So .... who does proper rockabilly?

OilCityPickups · December 2013

Of late I've gotten more nd more interested in rockabilly ....the work of of Cliff Gallop and Scotty Moore etc etc.
As a life long blues rocker .... I'm trying to play the changes and abandon scales in favour of Archie-Pettigrews ... 6ths, 13ths and shite ... any advice?
I really need it as I'm starting guitar duties in two different rockabilly bands in the new year

ThePrettyDamned · December 2013

Brian Setzer owns all.

I can't help much other than Brian Setzer did a run of lessons for total guitar a couple of years back, so the videos are probably on YouTube.

octatonic · December 2013

Check out 'Cousin Harley'. Try Western swing as much as rockabilly- there is more of a jazz approach to WS.

EricTheWeary · December 2013

Lot of dvds and books on amazon.
I like Darrell Higham and he mixes up trad rockabilly approaches with other elements. There are a few lessons by him on YouTube.
Quite a lengthy free written lesson on truefire that might be worth a look as well.

OilCityPickups · December 2013

Love darrell Higham's playing (not so sure about his sweaters) and I've devoured all his stuff online. I've always been more of a 'scales' player and it comes a s a bit of a revelation to start thinking in arpeggios and chromatic ideas.

streethawk · December 2013

Ah, rockabilly.

One of the many styles I tell myself I could play, if only I could be bothered learning.

Best years ahead of me etc.

:-S

koss59 · December 2013

I would highly recommend studying Jeff Becks playing on his tribute to Les Paul DVD, it's all on youtube.

You can see some of the stuff he's playing and has all the Cliff Gallup and Scotty Moore stuff down.

OilCityPickups · December 2013

koss59 said:

I would highly recommend studying Jeff Becks playing on his tribute to Les Paul DVD, it's all on youtube.
You can see some of the stuff he's playing and has all the Cliff Gallup and Scotty Moore stuff down.

Funnily enough I'm not really a Beck fan normally ... except for his rockabilly. The Beck live at Ronnie Scotts' on U tube is brilliant.
I've been dissecting Rev Horton Heat too ... jeez I swear Jim Heath has got a secret pair of extra left hand fingers he slips in to his playing from time to time.

rpr · December 2013

it's quite a melting pot,but worth listening to

Johnny Burnette Trio

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uv1xvMjxqcQ

Cliff Gallup

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CTso1tx4Bs

Pre Country Wanda Jackson

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOb_bwOx4P8

Setzer · December 2013

I played in a Rockabilly band for about 7 or 8 years, I only did it to push myself in a direction I wouldnt normally have gone and surprisingly I absolutely loved it!

The biggest problem I had at the start was actually playing with the double bass player as I was more of a rock player. Abandon all of your usual scale type of playing as that just sounds absolute shite in Rockabilly. Start off with simple ideas and plenty of double stops and cut right down on bending strings! in Rockabilly less is usually more so unless you are a master of the style its better to keep it simple until you get a good grip of the style, simple lead lines sound great!

A Fender amp is almost obligatory, I tried a few different amps I had but when I eventually played through a Fender I realised that it was THE sound.

A bonus is that you dont need masses of gear, a Gretsch, Tele or something with your Cow T Rons into a Fender amp with a good helping of slapback is all you really need.

There is a guy on Youtube called MyTwangyGuitar if I remember right and he sells lessons on DVD but he has quite a few lessons on Youtube and he would be a good place to start, he doesnt go into theory or even talk! he just plays songs filmed really nicely and close up so you can get an idea of the style and there are a few Rockabilly standards including the lead that he has up on Youtube so maybe you can learn a song or two off him that your band will be playing.

Good luck!

OilCityPickups · December 2013

Setzer said:

I played in a Rockabilly band for about 7 or 8 years, I only did it to push myself in a direction I wouldnt normally have gone and surprisingly I absolutely loved it!

The biggest problem I had at the start was actually playing with the double bass player as I was more of a rock player. Abandon all of your usual scale type of playing as that just sounds absolute shite in Rockabilly. Start off with simple ideas and plenty of double stops and cut right down on bending strings! in Rockabilly less is usually more so unless you are a master of the style its better to keep it simple until you get a good grip of the style, simple lead lines sound great!
A Fender amp is almost obligatory, I tried a few different amps I had but when I eventually played through a Fender I realised that it was THE sound.

