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Hi guys,
I'm currently listening to the great record Freedom in the Groove by Joshua Redman with Peter Bernstein on guitar and I really dig Peter's sound (and playing - of course)! Hard to find online which guitar he was using for that record but there are some videos from that time where he's playing an L-5 (probably Wes model? It's got one pickup) and sounds amazing:
For me - better than on his Zeidler (e.g. on "Let Loose"), which has some outstanding midrange frequencies which make it sound unique and still very good, but not as good as an good old L-5 :-)
Hope you disagree? :-)
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01-05-2017 04:51 AM
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My favorite Pete's sound was always on "Signs of Life" and "Somethin's Burnin'", both recorded with the L-5. You can't beat a good Gibson for amplified tone... one thing about the Zeidler is how it feels when you play it, I bet it beats the L-5 on that regard - and guitar feel is very important, imo.
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I might be the minority here, but I prefer his sound with the Zeidler, truly a unique voice! But, Peter is always great anyway.
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Originally Posted by konstantine
But I think konstantine makes an excellent point, that the association of that Zeidler with PB really is the "voice" he's chosen to express his mastery of the genre. I've also heard that he only owns two guitars -- I find that inspirational (if it's true) in a world where guitar heroes often seem to have warehouses full of un-played instruments.
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After playing his 175 for yrs, and then the Wes for awhile, Pete settled on the Zeidler.
The Zeidler may sound bright [it's a floating pu guitar, so a bit hard to compare to a built in pu]
I spoke to him about this, he really didn't like the L-5 at all.
But he loves the Zeidler, it's really been his only guitar for the last 15 yrs or so.
John really wanted to make him a new one since the one he had was one of the first if not the first John made and he felt his new guitars were much better [what luthier doesn't think this?], and iirc was about to make him one, but alas it wasn't to be...
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I love the sound of an L5, but I think when you hear one, there's no doubt what you're hearing. It's such a big, rich sound that it can maybe overshadow the nuances of someone's playing.
I think a Strat and a Les Paul are like this. With a Strat, different players sound more different than they would on a Les Paul.
A 175 is less rich, cleaner with fewer overtones. Sometimes less is more--as far as allowing us to hear individuality. Kind of like a Hammond B-3 vs. an acoustic piano, or a Fender bass v. an upright.
I always thought George B. moved away from the L5 thing, and sought a cleaner, more upper range sound, because superficially his playing is a bit like Wes M. : Heavy groove, and lots of slides.
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If I had to pick, I'd say I prefer the Zeidler as well. Partially just because of my own personal preferences, and partially because I read somewhere (I think it was an interview with Pete) where he said that with the Zeidler, it was "love at first strum." I like to hear an artist when they're really coming through and expressing with the voice they're most happy with.
Either way... killin' video... nice find man, I hadn't seen that one yet!! Thanks for sharing it!
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Originally Posted by jordanklemons
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This is a great example of his early Gibson sound - and a good excuse to hear a very young Brad Mehldau.
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That's the real deal.
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Originally Posted by jorgemg1984
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Originally Posted by bmw2002
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i hear his Grant Green influence with that guitar
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Originally Posted by konstantine
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Originally Posted by jorgemg1984
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Originally Posted by kevmoga
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I prefer his sound with the Zeidler.
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Originally Posted by kevmoga
Last edited by jorgemg1984; 01-06-2017 at 08:39 AM.
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Originally Posted by jorgemg1984
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What do you mean? I don't hear any right hand difference, just two very different instruments.
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PB looks much more comfortable playing the Zeidler over the L-5
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I can't find this on YouTube anymore, (so I just posted it) but it's an average (sound quality, not playing) recording of Peter on his 175 with Larry Goldings from the early 90's. I was under the impression that he played the 175 longer than the L5. He sounded great when he played in town with Diana Krall and had his L5 then, but he swore to me later that he didn't have it then, when I took a lesson with him a few years back. But, I know an L5 when I see one (I have one) and, it being the very first time I had heard Peter, it made a definite impression on me.
I would say that at least a few of his early albums are the 175.
Enjoy.
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Originally Posted by yebdox
Thanks for the video.
Best
Kris
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I tried to do some math:
1994 - 175
1997 - L5
1999 - Zeidler
So, maybe "Somethin's Burnin'" and "Signs of Life" were recorded with the 175? It sounds so much like a Gibson Wes Montgomery (L5)...
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Originally Posted by jorgemg1984
Used Henriksen or Mambo amp
Today, 09:08 AM in Guitar, Amps & Gizmos