Members petejt Posted February 5, 2008 Members Share Posted February 5, 2008 Is anyone here familiar with the Boston Guitar Sound, and Tom Scholz? I've only just come across it. I found out that Tom Scholz invented a small amp called the "Rockman", a little headphone amp with preset adjustable gain, built-in echo & chorus, line out. To be honest somehow I remember seeing one at high school, but that's a rather vague memory. Apparrently, that little device models the 'Boston Guitar Sound'. Does anyone know what amps, effects, equalisers etc. were used to originally get that 'Boston Guitar Sound'? I think it was mountains of stuff. What songs out there were recorded with that sound? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members almightycrunch Posted February 5, 2008 Members Share Posted February 5, 2008 Im pretty sure that there were loads of people using the rockman for recording. Not exactly a tone machine thats for sure, but some people were able to coax some decent recorded tones with it. Live I think it will fail miserably. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tommythelurker Posted February 5, 2008 Members Share Posted February 5, 2008 I think you're right, cranked marshall superlead under "mountains of stuff". In addition to the headphone amp, he also sold a bunch of rackmount modules for distortion, chorus, delay, compression and eq. I think he was using that stuff by the third album (Third Stage) if not earlier to replace the "mountain". There's also a "combo" amp that is basically a bunch of the modules, stereo power amp and detachable speakers all in one unit, almost like an old school boom box for guitar (it was the 80's ) I played the X100 headphone amp all through college, loved that little thing. Based on what other people have said about the distortion box and my experience with the X100, dry the distortion tone sounds pretty nasty but with a little chorus and delay it's Boston Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ConcreteVamphyr Posted February 5, 2008 Members Share Posted February 5, 2008 Uhm, www.rockmancentral.com did a yahoo search, "Tom Sholtz gear". Billly Gibbons famously used Rockmans to record all the ZZ hit's. (Afterburner, etc...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members petejt Posted February 5, 2008 Author Members Share Posted February 5, 2008 Im pretty sure that there were loads of people using the rockman for recording. Not exactly a tone machine thats for sure, but some people were able to coax some decent recorded tones with it. Live I think it will fail miserably. Thanks for that. I guess they wouldn't sound that good live, yet they do have a rather pronounced midrange, so at least would cut right through. I'm just wondering what equipment was used to get that sound, of which the Rockman is modelled on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tommythelurker Posted February 5, 2008 Members Share Posted February 5, 2008 Uhm, www.rockmancentral.com did a yahoo search, "Tom Sholtz gear". Ooh, awesome, but I can't get past the first page because I don't want the music to stop Billly Gibbons famously used Rockmans to record all the ZZ hit's. (Afterburner, etc...) I'm not sure you can believe anything you hear about the amps Gibbons used Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Rand-O-Monium Posted February 5, 2008 Members Share Posted February 5, 2008 Yup,ZZ used it for Eliminator,too,as well as Knopfler on "Money For Nuthin'",I "think"...prolly lots of others,too... Just think Marshall w/lots of 500 Hertz in the EQ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members petejt Posted February 5, 2008 Author Members Share Posted February 5, 2008 I think you're right, cranked marshall superlead under "mountains of stuff". In addition to the headphone amp, he also sold a bunch of rackmount modules for distortion, chorus, delay, compression and eq. I think he was using that stuff by the third album (Third Stage) if not earlier to replace the "mountain". There's also a "combo" amp that is basically a bunch of the modules, stereo power amp and detachable speakers all in one unit, almost like an old school boom box for guitar (it was the 80's ) I played the X100 headphone amp all through college, loved that little thing. Based on what other people have said about the distortion box and my experience with the X100, dry the distortion tone sounds pretty nasty but with a little chorus and delay it's Boston cool, thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tlbonehead Posted February 5, 2008 Members Share Posted February 5, 2008 Thanks for that.I guess they wouldn't sound that good live, yet they do have a rather pronounced midrange, so at least would cut right through.I'm just wondering what equipment was used to get that sound, of which the Rockman is modelled on. Cocked wah, lots of arena reverb/delay. You can also get it by setting your amp very bright and middy, no bass and then rolling back the bridge tone control a bit. Not all that much different from the MONEY FOR NOTHING tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members petejt Posted February 5, 2008 Author Members Share Posted February 5, 2008 Yup,ZZ used it for Eliminator,too,as well as Knopfler on "Money For Nuthin'",I "think"...prolly lots of others,too... Just think Marshall w/lots of 500 Hertz in the EQ. I never knew that Mark Knopfler used it on Money for Nothing! Hmm, 500Hz... