Ceriatone Forum

Hi guys

how would you go about getting a tone close to Stevie Ray Vaughn's?
I have a Mexican strat with Texas Specials.
Doesn't get anywhere near SRV's sound though.

Hate to say it- but the Overtone is probably the wrong amp for SRV tones- the key thing with SRV was that it was a very loud but CLEAN tone- other discussions on this forum have mentioned this topic before but just to re-cap- SRV did use a Dumble amp- but NOT the Overdrive Special- this amp didn't suit SRV style  at all, he used a Steel String Singer which was essentially a Bass amp! Super-clean & very loud is how this amp sounds, in-fact even with the much discussed SRV's use of a Tubescreamer- he really used it more as a clean boost than it's inherent distortion tones... John Mayer who is un-deniably a huge SRV fan, bases his tone on essentially a super-clean amp turned up loud...  If you have an OTS- use the clean channel- turn up the master volume almost flat out and keep the pre-amp low... it should get you in the ball park...

Before you do anything else...
Make sure you have a heavier set of strings on, 11-52 minimum, SRVs were heavier than that.
Then tune to E flat (D#). You will be surprised at how much difference that makes.
You will then need to use a tube screamer based overdrive pedal.
Use clean (or just near break-up) tone on your amp. I don't think the on-board OD on the OTS will get you what you want.
SRV really built his sound over a large clean tone from what ever amp he was using.
From there it is  matter of experimenting with OD box settings, amp setting and guitar pickup settings. The texas specials should work just fine.
As always, any player's tone is a function of their picking and fingering techniques. SRV had a lot of unique , but not so obvious, right & left hand techniques. Those techniques coupled with the down tuning of the Strat are really what created his tone. Only the most obsessive player will master those nuances.

Keep in mind that he played Fender Vibroverbs, a Dumble Steel String Singer and  Marshall Major and his tone did not change from one amp to the other.

Hey Steven,

Do my mods on OTS ;D and you will have SRV-ish clean like this
http://www.guitarampcab.com/cclean.mp3

and drive like this
http://www.guitarampcab.com/cplexi.mp3
And my pickups are just ordinary cheap strat pickups

Also as guys mentioned heare you have to play like SRV too  ;)

13-60odd I think. Plus a very high action, this does affect the tone. You'll need a guitar specifically set up to get that tone unless you're looking for 'Lenny' type tones. Pao Ferro fretboard might have an influence. My experience of Texas Specials was they were nice but not as good as Fralin VH's. I also hear Lollar Blackface pups are very good.

That first, clean clip Pickmaster posted is reeeeallly SRV style clean. Sounds a lot like Lenny.

thanks guys

I have a Keeley Tube Screamer so I guess that helps. Clean on the OTS is pretty loud. But maybe a bit to punchy.

@pickmaster Disd you use the neck pickup on the last bit of the distorted mp3?

SRV played Lenny on a standard strat with a lower action and thinner strings and you can hear the difference. The tone is lighter.

On distorted mp3 it's only neck pickup, standard noiseless strat.

Lenny was kinda of a strange tune in SRV aresenal.  One wouldn't think of this tune when you talk about his "tone".  For most it's that Pride and Joy honk.

Which he played (pride & joy) on the 4 and 5 (for some of the solo)  p.u. positions rather than on the neck p.u. which is what most people think of when discussing SRV tone

For clarity's sake, the Steel String Singer was deigned for pedal steel guitar. 150 watts that wouldn't distort with pre and master max'd out. Stevie's was slightly modified from the original SSS design. Just a note of trivia from years of research. Bill

Probably it is wrong to mention on this forum but if one really wants all SRV tones in one amp have to try 300 watt Crate Blue Voodoo! Unfortunately it weights 45 kg (only head), but really sounds amazing with full 8X12 Celestion Century stuck. ;D 

I've been playing all morning noodling along to the cuts on Couldn't Stand the Weather using my Nitro finished Partsocaster with Lollar Blackface pickups into my OTS. 

Reverb and subtle delay through a Kleinulator in the effects loop. 

Drive channel set to just overdrive if I dig in.

No problem at all getting tones to match the cd.

I love this amp.

The Rock switch is always on.  Deep switch off.  Sometimes I do use the bright switch even with single coils.
My internal trimmer is set around 900 to 930.
Treble around 4-5.  Mids all the way up.  Bass about 1 1/2.  These settings are not carved in stone.  It's surprising to me that sometimes it's beefing up the bass just the right amount that puts me into the SRV ballpark.
Volume between 8 and full up.  The input volume has a definite affect on the drive channel as well as the clean volume so I keep this in mind.
I've been experimenting with keeping the Ratio full up and using the volume and level to even out the volume between the drive and clean channels.
The Level ends up low around 1 1/2 and the Volume often ends up backed down to around 8 or a little less to accomplish this.
There's not a lot of difference between my clean and drive sounds really.  I only need enough drive so the chords in the stop sections of Hideaway soften up and compress.  Maybe a little more for something like Lookin' out the Window.  Once I get there, I can adjust my tone by how I play.

Just a super reverb (albeit a severely modded one) and a stock squier classic vibe 50's (wires and pots& switch upgraded)

This the super as standalone.... normally i pair it up with a superhardon ptp clone and two tubescreamers and a vibratone unit driven by it's own fender amp.

main strat is a 63 slabboard one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-1t-Qw6sFM

I have an OTS (sold the S&M and bought the 50w OTS) and to get SRV, Chris Duarte, Henry Garza, etc.  I use a Hermida Zendrive 2 (not the Zendrive.. the ZENDRIVE 2) and it's as close to this sound as I've ever gotten.  Only a purist would know the difference, and he wouldn't be listening to me play anyway!

Of course you have to use a single coil, neck pup... high quality... I like the Rio Grande lineup personally...  I had a set of Muy Macho's and they pretty much nailed it...

Then practice practice practice until your ears bleed.

Rock on!

you know guys.... i have an OTS HRM and its a matter of adapting yr technique to get the sound, just like the guys who go for the robben ford sound on the OTS.

i used the OTS in a gig last night, using my own custom mini 335, and got great peter green tones, and also sounds which approached albert king. but i hardly changed my tone settings (albeit they were quite clean). its technique.

same goes with my old voxac30, plenty of cleans and lovely tones when it starts to break up. i have no qualms whatsoever using either. you just have to use yr ears and adapt yr setting and technique accordingly.

 at home, for SRV tones, i set the OT POT a little under half way and OD gain at about 2 or 3 with all 3 front panel switches down. works well. at gigs however, the clean channel at higher volumes breaks up nicely and i use that on boost from the footswitch (again, all switches in the down position). depending on which tone i am after, i may use the mid boost switch which breaks it up a little more and add some sustain.


bear in mind however i have a CLOSED back on my OTS, and it will respond a little differently to open back because if this.