Clarence's Amp on "Avalon Ballroom Recording"

Todd in TN · Joined: 06 Oct 2006 Posts: 26 Location: Franklin, TN

I really dig this recording! Clarence seemed to really shine on this one. I've noticed that his tone sounds like a more-cranked version of his Nashville West tone, very thick and saturated, somewhat tube-compressed. His tone doesn't change throughout the show, no Fuzz, no Vibratone, etc.... I really think he was using the Vibrolux Reverb.

The date is 11-2-68 and It kind of makes since that he wouldn't have the Silverface amps (Super Reverb and Dual Showman Reverb) yet as they had only been out for probably less than a year. Anybody know??

Todd in TN

Brian · Posted: Sun Aug 30, 2009 10:34 pm Post subject:

Here's an old thread that went un-answered...

Sounds to me like it's either a cranked Showman or Super Reverb....seems too powerful for a Vibrolux Reverb...could be wrong though! LOL

Drake · Joined: 22 Aug 2006 Posts: 89 Location: California

Super or Showman. CW was a rockstar at this point, and I've never seen a picture or heard a sound from a Byrds stage that didn't sound like big volume and big iron. Plus, being owned by Columbia (CBS) and using rented backlines, they very well could have had big silverface drip edges in '68 the moment they came off the production line in Fullerton.

Silverface · Joined: 23 Aug 2006 Posts: 324 Location: Hermosa Beach CA

the silverface drip-edge models were actually available as early as July '67, so I'm almost sure it was a Showman and/or SR

Johnny Isaacs · Joined: 27 Aug 2006 Posts: 40 Location: Las Vegas, NV

Sounds like a Showman to me. I love that recording and the Palladium recording.

Johnny Isaacs

philgerard · Joined: 19 Mar 2007 Posts: 99 Location: NJ

I'm listening to the Avalon recording as I type...it is great!
I apoligize in advance for this being just a little bit off topic but I hope you find it interesting.
A friend of mine runs Everything Audio in San Fran and is one of the preferred house audio co's for The Regency which was the Avalon Ballroom in the 60's.
Here's the Regency (Avalon) website:
http://www.regencycentersf.com/grand.html

When I was out there, he took me to a job he was doing there for a dental school graduation which seemed so odd for me as I'm conjuring thoughts of The Pranksters, Dead, Byrds, Airplane, FBB, etc. It's in an older granite building downtown,
In addition to the Avalon Room(Regency), there's the The Lodge which is an incredible room with vaulted ceilings, etc. He had his band's CD release party there recently but I didn't make it.
I thought you might like seeing it today!
Phil