Neil's guitars, effects, amps

thanks ravingchat. i've been looking for a place to get a hotcake pedal for some time.

Paul Crowther will actually sell you a Hotcake directly from New Zealand.

I have been in email contact with him, and he says it is OK to post his email address here, but not to post prices. So if you want a price, just email him.

Email
croth@clear.net.nz

cheers,
xc

There's been a lot of interest in Neil's "new" 12-string he's had in the recent shows, and the people who had their money on it being a Maton would be right!

I wrote to Neville Kitchen (Maton's CEO), whom I met a couple of years ago and he confirmed.

It's a Fyrbyrd FB 1220 from 1965 or 1966. (so it's not so "new") You can download the specs from here. (Choose the model and scroll to the bottom of the page):

Check out the original price!

http://www.maton.com.au/resultlist.asp?modelcode=&model...submitButtonName.y=0

(or you can type Fyrbyrd in the search box).

Bad news 1: there is no nice pic
Bad news 2: Maton don't make them anymore (unless you can convince Neville that you're a rock-god). (
Bad news 3: they have none left in their inventory, so you can put your credit card away ((

There are some grainy pics (from 40 years ago), but no nice ones, in the PDF data sheets.

If you type Fyrbyrd in the quick search on the home page you'll get all the Fyrbyrds.

$210.00
wow.
hehe...

wonder where neil got it from?

quote:

Originally posted by RavingChat:
[qb] It's a Fyrbyrd FB 1220 from 1965 or 1966. [/qb]

Thanks for that RavingChat!

I for one was tearing my hair out trying to work out what that guitar was!

It is a very nice axe, and I am going to keep my eyes peeled for a six-string fyrbyrd to add to my mastersound.

Well, you never know, southofpiha, you may be lucky. I, for one, haven't stopped looking but I live in Europe and it wasn't until last year that Maton had a European distribution (and then only in Italy, I think), so the chances of my finding a Fyrbyrd over here, in a vintage guitar shop, are pretty slim.

But you never know... Keep looking and stay tuned!

to eevie: maton are a australian made guitar who specialise in acoustic. they play beautiful and their sound is warm. unfortunatley...i dont have one! but i will..it will be mine, oh yes, it will be mine!

RavingChat, there was a '62-63 model fyrbyrd on australian ebay that finished the other day and went for around $1200, but it was the earlier shape, different to Neil's. The one I want is for sale at a Melbourne store, but I just need to find the $1500 to buy it! (though I'm sure it's more than worth it)

I have a Maton Mastersound that I picked up last year and has been great to me. I had no idea that Maton had been making electrics for so long!

I'll eventually get my hands on that guitar. If you ever need help finding one, let me know, and I'll keep my eyes peeled.

Cheers again!

Oh, right: cool! You see, there are some around, southofpiha...! I think guitar shops in Melbourne or Sydney are going to be a good bet! Unfortunately, I'm on your side of the planet only once or twice a year, so it's a bit hit or miss.

I suggested to Neville Kitchen, that I thought there would be a big demand for these old Fyrbyrds, thanks to Neil... Maybe we should lobby for their re-introduction into the Maton inventory....?

I know that Jackson's Rare Guitars in Sydney can hunt down guitars if you are really eager. you'll pay a bit for it tho...

Many thanks for the heads-up, theworld whereyoulive! I'll certainly check them out next time I'm in town.

I see they even have a webpage...

Wow, this great thread is still going. This is good stuff - we should consolidate all the details

I wanted to add, that Neil is also using a UniVibe (Dunlop).

and he uses Jim Dunlop .73 and .88 picks and Kyser capos.

* The red Gretsch (Firebird) is a '58 (or '59)
* The Les Paul Goldtop/Deluxe? I don't know, it's confusing - it'ss most likely from the early 70's...I don't believe they didn't do the mini-humbuckers until '69. Can't believe the fact I saw an identical one in a local shop ('73) Goldtop, mini-humbuckers and even the black plastic around the switch - too bad I didn't have $1500 sitting around)

Neil also used alot of Danelectro's (The Bellzouki 12 string and a Guitarlin (with the long horns, deep cutaways) during the Together Alone era)

He also have a Gretsch White Penguin hanging on the wall in his basement studio as well as a double cutaway, Gretsch DuoJet. There seem to be alot of goodies on that wall.


I am sure the pedal setup changes, but I have also seen it with just the Jimi Hendrix Dunlop Wah, the Hotcake, DD-3 Boss Delay and a Boss Tuner)

Can any of you, who have the (E)BG808, compare it to the Taylor 312/314/412/414? In body sound and size?

I forgot, there was the Blonde Gibson ES-335 (Early videos)

quote:

Originally posted by Evvie:
Well, he can't lip-synch.

I'm enjoying this thread even though I'm not very guitar-savvy. I'm curious to know more about Maton guitars. What are their hallmarks in appearance, playability, and sound?

Evvie

Hi Evvie,

I know this is a late reply, but I play Maton acoustics exclusively cos I just adore them. For me, the hallmark Maton sound is that warm glorious mid-tone without tinny upper ranges. You can get some models with fabulous lower ranges to them, notably the 808 series, which is the one Neil plays.

Great thing about Maton is they're 100% Aussie made and don't cost the earth for a great sound. Don't look past the laminate models (I've got an 808BGL), they can sound just as good for half the price.

Cheers - Tahl.

