Albion TCT50 and Zoom 707

Squonk

I saw the Alter Irving band at a private gig on Saturday night.

The guitarist had a very yummy Albion TCT50 amp and a couple of Fenders, on closer inspection I noticed that the only pedal he was using was a Zoom 707. At first I thought
he was possibly using it just for tuning but noticed him stomping during the songs.

There was nothing wrong with his tone, but a strange combination indeed.

It's also the first time I have seen the Larger 70's type Fender Headstock, and it actually looks quite cool.

IceCreamMan

That would be Arno ...

He previously used a marshal dfx100 and he was getting great tone from that set up too.

Keira-WitherKay

yeah i'm kinda repeating what ice cream man said........ i seen alter irving band a good few times and they always get great sound...... is cindi still playing that ovation with the eagle painted on it .........

we've discussed this a million times on this forum ...that tone comes 80% from the player and not from the gear ......... cos i'm assuming this post is made because of the use of what is considered budget gear by the band BUT they still get awesome tone............

and yes i'm in full agreement .......that nice top end gear is always nice to have ..........and if one has the money we all gravitate towards that end of the spectrum...just as we do with cars and houses as our net worth increases,,,,,,,.... but in the hands of a good player the budget gear like in this case is more than sufficient to do most pro jobs..........

in fact these days the quality and availability of cheap tube amps that all sound great (and sure on an A/B compatison with a boutique amp it will fall short but on a live stage(not in studio .cos most budget gear has some noise or lacks subtle tonalaties that get lost live but recorded it is ussually highlighted )so live a lot of way cheaper gear gets on quite an even keel with top end gear.

we often hear it at TJ's for example ...where players play back to back and one player with a cort or low end ibanez can sound as good as the next player who has a larivee or martin dispite them being in reality and undebatably miles apart quality wise .......but live least one does not notice a huge difference in the sound unless they on the same stage both playing at the same time BUT let me add in the right hands ...and i repeat good tone comes from the players technique to a large degree........

Bob-Dubery

Keira WitherKay wrote: we often hear it at TJ's for example ...where players play back to back and one player with a cort or low end ibanez can sound as good as the next player who has a larivee or martin dispite them being in reality and undebatably miles apart quality wise .......but live least one does not notice a huge difference in the sound unless they on the same stage both playing at the same time BUT let me add in the right hands ...and i repeat good tone comes from the players technique to a large degree........

Yes, but knowing what your gear does counts for something too. I see plenty of people at TJs with EQ on their guitar and whose approach to using that is to push all the faders all the way up. That doesn't do much for your sound.

Technique counts, especially on acoustic guitars (my guitars always sound better when Big M plays them), but so does understanding your gear and understanding how to make the most of what you've got.

Arno-West

Hey Icecreamgentleman, were you the guy that asked me about the tct and the zoom at the Diamond Dogs gig yesterday? Here's the story behind my live gear...I always use my '73 Strat. With Alter Irving I add a 2nd Strat that is tuned to e-flat. This is because Cindy and Stew use training-wheels (capo) quite often and when they do, I can use the 2nd guit to get a fatter sound. BTW Keira, Cindy's Ovation is in for repairs. The Albion is an endorsement and I think it's great, but you gotta sit down with it for a few hours and tweak your sound. After I blew the Marshall during a Diamond Dog gig, I used a 1200 watt Trace Elliot bass amp which sounded awesome but weighed a ton, so the Albion is a breath of fresh air (did I mention that I got it for free?) As far as the Zoom is concerned, I love it. It might be held together by duct tape and tootpicks, but I love it.

Squonk

Good stuff Arno

Didn't realize you were on GFSA. Enjoyed your playing and the tone of the 70's strat.
The gig I saw you at was the one for Radford House at the Berario Centre, "The Pub Evening"

IceCreamMan

Arno West wrote: Hey Icecreamgentleman, were you the guy that asked me about the tct and the zoom at the Diamond Dogs gig yesterday? Here's the story behind my live gear...I always use my '73 Strat. With Alter Irving I add a 2nd Strat that is tuned to e-flat. This is because Cindy and Stew use training-wheels (capo) quite often and when they do, I can use the 2nd guit to get a fatter sound. BTW Keira, Cindy's Ovation is in for repairs. The Albion is an endorsement and I think it's great, but you gotta sit down with it for a few hours and tweak your sound. After I blew the Marshall during a Diamond Dog gig, I used a 1200 watt Trace Elliot bass amp which sounded awesome but weighed a ton, so the Albion is a breath of fresh air (did I mention that I got it for free?) As far as the Zoom is concerned, I love it. It might be held together by duct tape and tootpicks, but I love it.

Hiya Arno

Good to have you here man, welcome. The oke that asked you is Joe Moore , also a member here. Me, i am a mate's of Craig and Nik and been watching Craig play for the last 25 years.

