Any Advice on How to Get This Sound/Tone?

[Ron Housley]

Howdy -
I'm wanting to learn a song that's on YouTube played by Chris Fouke called 'Jam Roll'. (I haven't figured out how to include a link to YouTube). What I have learned so far doesn't sound as good without that 'growly' tone on the video. I contacted Mr. Fouke about the setup that he used when recording the song and he said that he was using the following -

Blackstar HT20 head through a Fender single 15" bass amp
Analog delay pedal
Low open C tuning with 18-70 strings
(also a Kent Armstrong Humbucker pickup & a 23" scale Fouke Industial Lap Steel)

I'm using a solid wood body Fern's 'Slide King' Lap Steel, 25" scale, same strings and a Lollar 'Imperial' humbucker PU through a Great River ME1NV Pre-Amp & Carvin AG300 amp. (I know the Carvin amp needs to be exchanged for something better suited to a Lap Steel.) Which brings me to the first question -

I'm considering purchasing a Kemper powered Kabinet & Kemper Profiler Player.
Would I be able to achieve that 'Jam Roll' sound/tone with this setup?

And second question -

Might that Fouke hollow bodied aluminum guitar have something to do with this 'growly' sound?

Appreciate any thoughts, opinions or advice.

Ron

[Michael Kiese]

Howdy -
I'm wanting to learn a song that's on YouTube played by Chris Fouke called 'Jam Roll'. (I haven't figured out how to include a link to YouTube). What I have learned so far doesn't sound as good without that 'growly' tone on the video. I contacted Mr. Fouke about the setup that he used when recording the song and he said that he was using the following -

Blackstar HT20 head through a Fender single 15" bass amp
Analog delay pedal
Low open C tuning with 18-70 strings
(also a Kent Armstrong Humbucker pickup & a 23" scale Fouke Industial Lap Steel)

I'm using a solid wood body Fern's 'Slide King' Lap Steel, 25" scale, same strings and a Lollar 'Imperial' humbucker PU through a Great River ME1NV Pre-Amp & Carvin AG300 amp. (I know the Carvin amp needs to be exchanged for something better suited to a Lap Steel.) Which brings me to the first question -

I'm considering purchasing a Kemper powered Kabinet & Kemper Profiler Player.
Would I be able to achieve that 'Jam Roll' sound/tone with this setup?

And second question -

Might that Fouke hollow bodied aluminum guitar have something to do with this 'growly' sound?

Appreciate any thoughts, opinions or advice.

Ron

Aloha Ron,

If you're using the same strings and tuning on a 25" Scale guitar that Chris is using on a 23" Scale guitar, that's your first major issue right there.

Your string tension is going to be much higher than Chris's. That will greatly affect timbre and sustain. You should at least start with the same scale length guitar if you're going to try and match someone's tone.

Once you got the same scale length guitar, same tuning, and same string set, then start working on other parts of the chain.

If you start chasing the amps down first without matching string physics, you'll be chasing an endless rabbit hole.

Once you get a 23" scale guitar with his tunings and strings, try plugging it into a bass amp and see how it sounds and go from there.

Enjoy!

[Mark Evans]

Or try twisting down to B tuning to slack up the strings. Those are almost baritone gauge strings, way down looooow

[Per Berner]

Here's the video of the song in question:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GW87EG0KU2Q