist.

Again, no disrespect intended. Congrats on securing such a gig and I hope the exposure helps you guys out.

 

[Nebulous]

Whenever any band supports an international band its hard to get a good soundcheck , so maybe the sound may have been bass heavy out front , but on stage it was tinny as hell heh heh , anyways thems the breaks , we had fun though
Cheers for the heads up Neb , hope to catch up with you some day , my shout for a beer

Haha, I didn't realise you posted here too. The sound did improve over the set. At the start it sounded alot like Silvio singing to a backing track the vocals were so loud.

I have to do my homework and check when your gig with Helloween is so I can get tickets soon. I'm not a huge Helloween or Black Majesty fan, but them two and you guys on one bill should be fun and energetic if not anything else.
If I see you and you aren't busy I'll say G'day, though every time I see you you're busy haha.

 

[Skyweaver]

Next gig, we should do a sneap forum catch up, I'm heading to Ozzzy,Wasp and Immortal if you guys are going

I thought VP were good as they always are, the venue seemed to have an underpowered system, but with the plugs slightly in the ear the sound was fine. Maiden the first night the sound was just punishing without plugs in, the second night they seemed to get things better.

I picked up a phase 90 mxr, and having a ball with it on the solo sounds, just great - not quite maiden but getting closer

 

[Nebulous]

Haha, I was just about to say we should meet up at the next gig.

For me it will be the Knightmare EP launch at the Central Club, and as far as international gigs go, it will most likely be the Helloween gig. I'd like to go to Wasp, as it's on my birthday.

 

[Skyweaver]

the Helloween gig will be a killa, should start an aussie gig meet up thread.....actually darkest dawn on the 23rd will be cool too

 

[chrisvp]

No offence taken mate , all cool
You actually hit it spot on concerning monitors etc , we really wanted to run amok more but couldnt because of the space of sound and also because I really have to get myself a decent wireless system that doesnt sound like a bag of shit heh heh
Unfortunately in half hour sets not much tweaking can be done even for supports , yet we were still over the moon to be there and wish we were doing the whole Aus tour

chrisvp

Absolutely no disrespect to you intended, believe me I think it may be a deliberate thing to put a not-so-perfect sound in the PA for the supports. I was in fact looking forward to checking you guys out but the Bass guitar in the PA was killing me as we were on the side very near the PA. I think you guys performed well and seemed to enjoy yourselves. I guessed you guys may have had a hard time hearing yourselves since every time any of you ventured past Maiden's main monitors to get up personal with the crowd, none of you stayed out there too long, particularly Stage Right guitarist.

Again, no disrespect intended. Congrats on securing such a gig and I hope the exposure helps you guys out.

 

[chrisvp]

I dont normally post here Bro , just thought to jump on and say hello heh heh , actually Silv does sing with backing vocals in certain parts because firstly its hard for us who do the backing vocals to sing over a movement riffwise without fucking up and secondly Silv the bastard always records mega amounts of backing vocals and harmonies in the studio that in turn we want to reproduce live yet cant , so thats where the laptop kicks in , plus we dont have a full time keyboard player
I know of many people who say that backing tapes being played to a click track is cheating , yet it keeps a band tight as a nuns nasty in my opinion plus the whole sound is there ....providing you get a good soundcheck and have a chance to breathe in the room acoustically
I know of many drummers who soil their pants at the mention of a click track , hence the reason why we got Christian , he;s not only an ace drummer but also is not afraid of the click track

Haha, I didn't realise you posted here too. The sound did improve over the set. At the start it sounded alot like Silvio singing to a backing track the vocals were so loud.

I have to do my homework and check when your gig with Helloween is so I can get tickets soon. I'm not a huge Helloween or Black Majesty fan, but them two and you guys on one bill should be fun and energetic if not anything else.
If I see you and you aren't busy I'll say G'day, though every time I see you you're busy haha.

 

[chrisvp]

My Brother in law plays in Darkest Dawn , good band , good sound

the Helloween gig will be a killa, should start an aussie gig meet up thread.....actually darkest dawn on the 23rd will be cool too