What Mr. Suhr says in very interesting, apart from the last two wrong things: 1. With Clapton’s Stratocaster, which are built with active electronics, a 12ay7 does not affect the breakup volume. 2. For Cream Reunion 2005 Eric used the Fender ‘57 custom shop reissues, the ones with Weber speakers, and not the clones built by Suhr.
Ahhhh, thank you for pointing this out. Most helpful. Where did you learn that Eric used the ‘57 custom shop reissues? It makes sense that he would’ve moved on from the Diaz Tweed and Suhr built clones by then.
@@tonecast1 yeah it’s a well known fact that he used a pair of Twin 57 from the Cream reunion on until he switched to Bandmasters in 2013. I bought my first Twin 57 in 2004 right before Clapton started using them. They sound very different from the Diaz / Suhr ones - . Alnico speakers and a overall beefier tone. They work very well in a rock setup and are extremely versatile. You can get reasonably close to the Diaz tone although never identical. I talked to Suhr on how to get that tone and he gave me some suggestions but I never had the courage to alter mine.
Fender tweed tone is something I've not ventured into but if I could land an amp that would do what this amp does, I'd be all about it. I've read Suhr mentioning that his Bella amp is capable of copping Clapton's Diaz Twin tone. If I come across one at a store I'm going to give it a go with some humbuckers.
@@tonecast1 Federicolopezmusic is absolutely right: there are many frames in Cream’s Reunion 2005 videos at RAH in which you can spot the Weber speakers in the rear of Clapton’s two Fender ‘57 Twin custom reissues. It is the same sound that he had for the following years until 2011. Also in the MSG concert with Steve Winwood you can see the “Fender special Weber designed-Eminence made speakers” and here a similar sound. The sound itself is also a prove, as you can hear a very punchy yet round attack to the notes, an incredibile sustain and a sound which happens to be darker than the Diaz modified twin and Suhr’s clones, which on the contrary were used from 1997-2001 (you can see and listen to them in the Crossroads benefit concert at MSG in 1999). Fender reissues from 2004 allow a very warm sound, a bit dark, especially with the normal channel. I think it was the way to achieve a Gibson-like sound when the active 25db midboost was on, and come back to the Stratocaster typical snappiness with the booster off. If you want to check, yesterday I loaded a short video of comparison between my Twin ‘57 and a friend of mine’s Bandmaster ‘57, both played with my Fender Clapton custom shop journeyman Stratocaster. In that occasion my Twin was loaded with two Jensen p12Q (like the originals in the late 50s) because I wanted to lower the overall volume, but lately I installed the stock Webers again. I think they are the perfect match with Clapton Stratocasters in terms of frequency response. When pushed, they fatten the sound in a unique way, very saxophone-like. With Gibson guitars the stock Webers are very loud, the resulting sound at high volumes on the amp taper is extremely close to the infamous Beano sound. Eric confirmed this thought in the Gibson Lucy replica demo interview
Couldn't agree more! This era of Clapton is SO underrated. I hear more nuance coming out of his playing through those tweed amps. Of course, it's in the hands too...
His playing that tune is fiery. I'm not a huge fan of the lace sensor pickups in the EC signature Strat, but even I have to concede that the EC Strat into the modified 5E8A low power twin is the best that guitar has ever sounded. Speaking of Every Day I Have the Blues, I also loved Clapton and King's "Riding with the King" record. The playing on "Days of Old" is in this same uptempo, jump style as EDIHTB. Thanks for commenting!
I’m glad I’m not alone in this opinion. I just wanted to share breakdown of what it was. It was essentially the man’s hands, a great vintage guitar, and a killer 50s low powered Fender Tweed Twin. A very pure signal path.
I think this is the same amp Eric used in Hyde Park '96 for 'Tore Down and Have You Ever Loved a Woman. Incredible sound. I also enjoy the Fender amp he used for '99 Crossroads Concert at MSG / that version of Layla. Great video.
A few months ago I went to jam with some friends, just with my guitar. They had a nice Marshall half stack, no pedals or foot-switch, straight to the head. I was so happy playing it, not having to worry about which pedal was on or off, and to channel switch, well just lower the volume.
I love pedals, but there's definitely something to be said for just plugging into an amp and focusing on just playing the instrument. It's a good exercise to come back to every so often. I have a Friedman Twin Sister that has a single delay pedal in the FX loop that I like to plug into for minimal/focus on guitar moments. Highly recommend doing this one month out of the year.
Thanks for posting this video! I was introduced to Clapton's music was when Derek and The Dominos, Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs came out when I was 11 or 12 yrs old, which is when I really started to gravitate towards the blues/blues rock and that album has been a standard for me as a fan and a guitar hack. Explored his prior years from the Blues Breakers thru Delaney and Bonnie. But when 'From The Cradle' came out, I'm in agreement with you. The flowing passion and emotion of his playing, that 'tone', paying his respects to the blues, in my mind, is his best. As a guitar hack, I know that I'll never get anywhere close, but that's the tone I wish for. Thanks again!