Alfred, in last months Audio Technology magazine, there is an article on Split Enz. There is also a photo of Neil's guitar pedals (some 10 or so he used at the concerts!), which I'm sure is what you were after.

This goes to show how little I know about guitars - I didn't even realise you could get smaller ones! I've often wondered why Neil's acoustic guitars seem smaller on him, while I struggle with my dad's. I'm not a big girl so the idea of a smaller guitar that I won't be battling with sounds rather good...might have to convince my dad of that

Man, this would make such a cool tv programme!

Picture the scene, Neil giving us a tour round his studio, showing us his guitars, amps, pedals etc he's been using throughout his career..

Oh well, i'm allowed to dream aren't i?

Oh my God. That would be mindblowingly awesome! the music geek in me just did a little scream of excitement at that idea.

quote:

The red Gretsch (Firebird) is a '58 (or '59)

I like the sound of this guitar

quote:

Originally posted by Gunnar:
Wow, this great thread is still going. This is good stuff - we should consolidate all the details

I wanted to add, that Neil is also using a UniVibe (Dunlop).

and he uses Jim Dunlop .73 and .88 picks and Kyser capos.

* The red Gretsch (Firebird) is a '58 (or '59)
* The Les Paul Goldtop/Deluxe? I don't know, it's confusing - it'ss most likely from the early 70's...I don't believe they didn't do the mini-humbuckers until '69. Can't believe the fact I saw an identical one in a local shop ('73) Goldtop, mini-humbuckers and even the black plastic around the switch - too bad I didn't have $1500 sitting around

Neil's Les Paul Goldtop is a '69. This comes from John Walsh, Neil's guitar Tech.

quote:

Originally posted by Mandy:
Alfred, in last months Audio Technology magazine, there is an article on Split Enz. There is also a photo of Neil's guitar pedals (some 10 or so he used at the concerts!), which I'm sure is what you were after.

Any chance of yourself or some other kind person posting that pic here?? Never could figure out what he used in pedals besides the Wah & HotCake.

Just wanted to "BUMP" this request(above) along in the hope that someone has a picture of NF's pedals

quote:

The Martin guitar Neil plays on the Edible Flowers video is a Martin "Graham Nash" signature model: all Mahogany body...looks amazing, and probably sounds the same ("only" around USD 5000 according to their website).

Are you sure it's the Graham Nash? Neil's doesn't match the photos I've seen of it - his doesn't have the black decorated headstock, and the binding looks different. My dad has a mahogany Martin DC15E, it's a beautiful guitar.

i scored a Hotcake 2 months ago and love it, tho it does sound rather darker than i'd imagined.

seems to work best as either a darkish overdrive or as a coloured boost before an amp that's already breaking up.

wasn't he using a blue Boss vibrato pedal at some point recently?

i also think i saw a Hughes & Kettner Tube Rotosphere in there on the Sessions at West 54th DVD.

*waits patiently for someone to scan in and post the pic of Neil's pedalboard*

Yeah those custom Maton's he and Tim use, gorgeous...

It's wah wah on album vers of Whispers and Moans

Okay, Neil opened and closed tonight's webcast with an old Epiphone Casino; Mark played it at some point as well. Is this a new guitar for Neil? (Or is it Mark's? The new picture of Mark at the Crowded House website shows him playing the Casino.)

The Casino is closely associated with the Beatles--John, Paul, and George each had one, and Paul continues to play his in concert and in the studio to this day (it's all over his last album). Given Neil's clear fondness for Beatlesque sounds, it's not surprising that he would find the Casino appealing. But I've never seen him with one before, or heard it mentioned that he had one. Anyone know anything about it? This was pretty clearly a guitar from the sixties--the burst is more of an iced-tea than the tobacco sunburst associated with John's Casino that Epiphone still features today. Neil's guitar looks more like George's (although it has a different trem on it).

I have a very good pic of Neils pedal board

oh yeh its from Thekla Bristol
left to right Boss DD-3,Boss VB-2,Crowther Hotcake(Vintage switch),Crybaby Wahwah,Boss Tuner, Boss Acoustic Tuner,with a sansamp Acoustic Di!!
Hope this is ok!!

Neils Acoustic DI
http://www.acousticmasters.com/AcousticMasters_SansAmp.htm
Neils Pedal Power
http://www.voodoolab.com/pedalpower_2.htm

Thanks for the pictures and info, robbie!

Mark left all his instruments in the states so was using Neil's. Info courtesy of David.

So the Telecaster Mark played is Neil's too? Interesting.

awesome photo, thanks Robbie!! been wanting to see what pedals Neil uses, this is really cool

Can anyone enlighten me as to how he achieves his chorus effects? Boss again? I'm particularly interested in the sound he used on 'Nobody Wants To' and 'Say That Again', on the new album. It's a gorgeous sound, very 'glassy'. Anyone?

Does anyone know what electric guitars Neil used recording the woodface album?

Welsh Dan its the Boss VB-2,(its a bit of a holy grail pedal now) very hard to get hold of as they are disscontinued!! on e-bay you could proberbly get one for £175-250!!! yes that much!!
alternative you could use the elelctro-harmonix delux memory man that has a vibrato on it!(it sounds very similar)£169
hope this helps

Robbie, thanks very much for that. Much appreciated. Just out of interest, if you don't mind me asking, how did you actually find that out?

On Acoustic, Neil has used a Dunlop 1.0 mm pick... he gave me one after playing Into Temptation on acoustic.

strum