Scott Henderson Discussion

[Jonni]

HI Scott!
Thank you so much for your music and your kind help and advice on this amazing site. I have been listening to your HBC album daily for more than a year and a half. I have also kept reading through this message board learning so much every time. My playing has really got better during this time, even though someone could say your influence is beginning to be too present in my playing. I think have lightyears of learning to make justice to that claim.

I would really like to know more about:

1) using the deep bass of single coils. I currently don't have access to a 4X12 cabinet. I do have some 2 X 12's though, and I have noticed I really get some good deep bass with my single coils when using them. Is there a real difference between 4X12's and 2X12 in this sense? Do you think this kind of bass could be useful in a duo situation (with just a singer)? I get to do gigs with a singer, but I always feel my solo guitar is lacking deep bass. I mean would that sort of justify buying a 4X12 and taking it to duo gigs? We do jazzy stuff but in a punk way.

2) how on earth do you create that impression of a full blown horn section playing, like on this youtube clip from brazil: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5-SLeadQBA I mean you have your suhr, pedals and the badger, but is there still something else, perhaps something you think about or do? I mean this must be one of the coolest things ever done on guitar!

Thank you so much for you time and attention!

Jonni

[Scott Henderson]

Thanks Jonni,

I don't think I've ever seen someone use a 4x12 for a duo - when I play small gigs I use my Fender Deluxe with only one speaker and there seems to be plenty of bass. There's definitely a difference between a 2x12 and a 4x12, but it seems like a 2x12 for a duo would be enough. I know what you mean by "deep bass" though, because a 4x12 produces a lower frequency of bass, though I'm not sure what the specific frequency difference is between the two cabs. 2x12 cabs are usually open back, and you loose some bass because of that. Sorry I'm not doing a great job of answering your question - I guess if I were you I'd just borrow a 4x12 for a gig and see how you like it.

About that YouTube clip, I'm just using a Marshall style amp (I don't remember if it was my amp or a rented Marshall, but they're both the same in character), and an Xotic RC Booster pedal. I roll the tone down to about 4 on my treble pickup and that makes the notes fatter sounding for that type of playing.

[Jonni]

Yes, it would be quite strange to use 4X12 at small gigs, and that is partly why I like the idea. I think your answer was very useful in many ways, but especially in the sense that you point out closed back cabinets have more bass than open ones and I actually have closed back 2X12's around. So maybe that would be close enough to 4X12's, at least to the extent I can notice.

Thank you once more!
J.