Several other fans in the comments probably think I'm crazy for taking this era Clapton over Cream or Bluesbreakers, but I'm glad to see I'm not the only one. His playing and his tone are just on fire. If you haven't already, also checkout "Me and Mr. Johnson" and "Riding with the King." Those records are 2nd and 3rd for me after "From the Cradle." as far as his blues albums go. Thanks for watching and taking a few minutes to comment. I appreciate it.
Right?!? Fiery playing and killer tone! Clapton on this tour with either 335 and Tweed Twin is just hard to beat. Everything lined up! Thanks for watching.
Finally someone who understands tone and good playing. We come from the same background. FTC and the following tour are the pinnacle of the more recent Clapton career. The Diaz Twin is my dream amp!!
I’m glad you agree with me about the greatness of the Diaz modded Twin. I caught some flack from the Cream fans in the comments so I feel a little vindicated to learn at least one other person agrees with me. ✊😂 Thanks for watching & commenting.
@@tonecast1 i know at least another person who agrees on this. The Cream people are the same who shit on anything else Clapton has done after - they’re narrow minded. The Diaz Twin (and to some extent the Suhrs although they don’t sound exactly the same to me) was a magical sounding amp both with the Strat and the 335. I wore out the Hyde Park tape at the time. PS I also dig the Soldanos albeit I still favor the Twin
For some reason I never really could get into Soldano era Clapton tone, but I think if you grew up in listening to him during the time I could see how it might be appealing. Yeah, Hyde Park concert from the mid 90s is great!
@@tonecast1 the Soldano is a complete different beast but it’s just as good. It allowed Clapton to play as fluid as he did with Cream. The White Room solo on 24 nights is one of his best ever. The Diaz had a much drier sound, it’s not as easy to play and of course has much less gain. The Twin 57 is a blend of both. I remember seeing him in 2006 and the opening of Pretending sounded pretty much like 24 nights!
I agree wholeheartedly. While I love the Beano album (and have a replica amp) that tweed tone he was getting around the 2000s is great. Buddy Guy was also recording with a tweed twin around this time. That sorta became the amp tone of choice during this era of the blues insomuch that I have been listening to recordings by the two men from around this time to hear those great sounding amps. I have a tweed Deluxe that also sounds pretty good. Jim Nichols listened to a sample of tweed amps and measured there specs. While circuits are similar between amps the specs drift over the years. He came up with an idea of what measurements sounded the best and built the Lil Dawg 5F1 Deluxe. My friends call it the tweed killer because when I first got it we were eager to compare it to other boutique tweed style amps. . The current fender line of reproductions that came out late during this time period also sounded rather thin in caparison. They were so disappointing Its smoked the all, There was one particular day that a guy was so proud of his new Victoria tweed amp and my amp shut it down as far as tone goes, I'll never forget the look on the guys face and I felt bad for him.. Thus I never A/B with the Lil Dawg anymore, Jim still makes these amps at a reasonable price however the current costs of parts has really inflated things. Tweed amps while lacking reverb sound very good in the right hands.
I didn’t know about this album, so thank you for that! I never liked much of Clayton’s stuff after Cream. I have been a Marshall guy most of my life and have slightly moved to some fender in the past 3 months. Great info thank you!
It's a solid record if you enjoy blues. The record is covering all his favorite blues artist he grew up listening to; mostly artists from the Chess label in the 50s. If you don't like blues, you can skip this record. Clapton plugging a Gibson into a Fender tweed sounds perfect to me for this style of playing. Thanks watching and commenting!
Thanks Kev. Forgive me for all my default gear head conversation. I'm trying to course correct. I hear you're recording music with one of Matt's guitar. Stoked to hear the tunes you're cooking up.
Awesome takeaway at the end there, Jim. I've really enjoyed geeking out on pedals, but as my life has become more busy, it's been amazing to sit down whenever I can with a guitar, cable, amp, and just go. Well, I probably still want some reverb, tbh, haha. As for From The Cradle, I actually picked it up several months ago at a thrift store. Remembered it from back in the day. Motherless Child hooked me way back when, but now I also connect with stuff like Tore Down, too. And the first track just is such a great opener. Thanks for the video!
Yeah man From the Cradle was one of those records that informed my playing early on when I was super impressionable. The whole record is a cover of blues tunes. 75% of them are tunes released on Chess Records. The first track, "Blues Before Sunrise" is an Elmore James tune. I realized I love Elmore James's music. He was among the best singers at Chess in my opinion. Tore Down is a Freddie King tune. I'll send you a link to a Spotify playlist I made of the originals. Thanks for taking a moment to comment. I appreciate ya.
