What kind of gear does Saxon use?

[Redman]

Well, every band forum usually has this kind of thread.

As a guitarist, I'm of course interested in the gear Saxon uses. I think in the early years Paul and Graham had JMP 2203 Marshall amplifiers and in the 80's, they got JCM 800 2203s though they still used JMPs pretty much. Later, in the late 80's, they used Laney Pro Tubes, but what about after that?

I was wondering what kind amplification they had in Dogs of War, Metalhead and nowadays. I think they now use JCM 2000, Laney VH100R and also some sort of rack and I think I saw ENGL in Chronicles DVD, but if they really use those amps... I can't be sure.

I, myself, have JCM 800 2210 and was wondering if any distortion pedal could make it sound like Saxon sounds today or in albums like Metalhead or Killing Ground.

Hopefully we have some guitarists here

 

[Crusader]

They still use VH100R i think as they're sponsored and listed on laney's website: http://www.laney.co.uk/site.htm

I've seen Paul play a Flame guitar, and Dough an LP. But they seem to use the van halen guitar (that type peavey made, but custom by another brand) more often. various strats (paul has a jackson..? and a fender lefty played right handed on Chronicles) are also preferred

don't have a clue about the pedals, you have to ask them!



edit: paul uses washburn too, here's a pic of the UTB guitar: http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e48/chunkypoops/paul1.jpg he also used a washburn guitar on the "rock the nations" video, dont remember the name of it, but here it is (all i could find on google, [http://www.guitareelectrique.com/images/washburn_hm_5v.jpg paul had a similar colour and specs i think

 

[Redman]

Hmm, I always thought Washburn only made vintage guitars, hehe

It's hard to find any information concerning their gear.

 

[Bosnian Witchfinder]

But they seem to use the van halen guitar (that type peavey made, but custom by another brand)

Its a musicman, because i cant remember if van halen defected from peavey to musicman or vice versa. Paul also uses a really nice Ibanez.

I wonder if anyone can answer these questions?

What are the guitars that Doug uses at
a) wacken 2001
b)the one hes been using recently, blue, no scratchplate, one humbucker and 2 singles

 

[Redman]

No idea. Doug's guitar in Chronicles looked very good, very comfortable to play. It might be custom made guitar by some smaller company or somebody who makes guitars. But that's just a guess.

 

[Wookie]

Doug was probably still using his Valley Arts guitars at Wacken 2001

 

[Redman]

Some of the Valley Arts guitars are pretty cool, not those Telecasters though.

 

[valanx]

Some of the Valley Arts guitars are pretty cool, not those Telecasters though.

Never been a fan of Tele's myself, had some salesman trying for almost half an hour to sell me one a few weeks back "you dont want another superstrat" he kept saying.....I did though, i love Jackson and Ibanez stuff personally..

Have no idea about Saxons equipment really though thats why i hadnt posted before! we should have a guitar thread redman

 

[Redman]

Aye, we sure should have a guitar thread

Telecasters have amazing tone, I love it, but I don't play any music where I would need that tone, even though Glenn Tipton says that he uses telecaster in some of his records for rhythm guitar parts. Maybe Hellrider, hah. Njah, I think he ment ballad-like songs' rhythm guitar parts.

 

[valanx]

To be fair ive never actually played a Telecaster, i just dont like the look/shape of them, never have. I dont doubt that they could dish out some sweet tone though.

Would be a really strange thing to see Glenn Tiption walk on stage with one of those strapped on lol, wonder what tracks he used one on? As you say probably more Ballad type rhythm stuff.

They should release a signature model of that cool hamer guitar he uses, im sure you know which one im thinking of. Id buy it for sure!!

 

[Redman]

Well, I suppose you are not talking about the Phantom GT, which is his signature guitar as well (that black 'superstrat') but you're talking about the x-shaped guitar.. well yeah, it's bloody cool, but maybe too unique. I mean, I respect that only Glenn uses it. But it's damn cool guitar.

Yeah, telecasters aren't that nice, IMO. But I could see Glenn using black Telecaster on stage

 

[valanx]

A black telecaster lol, yeah i could see him with that !!

I quite like the phantom GT, i wouldnt mind one at all. I didnt know the name of that guitar until you posted that so thanks! Im gonna hunt for some more info on it.

And yeah its very cool that his X shape as you call it is only played by him, awesome looking instrument, i believe one of them was stolen once, Good thing that he got it back!

 

[Redman]

Yeah, that X-shape is called Custom GT as far as I know, but since the name doesn't tell anything about it, I prefer X-shape I know one was stolen, but did he really get it back? I suppose he still has two of them, but did he make one more because one was stolen...? I bet some stupid collector took it, hah, before it was found, if it was found.

Yep, Phantom GT looks pretty good and must be quite comfortable to play because of it's shape. Don't know about the neck though, Glenn prefers SG neck so maybe it has SG's neck... too wide for me I'm afraid.

