Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2024 9:22 am Post subject: Suhr Bella (not so) secret story
Hi Scott. Hope u're doing well... I can't wait to listen to your coming soon album!! The thing I love the most when listening to a new album of yours, is the wide, unprecedented palette of tones any of your albums (especially the last 4 or 5) sport. I always happen to get amazed & surprised!! I'm thrilled knowing there are a bunch of tunes recorded w no real cab in the game.
Speaking of tone - it's a couple years I switched to the "clean-platform-amp-w-pedals" philosophy, and I'm currently using my Fender Bassman RI (set clean) for that purpose. Quite happy with it, but Jeez that guy is bulky and I'm not fully satisfied with the (4) 10" it comes equipped with.
Along the neverending path to the search of a better tone, I've hit by chance the Suhr Bella amplifier and the story which involves you, behind it.
Can u please tell us a bit more about that story, and (having read somewhere you happen to use it here an there in your albums, along w you beloved '71 Marshall), woulkd you be so kind to share some of your thoughts about it as a clean platform amp? Many thanks in advance. Best _________________ Germino Club 40 plexi replica + EJ Strat w Suhr ML st. pups. I'm not asking for more so far (but... who knows...?)
Thanks for the kind words - hope you like the new album!
The Bella is a great amp, and I've used it for recording. It sounds very similar to the Suhr modded Bandmaster that I've had for years, so due to limited space in my studio, I gave the Bella back to John. Those amps don't work for me on stage because they're not master volume amps. Sometimes I need to get more gain at low volumes, so non-master volume amps are too clean for me, especially an amp like the Bella, which is loud!
That being said, I know Mike Landau uses the Bella sometimes on stage. When Mike is playing soft, it's usually a cleaner tone - then he gets more gain as he turns up. If your playing situation is like that, the Bella would work fine.
Thanks Scott. I must have read somewhere your old bandmaster had been modded by Alexander Dumble, then you borrowed it to John Suhr to replicate it in a more modern form… then the Bella was born!
However - in my understanding (and you gave an advice on that in an old thread) Landau uses stacked pedals, with stacked stages of dirt, to obtain a response similar to an edge of breakup amp (which all we know is the best platform for dirt pedals). That’s the way I go, and I’m quite satisfied. I see a lot of pros and just a few cons in such approach - e.g. time based effects can be sent straight front amp, or one can rely on a really pristine tone when needed (e.g. for swells). I’ve been using a plexi JTM 45 style amp (which I still use and love), but nowadays it’s hard, for those who don’t feel comfortable with modelers for live use, to get onstage with a loud amp! BTW you and Mike Landau are my main unrivaled references when it come to tone. Two different approaches, both awesome. I’ve been chasing your tone for years. And still do, switching back and forth from a clean ped platform to a gritty amp w pedals! _________________ Germino Club 40 plexi replica + EJ Strat w Suhr ML st. pups. I'm not asking for more so far (but... who knows...?)
Yes, I used to have a Bandmaster which was modified by Dumble, but it was a bit fizzy sounding when used for high gain. That's the amp I used on the song "Sphinx" on the Vibe Station album. Alexander made quite a few of those mods to Bandmasters, and not all of them were gooped, so before long everyone had that mod. I'm not sure but it could've been a starting point for John's mod, and I don't know what the difference is, but my current Bandmaster has a much better transformer than the one which Dumble modded, and it's a better sounding amp.
I stack pedals too, but I'd still prefer to have a little breakup from the amp, so because we play so many different type rooms, it's nice to have a master volume amp which can bend with the environment. Those rooms with low ceilings and all hard surfaces are a nightmare - I'd have to play with my amp totally clean if I was using a Bella.
Sorry for getting a lil' bit off topic, Scott, But I cant find anywhere a source from where buying a digital copy of Karnevel, and that's a pity as I was hardly expecting this 2nd of Feb to get your new record. Am I missing some info, or there's no way to buy your album, if not a phisical CD copy? Here in Eu it seems not available anywhere... Many thanks for clarifying how to find a way to (buy and) listen to your new music! _________________ Germino Club 40 plexi replica + EJ Strat w Suhr ML st. pups. I'm not asking for more so far (but... who knows...?)
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