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Mahalo to a master: R.I.P Dick Dale


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"Surf sound"?

 

Think about it...DID they use a special amp, with a special setting for it? :freak:

 

I thought it was just a certain level of reverb, and a WHOLE LOTTA treble!

 

I didn't think amps were that advanced back in the early to mid '60's. ;)

Whitefang

 

Thanks, everyone, for responding; didn't mean to lead us down a rabbit hole with this question.

 

@Whitefang - That Reverb-heavy sound is definitely part of the classic Surf Guitar sound, but that's not what I'm talking about in this case. I also remember the piggy-back Reverb unit Larry describes; I still see them turn sometimes.

 

No, as I recall, and it's been 50 years, this was a wash of White Noise, not a Reverb nor Tremolo effect. It sounded a lot like those White Noise boxes people use to help them sleep, just a sort of 'whoosh-whoosh' in the background of the Guitar sound, with a knob, or switch labeled "SURF". Otherwise, it looked like a standard combo amp of the time.

 

EDIT: I thought I'd go to the source, and ask Myles if he remembered any such animal. If Fender made it, he's probably seen at least one, and worked on it. We'll see what I hear back.

"Monsters are real, and Ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win." Stephen King

 

http://www.novparolo.com

 

https://thewinstonpsmithproject.bandcamp.com

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I'd like to read that response too.

 

I really DON'T recall ANY "Surf" sounds in music 50 years ago( which would be 1969!)and can't figure why any manufacturer would bother with supplying a "special" setting for it. ;)

Whitefang

I started out with NOTHING...and I still have most of it left!
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I'd like to read that response too.

 

I really DON'T recall ANY "Surf" sounds in music 50 years ago( which would be 1969!)and can't figure why any manufacturer would bother with supplying a "special" setting for it. ;)

Whitefang

 

Myles doesn't recall any such Amp: doesn't mean there wasn't one, but it seems less likely.

 

As far as why anybody would put a "Surf" effect into an Amp? Marketing, buzzwords, take your pick. I'm thinking of all the gear that suddenly had the word "Blue" or "Blues" attached, once SRV made the Blues cool again for the mass market, or the short-lived "Groovebox" gimmick.

"Monsters are real, and Ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win." Stephen King

 

http://www.novparolo.com

 

https://thewinstonpsmithproject.bandcamp.com

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Here's some idea of the surf sound creation on an analog synth:

 

[video:youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnPL0FT15TY

 

I have heard the surf sound in the intro of recorded surf songs, just can't remember which ones. But if I wanted to create one I could click in and out I would just use my looper and record any of the many waves rolling to shore on YouTube.

 

I think I can hear the effect being used in this classic:

 

[video:youtube]

 

Here is one I would put on a looper:

 

[video:youtube]

 

Like Myles, I don't recall an amp with that FX built in, but I think the Surf Green Fender Champ had an FX control on the front I think it controlled an effects loop level and not an actual surf effect...good luck in your search Winston... :thu:

 

Take care, Larryz
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Look. DUH. IT WAS A CHEESY "SOUND EFFECT", ALONG WITH SIREN AND SO-CALLED TORNADO AND HURRICANE EFFECTS. It's not speculation, IT HAPPENED, IT WAS MADE AND MARKETED AND SOLD AND BOUGHT AND USED. I posted evidence of the effect having been made into pedals in the '60s and '70s above here on this thread. It's not a stretch by any means that it may have been built-in on some amps, as well. There were freakin' light-show speaker cabs and all kinds of goofy stuff.

Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do?

 

~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~

_ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _

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Look. DUH. IT WAS A CHEESY "SOUND EFFECT", ALONG WITH SIREN AND SO-CALLED TORNADO AND HURRICANE EFFECTS. It's not speculation, IT HAPPENED, IT WAS MADE AND MARKETED AND SOLD AND BOUGHT AND USED. I posted evidence of the effect having been made into pedals in the '60s and '70s above here on this thread. It's not a stretch by any means that it may have been built-in on some amps, as well. There were freakin' light-show speaker cabs and all kinds of goofy stuff.

