DallasRUSHian Posted June 19, 2011 Share Posted June 19, 2011 I was really surprised that neither of Alex's models of Les Paul Axcess were used in Phoenix. His main guitar for the show was the black prototype Axcess (which is totally awesome, and I hope Gibson will produce!). The past couple of years, the black guitar, called "Big Al", had only been used on a couple of songs with dropped tuning. For this show, he continued to use the regular sunburst Axcess for 2112; not the Lifeson model. It really made me wonder what was up with the missing guitars, since they had been the primary ones for the last couple of years. http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/gib...electric-guitar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FountainOfSyrinx Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 its because he gave them to me.. kidding. i wish. but that's definitely strange!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DallasRUSHian Posted June 20, 2011 Author Share Posted June 20, 2011 Well, by looking at the show pics, the guitars returned last night in San Diego, and they were used in El Paso during the previous show. I'm still curious where they were for Phoenix. Hmm... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elvtnedge Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 (edited) Maybe he was having Piezo bleed..lol seriously, where did you see pics? Edited June 20, 2011 by elvtnedge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alphseeker Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 (edited) When it comes to his leads i really preferred the PRS's clear/sharp tones but when it comes to rhythm and chords nothing compares to the Gibsons raw power - Edited June 21, 2011 by alphseeker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CygnusX-1Bk2 Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 PRS are harsh in the upper mid frequencies and sound strident to me. The best word I can use to describe it is glassy, more like shattered glass. I suspect the electronics. They look good though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alphseeker Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 QUOTE (CygnusX-1Bk2 @ Jun 21 2011, 12:48 AM) PRS are harsh in the upper mid frequencies and sound strident to me. The best word I can use to describe it is glassy, more like shattered glass. I suspect the electronics. They look good though. Well i'm just a humble novice and that is from my tone deaf ears perspective - you're the pro so i'll agree with you - and yes PRS's do look great, maybe that's the real reason i prefer he plays them- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alphseeker Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 (edited) You used the word strident for the PRS - they are kinda shrill now that a think of it - Is that the norm for the Dragon II pickups? Edited June 21, 2011 by alphseeker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CygnusX-1Bk2 Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 There is something happening is the upper midrange on Alex's PRS guitars especially. I don;t hear the same thing in Santana's guitars. They are a little more creamy, but Carlos uses more neck pickup than Alex. And very different amps. The black and red (w/piezo) CE 24s are the worst culprits. He used a red McCarty that was a little mellower. The burst he uses for TSS has active pickups and doesn't sound this way either. I am no expert, I just have too much experience and know what I like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alphseeker Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 (edited) QUOTE (CygnusX-1Bk2 @ Jun 22 2011, 12:28 AM) There is something happening is the upper midrange on Alex's PRS guitars especially. I don;t hear the same thing in Santana's guitars. They are a little more creamy, but Carlos uses more neck pickup than Alex. And very different amps. The black and red (w/piezo) CE 24s are the worst culprits. He used a red McCarty that was a little mellower. The burst he uses for TSS has active pickups and doesn't sound this way either. I am no expert, I just have too much experience and know what I like. On a side note? I get the feeling alex has altered his leads quite a bit - For example It seems that the main lead La Villa has fewer notes than it used to be - Still great but after listening to it Saturday night and listening to it live from the R30 dvd today it seems to have been altered quite a bit - is that his fat fingers, age or just keeping it simpler because of touring so much - Or am i just hearing things? Edited June 22, 2011 by alphseeker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CygnusX-1Bk2 Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 Well the inflections change from night to night but all 3 of them are fairly consistent as far as note-for-note performances go. La Villa has been edited down a little as far as the arrangement goes but the guitar solos are pretty much intact. If anything he plays more these days than he did on the known recordings. I would defer to 1-0-0-1 on this however... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alphseeker Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 (edited) QUOTE (CygnusX-1Bk2 @ Jun 22 2011, 01:44 AM) Well the inflections change from night to night but all 3 of them are fairly consistent as far as note-for-note performances go. La Villa has been edited down a little as far as the arrangement goes but the guitar solos are pretty much intact. If anything he plays more these days than he did on the known recordings. I would defer to 1-0-0-1 on this however... Maybe his playing has become so smooth and perfected over the years that it just sounds like there's less notes because it so frikin easy for him - Edited June 22, 2011 by alphseeker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CygnusX-1Bk2 Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 (edited) Saw them last night. There are only 2 shows left. If you don't know what they are playing then sorry. It's too damn late.... The Crimson model replaced all songs where he had used the "Ice Tea" burst prototype