70s piezo pickup

[troggg]

There isn't anything more enjoyable than Jimmy Page Led Zep live acoustic set from the 70s with a Radio Shack $25 clip on mic ... speaking of professional sound reinforcement! I'ts always the ears more than the equipment.

[rockabilly69]

Originally Posted by troggg

There isn't anything more enjoyable than Jimmy Page Led Zep live acoustic set from the 70s with a Radio Shack $25 clip on mic ... speaking of professional sound reinforcement! I'ts always the ears more than the equipment.

In actuality, what looked like a $25 mic was a taped on Model 1355 Barcus Berry pickup which went to an outboard Model 1330S Barcus Berry preamp.

http://www.led-zeppelin.org/studio-and-live-gear/1876

[David Eastwood]

Originally Posted by rockabilly69

In actuality, what looked like a $25 mic was a taped on Model 1355 Barcus Berry pickup which went to an outboard Model 1330S Barcus Berry preamp.

Did you say Barcus Berry? I think I have one of those preamps around here somewhere... bought to complement the 'Insider' transducer which, at one time, was in my Martin.

[DavidE]

The Sonitone is a very low end piezo pickup.

[leew3]

Originally Posted by eatswodo

Did you say Barcus Berry? I think I have one of those preamps around here somewhere... bought to complement the 'Insider' transducer which, at one time, was in my Martin.

wow, thanks for a trip in the 'way back' machine. I had two of these, no idea where they went-but I also don't know where most of the 80's went...I've been told I played in a bar band back then.....

[troggg]

Originally Posted by rockabilly69

In actuality, what looked like a $25 mic was a taped on Model 1355 Barcus Berry pickup which went to an outboard Model 1330S Barcus Berry preamp.

http://www.led-zeppelin.org/studio-and-live-gear/1876

Well, to be specific, that information seems limited to the 1973 tour ... meaning that maybe the Radio Shack mic was used on other tours? Not that it matters, cause whether Barcus Berry or Radio Shack was employed, the vintage Led Zep acoustic set sound hasn't necessarily been topped for either writing, playing, or sonics in the 50 or so years since. Which once again leads me to the same conclusion: I'll take primitive equipment and great ears (I'd say Led Zep's 70s sound man qualifies) over fabulous equipment and OK ears any time. I'm trying to remember if the JPJ mandolin was miced or had some sort of pickup ... cause of course it sounded fabulous, too.

[rockabilly69]

Originally Posted by troggg

Well, to be specific, that information seems limited to the 1973 tour ... meaning that maybe the Radio Shack mic was used on other tours? Not that it matters, cause whether Barcus Berry or Radio Shack was employed, the vintage Led Zep acoustic set sound hasn't necessarily been topped for either writing, playing, or sonics in the 50 or so years since. Which once again leads me to the same conclusion: I'll take primitive equipment and great ears (I'd say Led Zep's 70s sound man qualifies) over fabulous equipment and OK ears any time. I'm trying to remember if the JPJ mandolin was miced or had some sort of pickup ... cause of course it sounded fabulous, too.

Can you please point out any link where you heard on Page using a $25 mic??? The only reference I've ever read was that he used a $50 Radio Shack cassette deck with it's built in microphone to record demos for the Coverdale/Page sessions but nothing they actually used. But on some early photos I can see a cable going into his Harmony but have never been able to tell (or find on the web), what that was. And every thing I've ever read tells me that Page only used the Barcus Berry system from 1971 on for the Led Zep shows (other than a Giannini with a built in pickup for Tangerene).

Me, I'll take great equipment with great ears over anything And in the studio Page used some of the best stuff on the planet! He was quite the producer.

I'm a huge Jimmy Page fan. Listen to the acoustic parts on my songs and you can hear his influence...



I intentionally went for a Jimmy Page lead tone in the end of this song...
https://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=6605960

[troggg]

Originally Posted by rockabilly69

Can you please point out any link where you heard on Page using a $25 mic??? The only reference I've ever read was that he used a $50 Radio Shack cassette deck with it's built in microphone to record demos for the Coverdale/Page sessions but nothing they actually used. But on some early photos I can see a cable going into his Harmony but have never been able to tell (or find on the web), what that was. And every thing I've ever read tells me that Page only used the Barcus Berry system from 1971 on for the Led Zep shows (other than a Giannini with a built in pickup for Tangerene).

Me, I'll take great equipment with great ears over anything And in the studio Page used some of the best stuff on the planet! He was quite the producer.

I'm a huge Jimmy Page fan. Listen to the acoustic parts on my songs and you can hear his influence...



I intentionally went for a Jimmy Page lead tone in the end of this song...
https://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=6605960

It's not so much a link as something I've remembered from forever ago, you know when there were actually magazine interviews and such?

But as I said, I'm not really invested in being right, it sounds great whether I'm right or wrong!

I'm not sure if the Barcus Berry qualifies as "great equipment;" if it was that great, lots of other acoustic artists whether in rock bands or not would have been using them back in the day, when it seemed most opted for regular mics as opposed to tape-on solutions.

Yeah your tune is reminiscent of Traveling Riverside Blues.

Would you agree that Jimmy Page is the all-time best combo player (acoustic and electric)?

[rockabilly69]

Originally Posted by troggg

It's not so much a link as something I've remembered from forever ago, you know when there were actually magazine interviews and such?

But as I said, I'm not really invested in being right, it sounds great whether I'm right or wrong!

I'm not sure if the Barcus Berry qualifies as "great equipment;" if it was that great, lots of other acoustic artists whether in rock bands or not would have been using them back in the day, when it seemed most opted for regular mics as opposed to tape-on solutions.

Yeah your tune is reminiscent of Traveling Riverside Blues.

Would you agree that Jimmy Page is the all-time best combo player (acoustic and electric)?

Oh yeah Jimmy Page was always my favorite lead player and I loved his acoustic playing too, and besides, he was a great rock and roll producer.

Barcus Berry's were used by many pros but they typically had the pickups permanently installed not taped on. I had one in my my first acoustic along with the outboard preamp and it sounded great for what I needed to do with it at the time.

In the second song I sent you I was specifically going for the clean electric guitar tone in the solo like he uses.