Angus Young Tone

[GuitarAttack Forum]

All -- I saw this article and thought it was interesting. I always loved AC/DC's guitar sound on "Back in Black".

www.guitarworld.com/features/angus-youngs-guitar-gear-everything-you-need-to-nail-the-acdc-stars-high-voltage-tones

One thing that was interesting in and my own Rabbit Trail on this: Angus Young used a Schaffer-Vega wireless system both live and in the studio. Apparently, the boost gave him that little bit of "extra"...kind of like going to 11.

Here is a pretty good article on Angus' setup.

www.vintageguitar.com/37811/the-schaffer-vega-diversity-system/

Have you guys ever used a wireless setup?

Side note: I went to see an AC/DC tribute band last month, and while they were very proficient, I would have preferred if their guitars sounded more like AC/DC's....way to "shred" for the songs.

John

[antares]

I use a wireless mic. at home here in the sitting room John. It's a low dollar AKD- not exactly a pro. spec. thing and at first I couldn't tolerate the inherent latency, but it's strange how the ear-brain continuum begins to accept the miniscule discontinuity. It certainly takes away the "risk" of electric shocks. If I was gigging I suspect I'd be tempted to use it.

With ACDC, I was still at school (or very soon thereafter) when Bon Scott died, and I'd long been aware of the singer with the English band Geordie sounding so similar. I immediately suggested that he'd make a no-brainer step-in replacement for Bon Scott but none of my school mates took any notice. From memory it was around a few months later when he replaced Bon Scott in ACDC. And saying all that but his name escapes me at the moment. History records that he totally nailed it. I've always wondered what his band mates in Geordie thought- I never heard anything from them again.

でつ e&oe ...

[Deleted]

I used wireless set up for a lot of years. I got tired of replacing batteries and went back to cable. I did have problems in picking up interference from outside sources. Like CB radios. That happened a few times!

 As far as a sound difference goes? Hum... I don't remember if there was one or not. I have slept since then. HA!

 What I did like about it was being able to move around and not feel tethered to the stage by a cable. I used to like to jump off the stage and dance with the ladies! Loads of fun! That was back in my entertainment days.

 

[GuitarAttack Forum]

Aug 2, 2023 14:07:45 GMT -6 antares said:

I use a wireless mic. at home here in the sitting room John. It's a low dollar AKD- not exactly a pro. spec. thing and at first I couldn't tolerate the inherent latency, but it's strange how the ear-brain continuum begins to accept the miniscule discontinuity. It certainly takes away the "risk" of electric shocks. If I was gigging I suspect I'd be tempted to use it.

With ACDC, I was still at school (or very soon thereafter) when Bon Scott died, and I'd long been aware of the singer with the English band Geordie sounding so similar. I immediately suggested that he'd make a no-brainer step-in replacement for Bon Scott but none of my school mates took any notice. From memory it was around a few months later when he replaced Bon Scott in ACDC. And saying all that but his name escapes me at the moment. History records that he totally nailed it. I've always wondered what his band mates in Geordie thought- I never heard anything from them again.

でつ e&oe ...

I remebmer hearing about Geordie but I never listened to them! Brian Johnson was a great choice. I had heard that Mark Storace from Krokus was also offered an audition. That would be a hard job to walk into!

I think the issue with Angus' wireless is the compression and boost the rig gives the guitar signal. I'm looking for a used version of the stompbox right now. Hope to have one soon for review.

John

[antares]

It is one of the great tones John, but I was more drawn to Malcolm's bedrock rhythm playing and the sound he extracted from that Gretsch.

And you are very polite not to mention that I failed to address your post regarding the AY "tone". I reckon I'll never learn.

でつ e&oe ...

[GuitarAttack Forum]

I bought one in a weak moment….will report back on the sound.

John

[antares]

It's a shame we cannot A-B with the "original", but we sure can rely upon you to give the swerve to mêmes and hyperbole over starry-eyed purchase confirmation John. I confess to being intrigued!

I've never had a cell go south on me in my AKG wireless set up. Years ago, a ham at my radio club came in selling Duracell AAs really really cheap. They were taken from a radio station's outside interviewers' Dictophones, and they had a policy of use once and replace inorder to guarantee against dead batteries when interviewing occasionally big celebrities. This meant routinely scrapping AA cells with more than 90% capacity left in them. He used to sell them and donate the proceeds to a blind charity (he was himself severely vision compromised.) One time, as he passed a clutch of them over to me, a spark jumped maybe 4-6" across and we both jumped back in surprise. He stopped selling them after that. I later learned that the whole of the outer casing on those cells is positive- only the bottom disk is negative, and we all rely on a flimsy shrink-wrapped film for cell to cell isolation. I wonder who came up with that wonderful "design"?

The moral of all that is with all the huge costs surrounding putting on a gig, budget for new 9V and AA / AAA cells instead of squeezing out the dregs from exhausted ones. So many folks routinely change strings before a gig (I don't, but then it's been years since I "gigged") which kind of amounts to the same thing I reckon.

でつ e&oe ...

[GuitarAttack Forum]

Ok - I like to keep an open mind and be objective when it comes to gear, but this pedal is really something else. When paired with a tube amp it does make a positive difference.

When used in an AC/DC-like signal chain, it adds something that is difficult to describe. I will do a recording and post it on SoundCloud and you can decide.

I am using it with a cranked Marshall with the tubes (valves) glowing brightly. I will also check it with a tube combo with a lower volume.

John

[stratpurist]

I bought a $40 wireless (JOYO 2.4GHz)at amazon.com. Works flawlessly. I've used it in bars/clubs and at large outdoor stages after testing it in isolation and rehearsals with other wireless devices. Its rechargeable battery is rated for 7 continuous hours but I've never used for more than a 4 set show and I always charge before I go out.

[GuitarAttack Forum]

That is a good tip…will check it out, I need a new wireless rig for my “fits in the trunk (boot)” rig.

John