• Guys, we've spent considerable money converting the Les Paul Forum to this new XenForo platform, and we have ongoing monthly operating expenses. THE "DONATIONS" TAB IS NOW WORKING, AND WE WOULD APPRECIATE ANY DONATIONS YOU CAN MAKE TO KEEP THE LES PAUL FORUM GOING! Thank you!

what amp do you think Peter Green was using on "The Supernatural"

Patrick Ginnaty

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 15, 2001
Messages
1,498
Peter Green and Mike Vernon on "The Supernatural"
• GREEN : "Mike Vernon came up with the idea for 'The Supernatural'. He said he’d seen this guitarist who’d played a high note, sustained it and then let it roll all the way down the neck. But I played it and I decided on the sequence."
• VERNON : "'The Supernatural' was basically made up in the studio. None of it was pre-written or planned. Peter and I talked through the idea of doing an instrumental with an Otis Rush feel to it, in a minor key with some kind of melody. And lo and behold, that’s how it materialised. In a way it set a precedent for what Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac would end up being. It was a striking instrumental that carried a pre-echo of his work with Fleetwood Mac : extended notes, trademark sustain, a rare tone and fluency."
 

Patrick Ginnaty

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 15, 2001
Messages
1,498
I noticed the the Mick Taylor Bluesbreakers stuff has the same kind of reverb (same producer Mike Vernon)
 
  • Like
Reactions: TM1

TM1

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
Messages
8,349
I noticed the the Mick Taylor Bluesbreakers stuff has the same kind of reverb (same producer Mike Vernon)
Same producer & same studio!
also on Albatross Peter used a Stratocaster, not his Les Paul..
 

dixiethedog

Member
Joined
May 24, 2016
Messages
31
I don't know what amp was used for the supernatural, but if Mr. Green was still with us, I would suggest he would get the tone with a Fractal Audio device. :cool: I'll get my coat....
I was lucky enough to see Peter Green play with his band "The Splinter Group" supporting BB King (who gave me a guitar pick/plectrum). But sadly as nice as the experience was Peter did not play lead guitar which he left to another guitarist in the band. But being in his presence along with BB's was cool.
 
  • Like
Reactions: K_L

dixiethedog

Member
Joined
May 24, 2016
Messages
31
I know my above comment was in my mind a little bit tongue in cheek (Fractal....) but today I was messing around trying to emulate"The Supernatural" type of sound. What I found (with my Fractal) was that by adding an octavia (octave distortion) I could recreate the feedback-ish sustained notes easily (at the level that you might watch your TV). So, could Mr. Green have been using an octavia type of pedal to get the sound in a live environment? I found that I could create the feedback tone with a few different types of amps (Vox, Marshall, Boogie, Fender, Carol Anne, and numerous others).
 

Emiel

Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2015
Messages
71
I know my above comment was in my mind a little bit tongue in cheek (Fractal....) but today I was messing around trying to emulate"The Supernatural" type of sound. What I found (with my Fractal) was that by adding an octavia (octave distortion) I could recreate the feedback-ish sustained notes easily (at the level that you might watch your TV). So, could Mr. Green have been using an octavia type of pedal to get the sound in a live environment? I found that I could create the feedback tone with a few different types of amps (Vox, Marshall, Boogie, Fender, Carol Anne, and numerous others).

That sure is an interesting way to get the same effect. Can you share an example?

'The Supernatural' tone is pretty much the result of a talented guitarist playing through a loud amp with very low filtering (thus creating a lot of harmonic content). As far as I know Green went straight into the amp and only started using a wah in the very last year of his stay with Fleetwood Mac.
 

dixiethedog

Member
Joined
May 24, 2016
Messages
31
That sure is an interesting way to get the same effect. Can you share an example?

'The Supernatural' tone is pretty much the result of a talented guitarist playing through a loud amp with very low filtering (thus creating a lot of harmonic content). As far as I know Green went straight into the amp and only started using a wah in the very last year of his stay with Fleetwood Mac.
If you have a Fractal Audio FX2/AX8 etc I could send you preset that you could try out. I personally use an AX8 with a Les Paul thru a pair of Adam studio monitors. Initially, when I started out trying for the tone I went for a high-ish gain amp (Soldano, Boogie, etc) but today found you can get some singing feedback with some Fender-style amps. I would agree with your comment about Peter Green's talent and all going into a loud amp to get the tone, which would be a magical experience to hear. If only I could play at ear splitting levels today and then I could try to get the sound with pure wattage and decibels.
 

Big Al

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 24, 2002
Messages
14,537
It sounds like a Fender reverb amp to me, too……with the treble control max Ed…which is not a sound Inlike whether it is this sound or Bloomfield or Buchanan. The facility on the instrument here is something I do like..a lot.
Exactly. A Twin or Super Reverb be my guess. I've used Fender Reveb combos for over 50 years and I know the sound.
 

spidey

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 21, 2003
Messages
3,265
Peter was using Marshall during the Mayall times. Stunning tones and playing.
 

Professortwang

Active member
Joined
Dec 16, 2009
Messages
761
Junior Watson asked him and he said Les Paul into a Marshall. It turns out Watson is quite the Peter Green fan. There is a masterclass on youtube with Junior that is fantastic.
 

Jumping@Shadows

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 11, 2003
Messages
1,330
I’ve fallen down a PG hole of late since getting my most recent ‘50 Goldtop conversion.
Some guitars have ‘it’, and I believe his Burst has such a distinct voice in both pickups which you can hear through squeaky clean silver face Fender as well as roaring Marshall, and that’s what’s driving the tonal picture imo.

This ‘54/‘57 Goldtop has that hollow/vocal/vowelly PG sound in spades, played through a small EL84 combo no less, and even more interesting to me is the neck pickup alone sounds out of phase just with pick attack, with no a distinctly PG tonality, which again I attribute to the shared fundamental tone of those PAFs in that guitar.


PG was the first dude who’s tone SLAYED me, and I always go back to him as my clean PAF/Burst bench mark.
 

Any Name You Wish

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 15, 2021
Messages
493
On the John Mayall record "Crusade" with Mick Taylor there is a track "I can't quit you babe" where MT gets a long reverberating sustain, and he's playing an SG. His exquisite vibrato gets that note singing beautifully.

Lots of tube amp volume, gain, and reverb gets magical.
 
  • Like
Reactions: K_L

Emiel

Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2015
Messages
71
I’ve fallen down a PG hole of late since getting my most recent ‘50 Goldtop conversion.
Some guitars have ‘it’, and I believe his Burst has such a distinct voice in both pickups which you can hear through squeaky clean silver face Fender as well as roaring Marshall, and that’s what’s driving the tonal picture imo.

This ‘54/‘57 Goldtop has that hollow/vocal/vowelly PG sound in spades, played through a small EL84 combo no less, and even more interesting to me is the neck pickup alone sounds out of phase just with pick attack, with no a distinctly PG tonality, which again I attribute to the shared fundamental tone of those PAFs in that guitar.


PG was the first dude who’s tone SLAYED me, and I always go back to him as my clean PAF/Burst bench mark.

You're right on, that guitar has it! Just wonderful. Any more details on that particular guitar?

PG on the last couple of FM tours, him playing that Les Paul through a couple of Dual Showman Reverbs, is properly my all time favourite Les Paul tone... and the playing too!
 
Top