So im pretty new to guitars as in sound wise. I can play a little mostly acoustic. I havent dabbled in electric to much also I have not dabbled with pedals as well. The songs I have for reference im trying to achieve this type of sound. I just want to know what do you more professional guitarists think as to how to achieve this type of dreamy sounds.

 

1- For a guitar, I think any guitar with single coils will get you this core sound. The direct dry part of these sounds is has a crystal clarity and springiness so I would go with some kind of fender with a tremolo system. Either a Stratocaster or a Jaguar or Jazzmaster. Those guitars have the mechanical design to create that sweet bell-like sound with the added dimension of boing from the springs.

2- For an amp you need something with a stiff power section and plenty of headroom to create the detail and the clarity of the core guitar tone and if you want to play this type of music in real time with only one amp live then you need that headroom and clarity to recreate the reverb and ambient part of the sound. I think some kind of fender combo amp like a super reverb, twin reverb or deluxe reverb would have the character to project the clear guitar sound and the ambience around it. Also a Vox AC30 or AC15 would be good. On these recordings it sounds like the guitar was recorded "clean" either direct or amp'd with a mic and then layers of effects were added to that sound afterwards.

3. To create those ambient parts of the sound I think you would need either a pedal like Strymon Big Sky or possibly something older like a one rackspace multi-effects unit like a Lexicon MPX1 or a TC Electronic G-Major or Fireworx. I am sure there are a lot of newer pedal units that will do this "chorused reverb". There are probably a lot of ways to get a similar sound but what I am hearing in these tracks is a stereo reverb on the guitar that is being pitch modulated on either the left and right side separately. I am also hearing a distortion layer that is very tamed down and smoothed by some compression. This either a 2nd guitar track or a parallel signal path that is getting distortion->compression->modulated reverb. I bet there are some inexpensive foot pedal all-in-one guitar effect units probably by Line6 or TC Electronic that could do exactly what you need. There is a multi-effect unit by TC Electronic called G-System that is about $375-425 on reverb that would do this processing with foot control very nicely. It is the chrome pedal unit with the big round buttons.

 

For the guitar, definetively something with single coil pickups. I don't think it really matters which one you pick as long as it's single coil, unless you want to go down the "tone" rabbithole (don't do that...yet). Aside from that, just look for something that's in your budget and feels good.

Pedals are not important unless you're playing live, most of the job sounds like it's done by the amp and maybe a chorus pedal. Can't go wrong with the Boss CH-1 or something of the like, everything else sounds like it's done or can be done after the mic.

As for the amp, best bet i think would be something VOX, kind of clean but can still distort if you need it to, that would be closer to the first song. Maybe a Fender Twin and the kind if you need something more sparky like the second song. There's way too many amps out there, but those two should be good reference points for what you want, there are of course cheaper amps that kind of aim to those.

And those are very common names, you'll find those amps and pedals on many amp sims, you can also find kontakt libs based on typical guitar models if you want to get a better feel of things before buying anything. You can probably just buy the guitar and leave everything else to software as many do until you're confident enough to choose one to buy phisical.

 

Last edited: Mar 14, 2023

dangerous sentence .... theres a difference between a tele and a strat.
I would go strat style guitar. Lace sensor with 3 different voicings because jags and jazzs only have one usable sound.

btw, new wavers also love the roland JC sound, a must have

 

Okay right on guys! Thanks for the replies! haha There is so much equipment out there and it does get a little confusing when you actually get down to things are are looking to purchase. The pedals I dont think I will touch Just the guitar and amps are what I really need help with I guess. Ill look into single coil ones and see what best fits def take your amp recommendation's!

 

The important part here is what are you willing to spend on a guitar and amp. It's a great time to buy an electric guitar the low end in the 400-700 dollar range guitars from china are extremely playable from brands like EART and Sire are extremely playable but but if the pickups are going to be a weak point. By the time you swap pickups and maybe get it the sound you've spent a grand. Not to say that if you buy a more expensive or known brand you would end up doing all of that anyways.

The one thing I would recommend you not do though is buy a cheap guitar that isn't playable. There is no faster way for a player to stop playing faster than having a guitar that is terrible to play that it sucks all the fun and discovery out of playing.