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tlbonehead Posted February 5, 2008 Members Share Posted February 5, 2008 I never knew that Mark Knopfler used it on Money for Nothing! Hmm, 500Hz... I'd say more in the 700-800 range. But that general area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Sun Devil Posted February 5, 2008 Members Share Posted February 5, 2008 A lot of the early Boston stuff was done on a Les Paul with P-90's & Marshalls. As for the ROCKMAN:I had one of those little boxes;a good tool. You could record direct with it. Besides Billy Gibbons, they were popular in NY Studios where cartage was a problem. In fact, they popped up all over the place on albums in the 1980's. The funny part was that a lot of Tom's mad scientist devices (like the Rockman) kept him in cash while the record label sued him for "non-delivery" of albums!The old joke about the "new Boston album" that came out every 8-10 years was pretty close to the truth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Rand-O-Monium Posted February 5, 2008 Members Share Posted February 5, 2008 I'd say more in the 700-800 range. But that general area. Yeah,could be. My Voodu Valve came with some pretty good Boston presets,it uses 500 Hz,but it's a Parametric,so... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members strangedogs Posted February 5, 2008 Members Share Posted February 5, 2008 I bought one of his POWER SOAKS (early attenuators) back in the 70's when I had a 100-watt Marshall and FINALLY could enjoy it in my small Apartment when I was practicing... A old 1970 Marshall SuperLead not cranked up sounds like crap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members chrispsullivan Posted February 5, 2008 Members Share Posted February 5, 2008 I bought one of his POWER SOAKS (early attenuators) back in the 70's when I had a 100-watt Marshall and FINALLY could enjoy it in my small Apartment when I was practicing... A old 1970 Marshall SuperLead not cranked up sounds like crap. doesn't really sound like crap, but it's sure as hell not going to sound like distortion or overdrive of any kind those things are squeaky clean at low volumes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BusterBuster Posted February 5, 2008 Members Share Posted February 5, 2008 A lot of the early Boston stuff was done on a Les Paul with P-90's & Marshalls. As for the ROCKMAN: I had one of those little boxes;a good tool. You could record direct with it. Besides Billy Gibbons, they were popular in NY Studios where cartage was a problem. In fact, they popped up all over the place on albums in the 1980's. The funny part was that a lot of Tom's mad scientist devices (like the Rockman) kept him in cash while the record label sued him for "non-delivery" of albums! The old joke about the "new Boston album" that came out every 8-10 years was pretty close to the truth. I remember Tom used Dimarzio SuperDistortion pups in his Gold Top Lester. Reason I bought one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members petejt Posted February 5, 2008 Author Members Share Posted February 5, 2008 Uhm, www.rockmancentral.com did a yahoo search, "Tom Sholtz gear". Billly Gibbons famously used Rockmans to record all the ZZ hit's. (Afterburner, etc...) HOLY SHIT! What an amazing website! :love: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tsunamijesus Posted February 5, 2008 Members Share Posted February 5, 2008 apparently it was tens of layers of rockman with a LOT of post production Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members headshot76 Posted February 5, 2008 Members Share Posted February 5, 2008 Uhm,Billly Gibbons famously used Rockmans to record all the ZZ hit's. (Afterburner, etc...) Not true. The producer of those albums has debunked that myth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stanner Posted February 5, 2008 Members Share Posted February 5, 2008 i loved that boston sound back then.i bought a rockman-powersoak-and a couple other Scholz boxes.never had a p90 lespaul(i do now!). so never really gott that sound-but when i saw that original band it was there and they sounded killer.rip brad delp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gibson5413 Posted February 5, 2008 Members Share Posted February 5, 2008 I had one of those Rockman units. It was fun to play with headphones. Tons of practice time on it. The clean tones with chorus sounded great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tommythelurker Posted February 5, 2008 Members Share Posted February 5, 2008 SCHOLZ: That was a combination of an old 100-watt Marshall head and a prototype Power Soak. I never recorded anything without that Power Soak. I built the Power Soak because of the need to bring down the gain... Tom isn't teh br00tals Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members badhabit Posted February 5, 2008 Members Share Posted February 5, 2008 I was at a recording session in the mid 80's. We had a few "good" tube amps, including a Mesa Boogie Mark 1. But could not get "the tone" for the tunes we were recording. So tried the Rockman direct. Sounded better than the amps miked. Who'd have thought? Haven't used one since. Kinda one sound wonder type of gizmo. No versatility but if it's the sound you're looking for, it works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members worldoftone Posted February 5, 2008 Members Share Posted February 5, 2008 Is anyone here familiar with the Boston Guitar Sound, and Tom Scholz?I've only just come across it. I found out that Tom Scholz invented a small amp called the "Rockman", a little headphone amp with preset adjustable gain, built-in echo & chorus, line out.To be honest somehow I remember seeing one at high school, but that's a rather vague memory.Apparrently, that little device models the 'Boston Guitar Sound'.Does anyone know what amps, effects, equalisers etc. were used to originally get that 'Boston Guitar Sound'? I think it was mountains of stuff.What songs out there were recorded with that sound? Damn you guys are n00bs. - WOT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Michael McGlenn Posted February 5, 2008 Members Share Posted February 5, 2008 BTW, the Rockman Stereo Chorus 1/2 rackspace module is Still the Best Chorus I've ever used. Period! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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