We have chatted previously though, i am a regular at the Diamond Dog gigs at Country pub...next time instad of introducing myself as my real name is say howsit i am ICecreamman... ?

Arno-West

In 25 years you've probably seen Craig-O fall out of the bus a few times like he did during Comfortobly Numb yesterday....he he. I'm probably gonna feel like a twot when you introduce yourself cos we have met. Squawk, that room at the Radford House gig had a horrible resonance at about 150khz, I couldn't push the P.A. past -10db on the desk. I hope the sound was acceptable out front and I'll take your word for it, but between you and me, soundwise, it wasn't the best Alter Irving gig.

Arno-West

Now the floodgates will open: 1973 Fender Stratocaster (USA), my first wife. I have owned it since 1995. Got Fender logo and serial number tatooed on my right shoulder. Previous owner was Paul Hughes (of 80's hair band The Helicopters) Pick-ups: Bridge - Seymour Duncan PAF (Les Paul-type) humbucker. Mid: Fender Lace Sensor. Neck: Some Hotrod Blues Pick-up (maybe that's where the Muddy sound comes from) given to me by Nigel Geden as a bday present last year. Normal 5-way selector, the little extra switch is a coil-tap/phase switch for the humbucker. Had GraphTech saddles, nut and string-guides installed in 1999 and I haven't snapped a single string since that day. "Say hello to my little friend!"

Norman86

Hi Arno,

How do you find the Albion amp?

I have the TCT35H and GLS212 Cab and i love it!
Anyhows, welcome to the forum ?

Arno-West

Norman86 wrote: Hi Arno,

How do you find the Albion amp?

I have the TCT35H and GLS212 Cab and i love it!
Anyhows, welcome to the forum ?

That amp is awesome. Great tone and tons of power. I have owned only 1 amp that came close to the Albion and that was a JCM 900 double stack, but that got nicked out of my car...

Norman86

Cool stuff ?

How long have you been gigging with it now?

Arno-West

Norman86 wrote: Cool stuff ?

How long have you been gigging with it now?

About 4 months. I got it on a Saturday morning after my band demo-ed that K-Array system at Turnkey. Afterwards we left strait away for a gig in Warmbaths. The amp was still boxed. Unwrapped it at the gig and played. Got the tone sorted after 1 and a half sets...it was a good day.

domhatch

Arno West wrote:
Norman86 wrote: Cool stuff ?

How long have you been gigging with it now?
About 4 months. I got it on a Saturday morning after my band demo-ed that K-Array system at Turnkey. Afterwards we left strait away for a gig in Warmbaths. The amp was still boxed. Unwrapped it at the gig and played. Got the tone sorted after 1 and a half sets...it was a good day.

hey arno, glad to hear you're enjoying the albion. i'm thinking of getting the tct35 (the combo), norman and i have been to-ing and fro-ing on the subject for a while now. perhaps i should come out and hear a coupla sets first eh? yep, that's what i'll do.

look forward to catching you in the flesh
dh

IceCreamMan

Arno West wrote:
Norman86 wrote: Cool stuff ?

How long have you been gigging with it now?
About 4 months. I got it on a Saturday morning after my band demo-ed that K-Array system at Turnkey. Afterwards we left strait away for a gig in Warmbaths. The amp was still boxed. Unwrapped it at the gig and played. Got the tone sorted after 1 and a half sets...it was a good day.

on a side note , Peter demo'd that K-Array system to me one day in Turnkey ...man i was blown away by how good and clear it was at higher decibels..... did you guys play it outside or inside and what your thoughts on it?

Arno-West

domhatch wrote:
Arno West wrote:
Norman86 wrote: Cool stuff ?

How long have you been gigging with it now?
About 4 months. I got it on a Saturday morning after my band demo-ed that K-Array system at Turnkey. Afterwards we left strait away for a gig in Warmbaths. The amp was still boxed. Unwrapped it at the gig and played. Got the tone sorted after 1 and a half sets...it was a good day.
hey arno, glad to hear you're enjoying the albion. i'm thinking of getting the tct35 (the combo), norman and i have been to-ing and fro-ing on the subject for a while now. perhaps i should come out and hear a coupla sets first eh? yep, that's what i'll do.

look forward to catching you in the flesh
dh

You're welcome to come check it out first. Come to The Cornerhouse (on Witkoppen road) on Sunday the 18th December. I am there with Leon from about 20h00 onwards, then you can hear that sweet tone in action.....I'll buy you a beer for the effort.

Arno-West

IceCreamMan wrote:
Arno West wrote:
Norman86 wrote: Cool stuff ?