Then you get to amps and pedals...

 

The people above told me about some guitars to check out. Do you think those are good to look at and also if you have any recommendations as well from personal experience? Pretty much the genre is dreampop/Shoegaze haha I didnt say that I dont think.

 

If you don't have a lot of cash to spare there are alternative low cost solutions for most of the equipment you will need to get you started. you don't need to waste money on gear costing thousands which some people here might not care about or realize. How much is your real budget and I'll recommend some realistic solutions.

 

About 1,000 - 1,700 to start. Most of which would be guitar and amp. I make enough money but I will worry about the pedals later.

 

BTW, 90% of that sound is the effects. The guitar and amp will sound nothing like those tracks.

 

haha oh I KNOW! Thats why I was like what pedals but ya I get what your saying!

 

Well right now because the economy is collapsing, most pawnshops are overloaded to the rafters and it's a buyers market. In my city within a 30 -45 minute drive there are around 30 of them full of guitars, amps, effects and home studio equipment. A friend of mine wanted to decorate his music rooms walls with guitars that look great and are very playable, he picked up some various Epiphone and Fender models not the made in USA but their official budget models 8 of them for around $1600. all looking like new. Amplifiers are a bargain if you will be content with Line 6 and Behringer which already have built in multi effects, then there are Ibanez and many others again at very reasonable prices, the trick is don't accept the stated price bargain them down they are overloaded with inventory and will take up to 25% less easily. I bought a Line 6 Spider IV 30 watt amp for $50 as a birthday gift for my neighbor's son. Amps take too much space in these stores so are also very negotiable. Always bargain with them and let them know you are serious to buy or will go to the next pawn shop. I am quite sure that you will find some really nice gear and probably pay way less than $600. the more pawn shops the better the bargaining power, even the expensive name brands are there but more expensive. Pedals are the only thing they don't negotiate the price on as much, they seem to have the illusion that they are sitting on a goldmine. . Start with what you can most easily afford and you won't go wrong. Another friend bought a nice Pink Strat copy with a 15 Watt Ibanez amp for his daughter for $100. they play easily and sound good. I hope this helps

 

Last edited: Mar 14, 2023

Dang this is actually helpful af haha I didnt think of this at all. I think the one thing that I am weary of is the copy's. You say they sound good? Hmm im interested in looking around and seeing what I can find. Thanks for the info

 

Music stores pay better for used items than pawnshops even do. To figure out what a local Music store selling used gear actually paid for something is quite simple. Go on Reverb.com and lookup the item in question. Take a rough average sale price for the item, using the filters to look at how many have recently sold and how much the transactions were for. Any average item will be purchased at max 65% of that number, and that is something in very good condition or desirable. It will go down from there. Pawnshop, etc other weird places to find gear; even lower.

They hate it when you know this as a buyer. Nickel and dime them for fun. They do it all day to other people. Join in on the "getting over" fun.

 

Last edited: Mar 14, 2023

These days you can buy a modeler effects board that will give you almost every guitar sound and amplifier in existence - almost.

You can almost do the same with vst modelled guitar amps but not quite.

 

Ah now weee going down the rabbit whole of what tf to look at lol Im actually more interested in like a good guitar and amp the pedals can come later and I know the other guy said 90 something percent is like effects.

 

Want a good laugh the sales manager at my local music store was interested to see my 1962 Gibson Les Paul Custom when I mentioned I may want to sell it, while on my way home I stopped off at a pawn shop showed them the guitar as a joke just for the fun of it. I know they try to cheat everyone by offering ridiculously low prices (just like the thieves on the Pawn Stars TV show) the store owner came out and said he'd give me $600 cash for it on the spot, I couldn't help myself I almost died from laughter while looking him right in the face. I told him that Reverb.com usually lists them for up to $40,000. I bought mine back in 1967 when I wanted to own a Gibson as a replacement for my VOX Phantom VI (which looked great but sounded like absolute Crap).

 

WTF I would have just slapped him xD. Thats ridiculous. I can see it now. Him being like the pawn stars guy. "The best I can do is 200$ LMFAO

 

my buddy goes on and on and on about the helix. I almost want to get one and I do not even play guitar.

 

Im going to look up a video right now!