Just subbed!! Enjoyed your Starlight and Memory Man vid, as well as your tone and playing! Now, this! I’m with you, he was smoking with his tones and playing during 24 nights and FTC! Love it! I was an 18 year pro player and EC was a huge influence on my career, life and playing. Blessings and all the best🫡✔️👏💪
Thanks for the sub! Yeah, I’m a big fan of Clapton’s playing. He always plays with very little obstruction between his heart and hands. I think that gets overlooked by Clapton naysayers. I was never a 24 Nights guy. I got onboard a little later around Unplugged and From the Cradle. His FTC tones still sound fresh to me today. And that’s funny bc he’s essentially using late 50s technology to emulate his heroes. He just had access to better recording fidelity in the 90s than they had at Chess in the 50s. Clapton and co. were able to harness that to document something likely very similar to what club goers heard in Chicago during the mid 50s. Great stuff.
Glad you found the video and advice helpful. Guitar players today, myself included, can easily get caught up in the gear to the point where playing takes a back seat. It’s helpful to just plug straight into the amp or play acoustic to reconnect with instrument. Thanks for watching and taking a moment to comment.
Thanks for the kind words. This video got a copyright claim for use of the Clapton footage but I don’t know how else to reference a specific guitar tone without letting viewers hear it. Apparently it’s blocked from playing in certain countries. All that said, I’m glad you found the video a worthwhile watch. Thanks for letting me know.
Thanks man. I appreciate you taking the time to let me know. There were a few viewers who caught one or two discrepancies (you can find those here in the comments) but I did my best to relay accurate info. Thanks for watching.
Hey man, you are absolutely correct, I play in a couple of areas, one is church. Gotta have that ambient sound full of reverb and delay, maybe two delays… then I play with my old friends from the bar days trying to replicate Pink Floyd, STP, all the other covers… but nothing beats just doing a 3 or 4 piece plugged straight in to my deluxe reverb and playing whatever comes to mind. No batteries or patch chords. Just raw tone set at about 6-7 and using the volume knob on my guitar. That’s the best tone! Great video!! Thank you!
Most players I know who’ve played in church eventually reach a point where they want to distance themselves from dense delays and reverbs in their personal playing. That stuff is fun to play in its own way but it’s nice to plug your guitar into an amp as a palette cleanser. I had a ‘66 Deluxe Reverb 15 years ago that I foolishly sold. It was such a great amp. I still regret selling it. I’d love to plug into it one more time and turn up to 6. Thanks for watching and thanks for taking a moment to comment.
Be cool is someone did a breakdown of Clapton’s amps in the mid 70s. I know he used Music Man live at some point, and Leslie’s, and I’ve heard he used Twin Reverbs. That’s my favourite Clapton period.
Ha! I was waiting for this comment. I appreciate his Live Cream tone too, but I still prefer mid 90s Gibson into the tweed twin over Cream Marshall. I’m probably in the minority. Thanks for watching and commenting!
I'm more of a punk rocker but I totally agree with the message at the end... TBH I just bought a pedal compressor that I intend to be on because my Fender amp is so freaking harsh... But I agree that not enough people especially younger people plug straight in ..,**another example of this would be like p-town said from the late 60s early 70s live used very few pedals if any... And Ginn from Black flag
Pedalboards are great. That said, there’s definitely magic to embracing the guitar and amp alone. Great reference in Pete Townsend’s early work with the Who. He’s a great example of that. Thanks for the insightful comment!
Great video! Definitely some KILLER tone and playing. I am going to revisit "From The Cradle" now. I know I heard it years ago, and in fact played several of those tunes in a band I was in at that time. Generally, I tend to downplay all the Post-Cream stuff. I remember that he was playing those Twins in the Cream Reunion, but I really didn't dig that tone with his Strat. With the ES it is incredible for sure! Thanks for the reminder and some good advice!!
I'm guilty of downplaying a lot stuff between Cream and From the Cradle. I think we all do it. I think his tone is fire when he's plugging a Gibson into this tweed. Strat sounds better into this amp too, but any Gibson with this amp really just sounds next level to me. Check out the tone in this clip of him playing a LP into the amp. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-eU1ks8mL9OM.html Thanks for chiming in. I appreciate ya.
A friend gave me a bootlegged copy of the documentary "Nothing But The Blues". I was only a few years into playing guitar then but I took note that of all the guitars he used. That red 335 was, tone-wise, head and shoulders above them all. I know tone is subjective, but if you get a chance, watch the documentary and see if you agree.
They reissued the documentary on Blu-ray and DVD. That’s where I sourced the HD concert footage from. I like the tone of both 335s but they do sound a little different from each other. The constant was always the amp. Every guitar sounded great through the modded 5E8A tweed twin. Thanks for watching and commenting!
