anthony wilson

pingu · #1 02-19-2011, 04:26 AM

Hi clever people

What kind of PU would get me a similar sound to Anthony Wilson
in this Vid at 2:15

Its a beautifull old Birdland he's playing
So I'm after some kind of PAF type replica
whats the best one out there in your opinions Guys ?

Lollar imperial
Gibson
Kent Armstrong PAF ?
Vintage Vibe

I don't need versitility I'm just after this one kind of sound
It's to go into an Ibanez AF120 neck PU position
(its got the stock PU in there at the moment)
I know it won't end up as a vintage Birdland sound
but I wanna give the 120 a bit of a leg up if I can !
thanks,

PS Yes I know its 'in the hands' too .... working on that !

asedas · #2 02-19-2011, 05:44 AM

hmmm... I see no vid here....

pingu · #3 02-19-2011, 10:38 AM

YouTube - ‪Diana Krall - East of the sun‬&rlm;

sorry Guys .... I am a dork init ?

docbop · #4 02-19-2011, 11:57 AM

First get and old Byrdland guitar, then Anthony Wilson amp and hands.

First a Byrdland is a very special guitar it has a shorter than normal 23" scale so that contributes to the guitars sound. Then of course the amp, strings, and Anthony himself. I would say any good PAF style pickup would do a SD Seth Lover, Lollar Imperial, and I would upgrade the pots and cap while at it.

customxke · #5 02-19-2011, 12:36 PM

My favorite PAF clone is the Manalishi by Lary Corsa. They're not as much as a lot of boutique pickups. The traditional Manalishi set is magnetically out of phase, but you can order them in phase. As a huge fan of Byrdlands (I have a blonde '57), I often use that video to shut people up when they say Byrdlands don't sound jazzy enough, or they're hard to play. Mr Wilson seems to do just fine. Cheers.

hot ford coupe · #6 02-19-2011, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by docbop

First get and old Byrdland guitar, then Anthony Wilson amp and hands.

First a Byrdland is a very special guitar it has a shorter than normal 23" scale so that contributes to the guitars sound. Then of course the amp, strings, and Anthony himself. I would say any good PAF style pickup would do a SD Seth Lover, Lollar Imperial, and I would upgrade the pots and cap while at it.

I agree with docbop. The pickups are just a portion of a particular sound. The wood, the neck, the thinner body, the player, the amp, the hall acoustics, the contribution from the recording equipment and a ton of other variables make the tone of the instrument.

Stackabones · #7 02-19-2011, 04:18 PM

Great vid!

kawa · #8 02-19-2011, 09:56 PM

YouTube - ‪Diana Krall - All or Nothing at All‬&rlm;

and Twin Reverb !!!

from "Good Sounds" #487

Diana Krall live in Paris 2001 / Do It Again - Anthony Wilson (g)
YouTube - Diana Krall_Do It Again_Live In Paris 0:15 Anthony useing the Vib-Ch of '65 Twin Reverb.
YouTube - Diana krall.wmv Do It Again

asedas · #9 02-20-2011, 03:22 PM

I love his playin'... "Live in Paris" is one of the best jaz videos...

Little Jay · #10 02-21-2011, 01:38 PM

He has a very beautiful sound, but also a fairly common classic jazz-type sound imho.... any decent Gibson with humbuckers on a blackface
(or even silverface) Fender amp will come pretty close I think.

And yes the fingers do play a big role in creating that sound!

customxke · #11 02-21-2011, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Little Jay

He has a very beautiful sound, but also a fairly common classic jazz-type sound imho.... any decent Gibson with humbuckers on a blackface
(or even silverface) Fender amp will come pretty close I think.

And yes the fingers do play a big role in creating that sound!

I tend to agree with you, but I find it difficult to get it with ceramic magnets. Close, but not the "it". And by close, I mean passable enough for someone that's not a gearhead pinhead like myself. Its easy to get caught up in the minutiae.

Flyin' Brian · #12 02-21-2011, 05:51 PM

Notice in the videos that he's picking right at the end of the neck. Where you attack the string is a big part of anyone's sound.

hot ford coupe · #13 02-21-2011, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flyin' Brian

Notice in the videos that he's picking right at the end of the neck. Where you attack the string is a big part of anyone's sound.

I forgot about the string area concept. I've been picking at that spot for the last couple of years. The tone really gets sweet and that's the sound I've always been looking for.

joe b · #14 02-21-2011, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pingu

Hi clever people

What kind of PU would get me a similar sound to Anthony Wilson
in this Vid at 2:15

Its a beautiful old Birdland he's playing...

The only Gibson Byrdland I ever saw up close belonged to a friend of mine. The most noticeable thing about the pickups was that they were weak, meaning he had to turn the amp up more to get the same output level. It was a very smooth and pleasing tone. So maybe look for a PAF that is whatever you call the opposite of hot.

This is just based on personal observation, not real expertise, so take it with a grain of salt.

Little Jay · #15 02-22-2011, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by customxke

I tend to agree with you, but I find it difficult to get it with ceramic magnets. Close, but not the "it". And by close, I mean passable enough for someone that's not a gearhead pinhead like myself. Its easy to get caught up in the minutiae.

I agree, alnico sounds better. Gibson's classic '57works for me.

RoyaleT · #16 02-23-2011, 05:04 AM

Great player, I, too, really like his work with Diana Krall on the Live in Paris concert. East of the Sun one of my favorites from the show.

woyvel · #17 02-23-2011, 06:16 AM

I noticed that his right hand is over the pickup or even in front of it. That will also have a lot to do with that tone. Be sure to try that before investing any cash on hardware.

