Trey's use of his Leslie

picture_of_nectar · September 06, 2012, 02:51:34 PM

I just recently acquired a Hammond G27 Guitar Leslie to incorporate into my rig. It's pushed by my own tube amp, but they make the G37 that also has a built in solid state amp. I like how it sounds.

So at Dicks this weekend (WOW!) I was trying to pick out when Trey was using his Leslie. It was hard, Page's is easy to hear. Trey not so much. On Saturday we were about 15 rows back and I could see the horn in his Leslie rotating all the time at a pretty slow speed. I wonder if it is almost always on to fatten up his tone. Or if it's on off....and when?

Any ideas?

Heady Jam Fan · September 06, 2012, 03:50:05 PM

Not sure, wouldn't be surprised if he keeps the motor turning the horn whether or not signal goes to it...

sour d · September 06, 2012, 03:53:59 PM

Yeah. The horn spins all the time waiting for trey to send his signal to it.

the_great_lemon · September 06, 2012, 06:48:50 PM

I'd be interested to see if anyone can identify when he uses the leslie in recent recordings. I know I can pick it out in stuff from the mid-90's (ex. 12/31/95 axilla pt.2 outro) but I can never tell when he uses it since the reunion...

MomaDan · September 06, 2012, 07:44:45 PM

I asked this question on a different Phish board a few months ago, all the examples were from the mid 90's. Seems like Trey doesn't even use it anymore, I haven't been able to directly say "Ah Leslie" about any recent live recordings or in person at shows. Either that or it is set to a much more subtle setting than in the past

Happyorange27 · September 07, 2012, 07:46:42 AM

I agree. I can't ever point out it being used. Seems like a bunch of work to haul that thing around if it's not really being used but hey, it looks cool. Or maybe it's used but not really in the FOH mix and more for Trey's heady experience. Makes his sound bubble swirl around.

raisingfreen · September 07, 2012, 01:39:04 PM

Quote from: Happyorange27 on September 07, 2012, 07:46:42 AM
I agree. I can't ever point out it being used. Seems like a bunch of work to haul that thing around if it's not really being used but hey, it looks cool. Or maybe it's used but not really in the FOH mix and more for Trey's heady experience. Makes his sound bubble swirl around.

I would beg to differ. You can hear it if you know what to listen for. He uses it on the slow mode many times during rhythms and some solos. Obviously you can hear the fast mode like at Festival 8 during the stones stuff. Listen for the subtle "glassy" sounds or that little top edge of chime on the notes. It doesn't swirl like the Univibe he uses. It's mixed in along with his boogie/deluxe sound. If it was just slow leslie and no amp you would absolutely hear it more.

I would go so far as to say he uses it so much, that it's part of the elusiveness that we all try to figure out. It's just the right mix when spinning slow. It ads just a touch of choral top end but without being noticeable as the only thing. Try using a nanoverb with slow rotory mixed in just a little. It will sound very familiar. Listen to the into to Prince Caspian ->Island Tour 4-5-1998 Providence, RI (Disc 3). Thats not a univibe. It's slow leslie. Then notice its still on when the whole band comes in and its harder to make out. Its one of the secret ingredients that adds so much to the top end of many of his sounds. The whole key is that its mixed in with just the right amount. It's not the main focus but its there.

Don't confuse that sound with the vibe. Very different but easily confused.

Heady Jam Fan · September 07, 2012, 04:31:32 PM

I was thinking the same thing as Happy, lugging it (and powering it) not to use it is silly, especially considering hearing how it was relieving to have a simpler setup at the St Louis show, I doubt they are bringing, or at least setting up stuff, they aren't using.

I remember thinking I heard the Leslie at the last show I went to, but I was also on boomers.

Happyorange27 · September 07, 2012, 04:34:40 PM

Boomers!

raisingfreen · September 07, 2012, 08:44:12 PM

You kids and your drugs. This is exactly why we will end up repeating this same conversation in the future. Last I new Leslie Boomers was a stripper in Texas. But I don't know much about that. I did hear she was spotted at a few Phish shows. She allegedly tried to take Justin Beiber into the bathroom and than said she was having his baby. At least Beiber is a Phan though.

My back has been killing me however. Tell me more about these boomers?

MomaDan · September 07, 2012, 08:51:56 PM

Quote from: Heady Jam Fan on September 07, 2012, 04:31:32 PM
I was thinking the same thing as Happy, lugging it (and powering it) not to use it is silly, especially considering hearing how it was relieving to have a simpler setup at the St Louis show, I doubt they are bringing, or at least setting up stuff, they aren't using.

I remember thinking I heard the Leslie at the last show I went to, but I was also on boomers.

funny you say simpler setup. Seems like they actually messed with it way more than normal, as seen by the changing of mics at setbreak and the Earth Drive. Heres another quote from Brad Sarno in our conversation about that night: "...that's not because the Deluxe is inherently tinny or thin or sharp sounding, it's just that they didn't have the time to really work that out, the mic position, the tweaking, etc."

On a side note, all the builders and musicians on gearpage are really friendly and helpful. Marc from Skreddy and Steve Kimock were also awesome to correspond with. Its so much better getting the info firsthand, even though rumors are so much fun.

cactuskeeb · September 08, 2012, 03:11:12 AM

Quote from: raisingfreen on September 07, 2012, 01:39:04 PM
I would beg to differ. You can hear it if you know what to listen for. He uses it on the slow mode many times during rhythms and some solos. Obviously you can hear the fast mode like at Festival 8 during the stones stuff. Listen for the subtle "glassy" sounds or that little top edge of chime on the notes. It doesn't swirl like the Univibe he uses. It's mixed in along with his boogie/deluxe sound. If it was just slow leslie and no amp you would absolutely hear it more.

I agree with this. Trey talks in an interview about his mixing the leslie and deluxe on the Farmhouse record. He started doing this much more once he stopped using those chopped-off leslie heads, which never really mixed well with his amp tones because they just didn't sound very good. I think from 1998, and especially into 1999-2000, you can hear this glassiness that's unmistakable. He seems to have backed off, though, heading into 2003 as he was going for a more raw sound. But now the leslie/amp mix seems to be making a comeback.

picture_of_nectar · September 10, 2012, 07:49:51 PM

I am really stoked on this rig right here.

I've found I like the Leslie on slow all the time, and fast when you want that efecty-chorusy shimmer. Sounds killer.

1965 Princeton Reverb through 2 - 12" speakers = Winning!

the_great_lemon · September 10, 2012, 08:33:16 PM

THAT RIG IS AWESOME!

cactuskeeb · September 11, 2012, 09:25:32 PM

That guitar is ugly.

What's the box on the floor the power cords are plugged into?