A bonus is that you dont need masses of gear, a Gretsch, Tele or something with your Cow T Rons into a Fender amp with a good helping of slapback is all you really need.

There is a guy on Youtube called MyTwangyGuitar if I remember right and he sells lessons on DVD but he has quite a few lessons on Youtube and he would be a good place to start, he doesnt go into theory or even talk! he just plays songs filmed really nicely and close up so you can get an idea of the style and there are a few Rockabilly standards including the lead that he has up on Youtube so maybe you can learn a song or two off him that your band will be playing.

Good luck!

That's really cool advice ... my weapons of choice are either my deep Bodied Artcore with a P90 sized humbucker in the neck and a Sun-T-Ron (Dynasonic type) in the bridge ... for a bit of an Eddie Cochran sound ... or my black sparkle artcore with my Cow-T-Rons ... for the more 'driven' Setzer-ish stuff.
My own guitar teaching background made me go for an arpeggio/country based approach ... and I've been trying to strip everything out to the barest minimum. It's tough ... as every fibre of my being want's to bust loose and play fast and flashy

I have the availability of a Fender twin for gigging ... but the bloody thing is sooooooo heavy ... any lighter recommendations?

EricTheWeary · December 2013

The aforementioned Mr Higham uses a Peavey Delta Blues. Some form of analog style delay for slapback might be an idea.

DulcetJones · December 2013

When my old band did rockabilly, it was mixed in with ZZ Top, Dire Straits and the whole gamut of pop at the time. I was playing a Les Paul most of the time and just went with a clean sound with more reverb than I usually used and it worked fine. I also applied the same settings to surf music. I learned more about playing rockabilly from the first Stray Cats album than any other source, Setzer dutifully threw in every trick in the book to great effect. I should add, my Les Paul was equipped with a Kahler(I know, it's a long story....), a nearly essential rockabilly feature.

OilCityPickups · December 2013

I use an analogue echo with a fast and fairly loud slapback ... which sounds pretty good to my ears ... and both of my Ibanez semis have Bigsbys

I've been trying my Joyo 'American' pedal ... which does some good Fender impersonations ... coupled with my trusty Laney's clean channel turned well up. Makes quite a nice pseudo-Bassman sound ... and is relatively light.
One band I may well be working with does all original Psychobilly ... so I figure I have a bit more scope to chuck in the kitchen sink there

Working on lots of minor arpeggios and trem 'doinging' .
As has been said ... I think the challenge is going to be working with a slap bass player ... never done that before in around 40 years of playing!

DulcetJones · December 2013

TheGuitarWeasel said:

I think the challenge is going to be working with a slap bass player ... never done that before in around 40 years of playing!

As long as they amplify enough you won't have a problem. I've worked with a few and they seem to like being low volume and that's what makes it difficult for people that rely on the bass. I recall one situation I was in where the bass was non-existent volume wise and everybody in the band was staring at his right hand to try and get the feel of what he was doing because we couldn't hear him. For what it's worth I think it's better all around for them to just go with a standard solidbody bass, it's way more portable and for anything other than old time jazz nobody is going to care.

OilCityPickups · December 2013

I think if you have a drummer who can adapt and put in those 'slap' beats you are probably right about better an electric bass player ...

EdGrip · December 2013

Look up an Australian group called The Drey Rollan Band. Beautiful sounds, and what I always think of as rockabilly guitars.

http://www.dreyrollanband.com/

Setzer · December 2013

We were 100% Rockabilly and I assume by your post title that is the style of one of bands you will be playing in? If so then a slap bass is an absolute must, we started out doing the first half of the set slap bass and the second half electric bass and everybody that spoke to us asked why we didnt ditch the electric so thats what we ended up doing. I agree that double bassists are usually very quiet but they are the complete opposite to a rockabilly slap bassist, you wont have an issue hearing slap bass played properly!