How long have you been gigging with it now?
About 4 months. I got it on a Saturday morning after my band demo-ed that K-Array system at Turnkey. Afterwards we left strait away for a gig in Warmbaths. The amp was still boxed. Unwrapped it at the gig and played. Got the tone sorted after 1 and a half sets...it was a good day.
on a side note , Peter demo'd that K-Array system to me one day in Turnkey ...man i was blown away by how good and clear it was at higher decibels..... did you guys play it outside or inside and what your thoughts on it?

When we demo-ed that K-Array system with Alter-Irving, we used the smaller one (12-inch subs 750watt RMS per side). Leon played a electronic kit, I went through one of their Vox amps and Mike played the bass through a 100-watt Ampeg. The only stuff that went through the PA was the Drums, Cindy, Stew and Leon's voices and the 2 Acoustic guitars. Pete battled a bit to get a mix and I thought the system took a bit of strain. Then afterwards they kindly offered to sponsor us with the bigger system (18-inch subs 1200 watt per side). 3 Weeks later we went and picked up this system. That very same night I tested it at a Diamond Dogs gig and what was immediately apparent was that it couldn't handle the live drums. Our current system, the EV, that you've seen us use half of it at Country Pub, is much more suited for a full band set-up, but then again that is 1800watt a side, so it's significantly more powerful. The night after that Stewart and Cindy tried the K-Array out at one of their acoustic gigs and they were very happy with it.

So, the conclusion is that it is good for 1 man and 2 man acts, or DJ's, as long as there are no live drums going through it.
in the end we didn't take the sponsorship 'cos we're sticking with the EV system (no substitute for cubic inches...)

The only self-powered system I have ever heard and played through with a full band that handled it (and brilliantly so) was a system we did a gig with that was supplied by Sound Stylists. They are also the local agents for it. It is called DB Acoustics or something. The bins have 2 x 18-inch drivers in them and are rated at 2500watt per bin. The tops are 2 x 15's and a 2 inch compression driver rated at 1500 watt. So, get 2 bins and 2 tops and you've got an 8k rig. More than enough. They are quite pricy though......

IceCreamMan

Arno West wrote:
IceCreamMan wrote:
Arno West wrote:
Norman86 wrote: Cool stuff ?

How long have you been gigging with it now?
About 4 months. I got it on a Saturday morning after my band demo-ed that K-Array system at Turnkey. Afterwards we left strait away for a gig in Warmbaths. The amp was still boxed. Unwrapped it at the gig and played. Got the tone sorted after 1 and a half sets...it was a good day.
on a side note , Peter demo'd that K-Array system to me one day in Turnkey ...man i was blown away by how good and clear it was at higher decibels..... did you guys play it outside or inside and what your thoughts on it?
When we demo-ed that K-Array system with Alter-Irving, we used the smaller one (12-inch subs 750watt RMS per side). Leon played a electronic kit, I went through one of their Vox amps and Mike played the bass through a 100-watt Ampeg. The only stuff that went through the PA was the Drums, Cindy, Stew and Leon's voices and the 2 Acoustic guitars. Pete battled a bit to get a mix and I thought the system took a bit of strain. Then afterwards they kindly offered to sponsor us with the bigger system (18-inch subs 1200 watt per side). 3 Weeks later we went and picked up this system. That very same night I tested it at a Diamond Dogs gig and what was immediately apparent was that it couldn't handle the live drums. Our current system, the EV, that you've seen us use half of it at Country Pub, is much more suited for a full band set-up, but then again that is 1800watt a side, so it's significantly more powerful. The night after that Stewart and Cindy tried the K-Array out at one of their acoustic gigs and they were very happy with it.

So, the conclusion is that it is good for 1 man and 2 man acts, or DJ's, as long as there are no live drums going through it.
in the end we didn't take the sponsorship 'cos we're sticking with the EV system (no substitute for cubic inches...)

The only self-powered system I have ever heard and played through with a full band that handled it (and brilliantly so) was a system we did a gig with that was supplied by Sound Stylists. They are also the local agents for it. It is called DB Acoustics or something. The bins have 2 x 18-inch drivers in them and are rated at 2500watt per bin. The tops are 2 x 15's and a 2 inch compression driver rated at 1500 watt. So, get 2 bins and 2 tops and you've got an 8k rig. More than enough. They are quite pricy though......

Thanks appreciate this. I have to say i was gobsmacked at how good it was but it was obviously not with a full band.....

domhatch

Arno West wrote: You're welcome to come check it out first. Come to The Cornerhouse (on Witkoppen road) on Sunday the 18th December. I am there with Leon from about 20h00 onwards, then you can hear that sweet tone in action.....I'll buy you a beer for the effort.

ten jew berry mudge. i will just have dropped the wife and kids off at the hairy port, so the timing will be ferpect. i know it's awesome clean, but i'd like to hear what happens when it's broken up a little bit. just don't make me regret selling my 707 all those years ago too much...

lookin fwd to it
dh