on the earlier legs, in the first set only. There seemed to be a new Ice Tea burst that was used in the second set which I do not believe is the same as the prototype used previously judging by the neck inlay which didn't seem as nice as before. The black Les Paul Custom (chrome hardware) outfitted with a Floyd Rose and detuned for Stick It Out does not say Custom on it, but has amazing block neck inlay from the 1st fret and the traditional diamond pattern headstock inlay (also amazing) that is seen on Les Paul Customs. This is the guitar which had been used for Between the Wheels previously. This is a different guitar from the other black Les Paul Custom that has gold hardware tuned down a whole step for 2112 and Circumstances. For 2112 he used another Burst similar to the Ice Tea. I should have been more observant to see if it was the Protoype from before. He had been using a a black Custom previously (gold hardware). Other Les Paul appearances was the Cherryburst with a piezo but no whammy. On TSS he used a PRS I hadn't seen before. Though it is a burst it is quite different from the guitar he had traditionally been playing this song on for recent tours going back to the 90's. The newer one has slim humbuckers in a Strat configuration (as opposed to active single in the bridge and humbucker on the neck). Other guitars were the black PRS C24, the Martin 12 string (mounted), the Tele and the ES-355. Geddy pretty much used the old but recently modified J as well as the red one for 2112 which has also been given a new neck and pickguard to match the black one but in red. There was also a burst J that looked a little knackered, but not a Jaco as it has the black block inlay a la the original '72 neck. Neil played drums! Edited June 27, 2011 by CygnusX-1Bk2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CygnusX-1Bk2 Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 Just gave S&A a once over. The Ice Tea prototype does not have a piezo but the one he played last night does (dual output jacks). It and the Crimson one both had the custom Al truss rod covers. I am thinking the Ice Tea prototype was used for 2112 and is now tuned down a whole step. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CygnusX-1Bk2 Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 Can you tell I haven't slept yet either? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PolarizeMe Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 I think this video would also help explain and confirm all of Alex's gear on this tour, including the guitar in question that was used in 2112. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowtothesky Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 QUOTE (PolarizeMe @ Jun 27 2011, 08:41 AM) I think this video would also help explain and confirm all of Alex's gear on this tour, including the guitar in question that was used in 2112. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DCtt7uGtw8&feature=related Cool video! I really like Rebecca Dirks as an interviewer. She is very knowledgable and doesn't look to shabby either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CygnusX-1Bk2 Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 Ok the first guitar in the video is the "Viceroy Brown" serial #1 which is NOT the Prototype guitar used on previous tours. #1 has a piezo and whammy. and the Prototype's finish was referred to as Ice Tea (still is on the Rush website). I believe this may the "Standard Axcess" tuned down for 2112 judging by the neck inlay. The PRS in the YouTube with "Signature" pickup was not used last night but was a different PRS with slim double coils (two coils in a single coil space). It also has a maple fretboard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CygnusX-1Bk2 Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 QUOTE (alphseeker @ Jun 21 2011, 11:04 PM) QUOTE (CygnusX-1Bk2 @ Jun 22 2011, 12:28 AM) There is something happening is the upper midrange on Alex's PRS guitars especially. I don;t hear the same thing in Santana's guitars. They are a little more creamy, but Carlos uses more neck pickup than Alex. And very different amps. The black and red (w/piezo) CE 24s are the worst culprits. He used a red McCarty that was a little mellower. The burst he uses for TSS has active pickups and doesn't sound this way either. I am no expert, I just have too much experience and know what I like. On a side note? I get the feeling alex has altered his leads quite a bit - For example It seems that the main lead La Villa has fewer notes than it used to be - Still great but after listening to it Saturday night and listening to it live from the R30 dvd today it seems to have been altered quite a bit - is that his fat fingers, age or just keeping it simpler because of touring so much - Or am i just hearing things? La Villa is still La Villa. If anything there are "more notes" when he really gets going than anything else. The beginning of the main solo (starting with the swells) is fairly consistent since the studio version, the inflections and phrasing vary slightly from night to night. What he plays now is an evolutionary result of playing it every night for years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
default236 Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 QUOTE (CygnusX-1Bk2 @ Jun 27 2011, 03:01 PM) Ok the first guitar in the video is the "Viceroy Brown" serial #1 which is NOT the Prototype guitar used on previous tours. #1 has a piezo and whammy. and the Prototype's finish was referred to as Ice Tea (still is on the Rush website). I believe this may the "Standard Axcess" tuned down for 2112 judging by the neck inlay. The PRS in the YouTube with "Signature" pickup was not used last night but was a different PRS with slim double coils (two coils in a single coil space). It also has a maple fretboard. It was a PRS NF3. I know because I was wondering myself. http://prsguitars.com/nf3/ Alex's had the Maple neck and dot inlays if I remember correctly. He made the switch around mid-April last year I believe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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