This is the band I used to play in and you will hear from this video an electric bass just wouldnt sound anywhere near the same even though slap bass just doesnt sound as good recorded as it does live http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CXVWJqsjK4

Psychobilly is a different beast entirely and as you say thats the one to throw the kitchen sink at! I have never played psychobilly in a band but it would definitely be fun! We used to do a couple of Horton Heat numbers and you can let loose and play more of your normal style with the RHH stuff because Jim himself is a hell of a player and cuts loose quite often, his drummer actually came to see a gig of ours and introduced himself to us after the show and since Im a big RHH fan that was quite a treat. Your idea of chord shap

It sounds like you have the guitars well covered, amp wise a twin is a beast of a thing to have to lug about and you will get fed up with it very quickly. Basically any valve Fender amp will sound great, no other amps really get the right sound and I tried quite a few different amps, I came from a more rock/blues background and had a selection of great rock amps which I struggled really badly with to get a good rockabilly sound and never did but when I got around to getting a Fender the second I played it I had the sound. A Blues Junior would be a good amp, very portable and cheap too! but Mesa's, Marshalls etc are a total waste of time as their cleans just wont cut it at all, I tried a bunch of amps of that style and they were all badly lacking, they just dont have the sparkle and spank you need for Rockabilly.

I hope you will report back and let us know how you enjoy it and how you get on!

OilCityPickups · December 2013

I think I'll try and hunt down a Blues Junior ... been meaning to get one for some time anyway

Setzer · December 2013

I have a Blues Deville and it sounds fantastic for rockabilly but its too heavy a beast to be carting about and far too much volume for regular sized gigs, the Blues Junior would be so handy for practises and gigs and you could arrive for practice with the junior in one hand, your guitar in the other and your leads etc in a bag over your shoulder, that sounds like the perfect setup to me!

Those artcores look really nice, whats your opinion of them? I assume a pickup upgrade would be needed?

OilCityPickups · December 2013

Absolutely love my Artcores ... a great base for pickup upgrades ... er ... as the fitted ones are awful. Who puts 17k of ceramic humbucker in the arse of a rockabilly/jazz guitar? Seriously?
Now: Mighty Ninety P90 in the neck, Sun-T-Ron bridge (mega Duane Eddy twang)

And for my more overdriven moments ...

Setzer · December 2013

They look really tasty and its a nice mix having two that are so different in appearance, I can't decide which one I like best. Ibanez make great quality instruments and that pair look no exception.

I see they have roller bridges in them, what are they like? My Gretsch's had those bloody awful tunomatics which rattle and all the different parts in them kill the tone of a semi so I changed mine out for solid rocking bar bridges from Tru-Arc which had the added bonus of actually having the right radius for the neck so I get no rattling, better tone, more sustain plus a lower action!

Your pickups look great, you should get yourself over to The Gretsch Pages and Gretsch Guitar Discussion websites and mention your pickups there, Im sure you would get a bit of interest as there are a good few UK based guys there and with the 5120's having awful standard pickups in them everybody changes them to TV Jones and you know yourself they aren't exactly the cheapest!

OilCityPickups · December 2013

I think I'm lucky with my Ibanez roller bridges.Some guys on the Ibanez forum reckon that they are poorly made and 'buzz prone' and have changed them for StewMac roller bridges (takes a bit of woodwork on the bridge base) but mine seem to work really well.

Thanks for the kind words on my pickups

I'm always careful on other forums about introducing myself as a 'manufacturer' as most don't have the enlightened attitude to people 'in the trade' that Fretboard does. I usually let customers bring up the subject of my products in those places (like TDPRI etc).

I've turned into a big fan of the DeArmond style pickup ... so my ivory Ibanez does the lion's share at the moment. For what seems to be developing as my own 'style' it has a raw 'cut' in the bridge position that is almost Telecaster like ... and mixed with the P90 gives a sort of 'spanky honk' that seems to cut through nicely.
The sparkle black one has more of the dirty Setzer tone when wound up ...and is a tad easier to manage up the dusty end.

I was looking at a video that said Jim Heath (of Rev Horton Heat fame) has taken to using locking tuners on his Gretsch guitars ... as apart from anything else it makes re stringing with a Bigsby so much easier. I may well convert one or both of the Artcores to that spec ... as I find Bigsby re-stringing to be a serious pain in the derriere.

I guess my only gripe with the Artcore design is the placement of the pickup selector right under the Bigsby arm! I've sort of got used to it ... but I'm still tempted to move the little sucker to the top bout like a Gretsch.

ThePrettyDamned · December 2013

Rev Horton heat are ace.

I remember hearing pgs cover it when demoing an electromatic and thinking, Blimey, that's cool.