Too bad I bought my Flying V this year. In 2008, it will be 50 years since the first V came out so I'm sure it will have something nice in it. Same with explorers as well btw. I might buy explorer then, if I can get money.. they're pretty 'cheap', around 1000 euros, Flying V is 1200. But actually I'm more interested in Yngwie Strat (I'm not a Yngwie fan btw). Scalloped maple fretboard, uuuh!

 

[valanx]

How much would a yngwie strat cost ? Not that im a fan of him either.
Love those piss take vids of him on you tube though!

The V is almost 50 years thats pretty amazing, i remember seeing an old black and white pic of some blues guy in a suit with one, weird to think what has become such a metal guitar has been with us for so long.

Im not really a V man, i find the shape too awkward, to used to the 'super strat' thing i suppose. I love them to look at though! I have a Jackson randy rhoads guitar and i rarely play it because it feels so weird to me, luckily it wasnt too expensive, because it looks great on its stand!

My main Guitar is an Ibanez Jem and i also have a cort X6 and a Jackson ps2 that i play alot. Im getting a new amp soon but i cant decide between a Marshall MG100DFX Combo or a Line6 Spider II 210 Combo, both are pretty cheap but will be perfect for my needs. I only have a small(ish) practice amp again for now after giving away a huge peavy one i had.....I hated it!!

Dont suppose youve had any experience of those amps i mentioned ???

 

[Redman]

Yngwie Strat is 1500 euros (1000 pounds), normal Strat is from 1000 to 1200 euros I think. So it's not that expensive, for a signature guitar with some rare feature (scalloped fretboard that is).

Flying V is cool guitar but it's a bit unpractical. And it doesn't fit everyone. I think K.K. Downing must have born with a Flying V, but some guitarists look stupid with it. Randy V might be better than classic V, it's more comfortable to play, but I don't like their looks much, except the one Kai Hansen used, the red one.

Jem must be excellent guitar to play! I love my Squier Showmaster's shape and feel, it feels so damn good when I play it, that's why I would like to buy that Yngwie Strat. Scalloped fretboard and my favourite body shape... and the neck is perfect as well. Not to forget the sound of it. Alder body is great.

No, sorry. My knowledge of the amps is very limited. I have only played few amps, and have two, JCM 800 halfstack (nice, but mainly for rhythm guitar, if used without of effects which I can't afford, lol ) and Roland Micro Cube. Hmm. Spider is for metal I would think, Marshall... is Marshall. Vox is good as well, I've heard.

 

[valanx]

Yeah thats the thing with me im not all that well up on amps myself, but you were actually helpfull and i think your right, Marshall is Marshall and thats why i wanted one, just to have a Marshall, its the first ive heard of the affordable MG range and the fact that they have digi-fx built in was a big draw.

Ive heard good things about VOX always, my mate had one but i never heard it, he used a fender amp. I just dont like that old fashioned look of the vox stuff.

But as you said though the Spider will be no doubt more suitable for Metal, has more effects and amp models built in...Looks like ive made my choice!

I have to go with "More Metal" everytime!!

The Jem is great, im in love with it, plays like a dream, and even i cant make it go out of tune!

The Showmaster has a reverse heasdstock im i right? Some of these are pretty metal looking guitars! black with skulls and the like, I saw one of these in blue recently, had a huge (and i mean huge) scratch on the body...I just shook my head when i saw that.

KK born with a flying V! haha yeah!!!

btw. Do you go on or know any good guitar forums?

 

[Redman]

Some Showmasters have reverse headstock, don't know if all of them have. They are indeed a bit metal looking. They are usually very dark, black fretboards, carved quilted maple top, dark 'burst-like' colour, matched headstock, Seymour Duncans(?), also the horns in the body are sharper... And they usually have two humbuckers or humbucker and two single coils. But mine is just a simple Squier: reverse headstock, black fretboard, black colour, maple headstock. Looks pretty cool though.

I don't really go to any guitar forums. People there are usually like: "Wtf do you know about music? I have Bogner which costs more than your whole gear!". It pisses me off. Cheap is not always bad, that's what I've realized.

 

[valanx]

Yeah, ive tried a few guitar forums but have not really found one ive liked, everyone seems to be shred/speed obsessed and claim to be the fastest player since paul gilbert or yngwie or whoever.....Gets boring very quickly, especially so as I'M the fastest player since.... blah blah blah lol

 

[Redman]

I watched Saxon Chronicles today. I think Doug was using 5150 head in one song in those "tour" videos. He and Paul used Laney cabs all the time, but they had one Marshall cab with (mostly) Marshall rack on it. Why? Maybe they used that cabinet for their live sound and the other was just for the looks...? Not sure.

I also saw Laney VH100R there, and in that live concert where they played 3 songs (747, princess, wheels), Doug was using JCM 800 2205/2210 heads? Well, JCM 900 looks different, 2203 has less knobs and DSL 100 also looks different. JCM 800 2205/2210 has like 8 knobs, led, and 3 more knobs and that's exactly how those amps looked like. Great! I'm feeling proud of my 2210 now, haha.

 

[Bosnian Witchfinder]

I think they had marshalls because the bands probably shared amps.
They still share amps at some festivals, at the youtube clips of the spanish festivals they dont use their laneys but some marshalls.