Any Advice on How to Get This Sound/Tone?

[Ron Housley]

Howdy -
I'm wanting to learn a song that's on YouTube played by Chris Fouke called 'Jam Roll'. (I haven't figured out how to include a link to YouTube). What I have learned so far doesn't sound as good without that 'growly' tone on the video. I contacted Mr. Fouke about the setup that he used when recording the song and he said that he was using the following -

Blackstar HT20 head through a Fender single 15" bass amp
Analog delay pedal
Low open C tuning with 18-70 strings
(also a Kent Armstrong Humbucker pickup & a 23" scale Fouke Industial Lap Steel)

I'm using a solid wood body Fern's 'Slide King' Lap Steel, 25" scale, same strings and a Lollar 'Imperial' humbucker PU through a Great River ME1NV Pre-Amp & Carvin AG300 amp. (I know the Carvin amp needs to be exchanged for something better suited to a Lap Steel.) Which brings me to the first question -

I'm considering purchasing a Kemper powered Kabinet & Kemper Profiler Player.
Would I be able to achieve that 'Jam Roll' sound/tone with this setup?

And second question -

Might that Fouke hollow bodied aluminum guitar have something to do with this 'growly' sound?

Appreciate any thoughts, opinions or advice.

Ron

[Michael Kiese]

Howdy -
I'm wanting to learn a song that's on YouTube played by Chris Fouke called 'Jam Roll'. (I haven't figured out how to include a link to YouTube). What I have learned so far doesn't sound as good without that 'growly' tone on the video. I contacted Mr. Fouke about the setup that he used when recording the song and he said that he was using the following -

Blackstar HT20 head through a Fender single 15" bass amp
Analog delay pedal
Low open C tuning with 18-70 strings
(also a Kent Armstrong Humbucker pickup & a 23" scale Fouke Industial Lap Steel)

I'm using a solid wood body Fern's 'Slide King' Lap Steel, 25" scale, same strings and a Lollar 'Imperial' humbucker PU through a Great River ME1NV Pre-Amp & Carvin AG300 amp. (I know the Carvin amp needs to be exchanged for something better suited to a Lap Steel.) Which brings me to the first question -

I'm considering purchasing a Kemper powered Kabinet & Kemper Profiler Player.
Would I be able to achieve that 'Jam Roll' sound/tone with this setup?

And second question -

Might that Fouke hollow bodied aluminum guitar have something to do with this 'growly' sound?

Appreciate any thoughts, opinions or advice.

Ron

Aloha Ron,

If you're using the same strings and tuning on a 25" Scale guitar that Chris is using on a 23" Scale guitar, that's your first major issue right there.

Your string tension is going to be much higher than Chris's. That will greatly affect timbre and sustain. You should at least start with the same scale length guitar if you're going to try and match someone's tone.

Once you got the same scale length guitar, same tuning, and same string set, then start working on other parts of the chain.

If you start chasing the amps down first without matching string physics, you'll be chasing an endless rabbit hole.

Once you get a 23" scale guitar with his tunings and strings, try plugging it into a bass amp and see how it sounds and go from there.

Enjoy!

[Mark Evans]

Or try twisting down to B tuning to slack up the strings. Those are almost baritone gauge strings, way down looooow

[Per Berner]

Here's the video of the song in question:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GW87EG0KU2Q

[Ron Housley]

Yeah, Per, that's the song! Thanks for the link!

Mike & Mark, thanks for the insight and advice. Looks like I will need to try something a little different. In fact, maybe I will just put this Fern's in another tuning, like open D, and get one of those Fouke 23" scale guitars for open C. They're not all that expensive.
I think I read on this forum that you can't have too many Lap Steel guitars.
Sounds about right to me!

Thanks again guys.
Ron

[Steven Wilson]

Sounds to me like he's using an overdrive effect. That's not the kind of clean tone I would expect to hear from that instrument. There's any number of inexpensive overdrive pedals out there and even inexpensive amps like my Roland Cube have that effect built in. It's fun to experiment....

[Ron Housley]

Thanks Steve for the idea. I need to look into that.
That sure would be a lot simpler (& cheaper!)than purchasing another guitar.
I've never used an overdrive pedal before, but you're right, it would be fun to experiment!

[Mark Evans]

Even a boost pedal like the TC Electronic Spark can inject a bit of grit without having to resort to a Rat or Tubescreamer. It’s my secret sauce pedal.

[Ron Housley]

Thanks Mark! I'll check out that pedal also.