The “Mystery” of Angus Young’s Tone in “Let There Be Rock” The Movie

29 Feb The “Mystery” of Angus Young’s Tone in “Let There Be Rock” The Movie

Heh. Dont tell me – well if you’re passionate that is – that this thought /question hasn’t crossed your mind at one time or another?

Well, if it has, here’s some of Franz’s and mine thoughts.

Thanks to the recent “discovery” of an image grabbed, analyzed and posted by member Dries in this post (here) it was a clear fact that the Schaffer-Vega Diversity System (SVDS) was there and it was ON during the concert.

WHY keep it on and right next to the amps if it wasn’t being used? WHY? I would never keep expensive things that I am not needing nearby. Too much confusion, especially at a concert where a movie is being shot with thousands of people.

And WHY is it TURNED ON???

Another interesting screen grab shows Angus coming out of the dressing van with the TX X10 on his strap.

Since by then the SVDS had been used on possibly every single live performance AND in the studio successfully, it comes more and more to mind the thought that there was a natural inclination of using such unit. Always.

Just as I had presumed right from the start, the though is that Angus relied on such unit for his sound. Period.

BUT we see Angus with a cable during the whole show. He WAS using a cable, no doubt.

But such cable, where was it connected into? The amp, directly?

And how can we describe and explain the “strange” sound coming from Angus? No one was ever able to provide a credible explanation so far, not even me.

Not until today, that is.

My thorough experimentaion with my SVDS systems has made such units become part of my hearing system (LOL) and I now do seem to hear the SVDS on THIS tone as well.

So here’s out hypothesis:

– Angus DID use the SVDS during the movie. The sound of the movie – Angus’ – is entirely based on the SVDS

– Probably due to some interference in the Paris venue, the Transmitter (X10) was put just next to the Transmitter (EX63) to allow for proper transmission. From the screen grab, it appears impossible to tell.

Angus would run the cable – a long one – from his guitar into the transmitter. Which is the way to go usually, though the TX cable is maybe (the stock, standard original one) 30 centimeters long.

– Angus used a 2203 (or more) for this show. The EX63 would input in fact into a 2203, and the SVDS was fully boosted.

Why a 2203 and NOT a 1959 like some think? Because with the t-tops like these, EVEN with the SVDS fully boosted, I am not able to reproduce this level of drive. There is NO way.

And after all, the two (2203 and 1959) of the time were based on identical – or very similar – circuits.

I am conducting (while doing 10 other things at the same time) experimentation as we speak.

Here to you a sound clip, made with one of my SVDS, TX set to full 10, boost set to full.

Amps setting will vary during this recording.

Starting with Volume at 8, Pre amp at 8 (then decreased to a more likely 6-7), bass 2, presence initially 6 then 2, mids 4 (at some time down to 0 then back to 4), treble initially 6 then ends up at 4.

Guitar volume all over the place, from 10 to 2 (you’ll hear this).

Guitar tone knob consistently at 3 (just how I think they set it at that show) and at some point lowered to 2 (common trick with Angus! i.e., tone knob closed both in the studio and live to variable settings).

Guitar was a 1971 SG Standard all STOCK with stock t-tops at around 7.x kohm.

Amp was a 1977-1979 STOCK 2203 (can’t remember the date of this one, I now have three lol).

To you some thoughts.

LTBR The Movie Angus tone?

Adding “Whole Lotta Rosie” from the show, youtube:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8dWQDgaITk[/youtube]