FatJeff · #18 02-23-2011, 09:25 AM

Great video...thanks for sharing

Joseph Capra · #19 08-10-2011, 04:37 AM

I dont know how much this would affect the sound, but those pickups on that beautiful 50's Byrdland are not really what we think of as classic "PAF's"
They are actually made with different bobbins with different ( narrower) string spacing. Pickup geeks even think that the color of the bobbin plastic makes a huge difference, so the spacing, well...that would be HUGE (LOL).
Mr Wilson is a fine, accomplished player and plays a lot, and like most guys like that, you can hand him anything approximately resembling a proper jazz guitar and amp, and he can probably make it sound really good. Remember, Joe Pass ( RIP) made a Fender Jaguar sound pretty good when he could not afford a guitar at all, and when someone just gave him that 175, ir just refined his sound a bit. DO NOT BE A GEAR GEEK. Be a student of your instrument, and invest time and get obsessed over that. We all love guitars, but they dont play themselves, do they?

TruthHertz · #20 08-10-2011, 04:51 AM

I second the Seymour Duncan thumbs ups. 59 is a good PAF sound, Seth Lover is real close to the spec of the old PAF's, Antiquity is also an option.

Diana Krall, now that's a good gig. Jim Hall had/has a place in New York, and Diana was out walking in their neighborhood, a stroll with her husband Elvis Costello, and Jim said hello and "is this your manager?"
I love Jim for SO many reasons.
David

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joseph Capra

DO NOT BE A GEAR GEEK. Be a student of your instrument, and invest time and get obsessed over that.

Yay! Say it again-

Flyin' Brian · #21 08-10-2011, 05:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joseph Capra

DO NOT BE A GEAR GEEK. Be a student of your instrument, and invest time and get obsessed over that. We all love guitars, but they dont play themselves, do they?

I would agree to this but alter it slightly to say be a student of MUSIC.
But yes, for sure obsession over gear is a trap. Just look at the collections of some members at TGP...members who can't solo over ii-V-I outside of the pentatonic box.

wygant78 · #22 08-10-2011, 05:09 AM

Then of course the amp, strings, and Anthony himself. I would say any good PAF style pickup would do a SD Seth Lover

BigMikeinNJ · #23 08-10-2011, 05:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hot ford coupe

I agree with docbop. The pickups are just a portion of a particular sound. The wood, the neck, the thinner body, the player, the amp, the hall acoustics, the contribution from the recording equipment and a ton of other variables make the tone of the instrument.

Yup all this stuff - and remember they got a guy working the soundboard that has fine tuned AW's tone - after the gig it went into the studio and they worked the dickens out of this show. I used to watch this over and over on my 24 inch iMac late at night, almost as good as watching porn.

Any tone you get a jones for remember it's the guitar/player/venue/producer fine tuning the sound. Byrdlands are sweet guitars and I put a 2nd vote for the SD Seth Lover pickup, great stuff.

woyvel · #24 08-10-2011, 07:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joseph Capra

I DO NOT BE A GEAR GEEK. Be a student of your instrument, and invest time and get obsessed over that. We all love guitars, but they dont play themselves, do they?

It's a guy thing. You might as well tell a gearhead to concentrate on his driving skills or a gun collector to practice target shooting more.'

Patrick2 · #25 08-10-2011, 08:09 AM

I've always been a big fan of BIG boxes. But, this Super 400 with a DeArmond 1100 has that jazz tone that's just over the top!!!

‪MITSUKUNI TANABE MY ONE AND ONLY LOVE‬&rlm; - YouTube

dmorash · #26 08-10-2011, 08:35 AM

Really good player with a really cool gig. I wish I could sound like him sometimes too. I'd be surprised if changing a PU in your Ibanez (which is probably a cool guitar in and of itself) will get you that sound though. The Twin plays a part in it too to my ears - wish they were easier to tote.

BigMikeinNJ · #27 08-10-2011, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patrick2

I've always been a big fan of BIG boxes. But, this Super 400 with a DeArmond 1100 has that jazz tone that's just over the top!!!

‪MITSUKUNI TANABE MY ONE AND ONLY LOVE‬&rlm; - YouTube

A great video, thank you for posting that. Same guy but playing a Tele, just shows you it's the artist, not necessarily the gear.

‪Mitsukuni Tanabe plays a 1965 style blond Tele I built from scratch.‬&rlm; - YouTube

edspyhill01 · #28 08-10-2011, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joseph Capra

DO NOT BE A GEAR GEEK. Be a student of your instrument, and invest time and get obsessed over that. We all love guitars, but they dont play themselves, do they?

GAS has been my problem and limiter throughout my life with guitar learning. Thanks for the reminder. I might have to print it out and tape it to my screen & music stand.

Ed S.

bob32069 · #29 08-10-2011, 01:22 PM

"DO NOT BE A GEAR GEEK. Be a student of your instrument, and invest time and get obsessed over that. We all love guitars, but they dont play themselves, do they?"

Truer words have never been spoken. This should be the motto of the Jazz Guitar Forum.

jorgemg1984 · #30 08-10-2011, 01:40 PM

Bare Knuckles are much better than SD in my opinion. But any good archtop / fender combination will put you in that Anthony Wilson area.

I think sometimes this guy doesn't get the credit he deserves because he is "Diana Krall Guitar Player". He is a great player, composer and arranger, his record "Jack of Hearts" is one of the best organ trio records of the 00-10 decade. His playing has no faults - great soloing, comping, tone, time feel etc...

To me Anthony Wilson and Peter Bernstein made a very important step in jazz guitar - they brought the "traditional" jazz guitar sound to the XXI century. Almost all guys that follow the archtop trough amp route have the Pass / Kessell / Ellis sound, which has been used over and over and over for the last 60 years. When I hear Peter or Anthony I feel I am in 2011.