My Marshall 1987X can do it without efx, I just have a hair of gain, but My Les Paul gives it all the life I need to keep smiling. I grew up on a Marshall Super Bass mk. 2 with no pedals for a long time, if you can make that work, anything else is easy 😉
I wish I grew up on a Marshall Super Bass! Yeah, if you can do it on that, you can do it on anything else. Playing with just guitar and amp is a good thing to revisit from time to time. Like I said in the vid, I’m mainly preaching to myself. Thanks for commenting!
This video is fantastic! Couldn't agree more with your Takeaway. Do you know if it's possible to get this exact circuit or if anyone knows how to make those mods?
Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it. To my knowledge no one makes this circuit with these mods today. The Fender Custom Shop did reissue a Low Powered Tweed Twin, but I have no clue how accurate it is to a vintage one. Clark Amps makes a Low Powered Tweed Twin circuit, which I think would likely be better than the FCS. Even then you would have to find someone to mod it for you to mirror what Diaz did to Clapton's 5E8A. I'm not even sure if you can even find those details on the mods outside of seeing one the replicas in person or having John Suhr volunteer those details. Thanks for watching and commenting.
Man, I keep buying pedals, and I don't know why. None really kinda stick around long. The whole patching and pedalboard things drives me crazy too. Lately, I have just been playing through a reverb pedal and a tuner to the amp.
Pedals are great, but it’s easy to get sucked into a negative feedback loop of buying and selling pedals. I go through spells where I just need a break from them. Watching Clapton essentially play through just the amp was a great reminder of the value in playing through a simple setup. Thanks for commenting!
Did John Suhr made a Clapton amplifier that used "4 power tubes" 6L6 tweed 1957 5E8A amplifier with a solid state rectifier? or it only has 2 power tubes 6L6 with a solid state rectifier
If you pause @7:59 you can see the Fender replicas built by John Suhr. It seems the replica amps ran the solid state rectifier with four output tube sockets BUT the replicas only had two of the four output tubes installed at the time of the auction photos. The amp would've worked with either the two inner output tubes running or all four output tubes running. Lee Dickson (Clapton's tech at the time) said they ran the original '57 with just the two inner output tubes running (which is what we see in all the pictures of the original and the replicas). There has never been a production version of this amp made by Fender or Suhr.
@@tonecast1 That is true, but Diaz but in a larger power transformer that can supply more current which changed the transformers transients and blooming effect. This changes when clapton would hit a note there was no more transient or blooming effect. The attack of his notes was immediate , no more LAG of response no more blooming effect. Using the original power transformer that notes would lag in response and have this blooming effect and the transformer would have a transient spike when hitting the notes harder. Search about it and make a YT lesson about it because its an overlooked thing Cesar Diaz did. This is common for 80's guitarist because they wanted an immediate attack time and response time.
@@waynegram8907 Thanks for the breakdown of the Diaz PT swap and its effect on the tone of the amp. What you're saying makes sense given my current scope of knowledge of how amp's work. Thanks for sharing!
Seems to have gone unnoticed here but this person says, at 3:36, that they installed 2 6L6's in place of the removed rectifier tubes. Unless I'm nuts, and it's quite possible that I am, this makes no sense.
I enjoyed your video but I have say I was very disappointed that you said basically- if you dont agree that his tone on the Beano album was one of the greatest then you are too young or too ignorant. Calling people ignorant maybe not so professional and just not cool IMO. For many reasons that I wont go into. Other than that great stuff the part about how they built his Amps was super interesting.
Thanks for your comment. I don't think what you heard was what I said, but given your comment it sounds like I probably could've worded what I said better. Thanks for the feedback. Just know no malice intended on my part. I'm just a blunt a communicator for better or for worse. Thanks for watching.
AFL is great but I don’t think Clapton was trying to replicate his sound. Hence why he hired AFL at this time. No need to emulate the guy when he’s on stage with you. Clapton was trying to replicate his heroes like Buddy Guy, Lowell Fulson, Muddy Waters, Freddie King, etc…
@@tonecast1 Clapton did indeed admire those greats and he clearly took his inspiration from them throughout his career but if you look at how he went about recreating their sounds and styles, AFL (who was already a far more accomplished guitarist IMO) was his guide and tutor. I recall having a few chats with some very well informed people within the industry at the time, who knew both Clapton and AFL and they had already identified the effect of AFL had had on Clapton for some time. I must confess some bias here, as Clapton, despite his commitment to the British Blues scene, has never been high in my estimation and I always find the other guy of more interest eg. Danny Kirwan vs Peter Green.
Ha! I actually speak at a more casual speed in a typical conversation. I keep the pace quick on camera for the more dense informative videos so I’m not wasting the viewer’s time.