Setzer · December 2013

I have a Horton Heat Gretsch and the locking tuners really do make restringing a Bigsby a whole lot easier, they are definitely an upgrade thats really worth doing.

On the Gretsch Talk forum there is a section for commercial sellers where you could introduce your wares, I understand your reservations as I would feel exactly the same but on that forum they are pretty laid back and I know that a lot of people would value your opinion on pickups as there isnt anyone who makes pickups on the forum. There is a guy who makes pedals specifically for Gretsch guitars on the forum and he will help out with technical explanations in threads and his help is always appreciated.

http://www.gretsch-talk.com/forum/index.php

I have a 6120 with pre Fender Filtertrons in it and I was thinking of maybe putting a DeArmond in the bridge and a P90 in the neck as you have done as I have TV Classics in the RHH, I will have to check your site to see what you make that would fit my Gretsch, I have a set of your single coils in a Strat and they sound absolutely fantastic.

I see what you mean about the pickup selector, that definitely isnt the best place Ibanez could have put it!

OilCityPickups · December 2013

mmmmm I've eyed up the Horton Heat Gretsch I'm envious

I think I'll pop over at some point to chat all things Gretsch ... thanks for the link.

If I don't make it in your size yet ... I can always look into it .... I have a huge soft spot for Gretsch and would love to offer some more alternatives in that area.

Setzer · December 2013

The RHH really is a fantastic guitar and has real character, I had a 6120 Nashville a while ago and I still have a 6120 JR-2 and the RHH is a far better guitar, the neck is just a joy to play. Im actually thinking of selling the JR as I always play the RHH but I have been thinking of putting a DeArmond and a P90 in it so that its a totally different sound, I just cant decide whether to sell it or keep it and change the pickups.

Np on the link, I hope you get a few more customers from the Gretsch players.

Dont forget to keep me posted on how the rockabilly goes!

EricTheWeary · January 2014

TheGuitarWeasel said:

mmmmm I've eyed up the Horton Heat Gretsch I'm envious
I think I'll pop over at some point to chat all things Gretsch ... thanks for the link.

If I don't make it in your size yet ... I can always look into it .... I have a huge soft spot for Gretsch and would love to offer some more alternatives in that area.

Sooooo not motivated at work today :-L

So, just been reading a thing about Rev Horton Heat (anybody put him in the Vicars with Guitars discussion yet?) and he was praising 15" speakers for rockabilly, playing through a Gretsch Executive reissue. These are made, I think, by Victoria Amps and would cost, well would cost a lot of money even if you could find one. Takes me back to the Peavey Delta Blues as an option again.

Anyhoo, just cause I can:

Reverend Horton Heat’s Gear

Guitars
Gretsch 6120 RHH signature model, 1954 Gibson ES-175D, 1963 Fender Jazzmaster

Amps
Gretsch 6163 Executive, Fender 1978 Super Reverb

Effects
Chandler Stereo Digital Echo, Way Huge Aqua-Puss analog delay, Boss BD-2 Blues Driver, Dunlop DVP-1 volume pedal

Strings, Picks, and Accessories
Dunlop .010–.046 strings, Dunlop Delrin 1.5 mm pick, Mogami cables

Whilst I'm on I'll mention The Palladins who mix up blues and rockabilly, might be worth a look if approaching rockabilly from a blues background.

jpfamps · January 2014

Get a delay pedal and use a lot of 6th/9th chords!

When I get into a style I like to go back to the origins of that style to try to understand how it developed.

The Sun Rockabilly records are a great place to start, and the guitar playing is not amazingly technical (in fact some of it is fairly ropey, but there are some excellent ideas) and fairly easy to work out (especially if you come from a blues rock background).

Cliff Gallup and Scotty Moore are great too.

Of course you could dive in at the deep end with a Danny Gatton teaching video....

OilCityPickups · January 2014

So I'm excited ... I now definitely have the guitar spot in a really hot rockabilly/psychobilly band ... almost by accident! A 'name' punk band (several albums and regular European tours) that wants to broaden out into rockabilly got me to audition ... and it appears I did okay. F--k knows how ... I was flying by the seat of my pants big style

Thanks for your encouraging comments, this place is very supportive.

suspiciousminds · January 2014

Scotty moore is one of my heroes - his website is great too with loads of info about his (and elvis') gear.
I've read somewhere that he used some type of string damper by the nut.

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So .... who does proper rockabilly?

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