 

I remember the Shin-Ei pedal, one even showed up at my FLUMS within the last year or so. I didn't want to mess with it, but I may have forwarded the link to Jimi Photon, who was working on one at the time.

 

Here's another absurdity from that period . . .

 

[video:youtube]

"Monsters are real, and Ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win." Stephen King

 

http://www.novparolo.com

 

https://thewinstonpsmithproject.bandcamp.com

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From the 1968 Fender catalog: Solid state amps replaced the middle control with a style control for pop, normal, country western and rock and roll, no surf. Lots of really interesting things in that catalog. They did not have 67 or 69 catalog, nothing about a surf control in the 65-66.
Jenny S.
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"I remember the Shin-Ei pedal, one even showed up at my FLUMS within the last year or so. I didn't want to mess with it, but I may have forwarded the link to Jimi Photon, who was working on one at the time." WP

 

 

Hey Winston, Please say hello to Pink Jimi Photon for us! We haven't heard from him in a long time!

 

Thanks... :cool:

Take care, Larryz
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"I remember the Shin-Ei pedal, one even showed up at my FLUMS within the last year or so. I didn't want to mess with it, but I may have forwarded the link to Jimi Photon, who was working on one at the time." SG

 

 

Hey Surfer Girl, Say hello to Pink Jimi Photon for us! We haven't heard from him in a long time!

 

Thanks... :cool:

 

I don't know who that is, sorry.

That post was made by Winston, and I have no clue how my initials ended up there. I would like to know tho.

Jenny S.
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That's weird, as you can scroll right back up to my post, with the link to the Lightbox Rick?

 

No idea how that got in there?

 

Edit: I've just gone and changed my password, in case someone hacked my profile (why anyone would bother?).

"Monsters are real, and Ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win." Stephen King

 

http://www.novparolo.com

 

https://thewinstonpsmithproject.bandcamp.com

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@ Surfer Girl, I just changed it to "WP". I put the "SG" at the end of my quote as I mistakenly quoted you when I should have quoted Winston. I also highlighted my quote in red. When you pointed out that you did not know who Jimi Photon was, I noticed the error and apologized. You can keep on posting. :cool:

 

@ Winston, I have no idea on the Lightbox Rick issue. I was just wanting you to say Hi to Pink Jimi Photon as the quote shows you were in contact with him... :cool:

 

Ps. again, sorry for causing the confusion.

 

 

 

Take care, Larryz
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@ Surfer Girl, I just changed it to "WP". I put the "SG" at the end of my quote as I mistakenly quoted you when I should have quoted Winston. I also highlighted my quote in red. When you pointed out that you did not know who Jimi Photon was, I noticed the error and apologized. You can keep on posting. :cool:

 

@ Winston, I have no idea on the Lightbox Rick issue. I was just wanting you to say Hi to Pink Jimi Photon as the quote shows you were in contact with him... :cool:

 

Ps. again, sorry for causing the confusion.

 

 

No problem, I confuse easily.

Back to Dick Dale, I just read a NPR article about him. He talks about surfing and using 10 foot boards. My Grandpa is down to 8 foot now, mine are mostly 4'10 to 5'2, my longest is 5'6. I still marvel at a 10 foot board, but at 5'8 and 120 lbs, no thanks.

Jenny S.
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He had a lot to say to those willing to listen.

:like:

:like:

:like:

Just a side note:

Hendrix, who may've had a place in his heart for Dale :idk

used to intro songs w/ the statement, "This is for those w/ears to hear"

---------------------------------------------

There is a YTube page featuring "LET'S MAKE LOVE" but since it's a $4 fee to watch the film, I held back from posting it here...although it's there if ya want to see it.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=let%27s+make+love

 

:laugh:

You guys crack me up! TCM( Turner Classic Movies) channel just showed it a few weeks ago, and will likely show it again in the near future. It gets shown there about two or three times a year. And since TCM is part of my cable package, there's no extra fee to watch anything on that channel. ;) I used to have it on an old VHS cassette, but it didn't hold up. Might have my daughter find it and "burn" it for me.

 

As I tried to make clear, that was only posted as one way to access the film (& Dale's cameo).

 

More on point...

@Caevan - This is from back before my memory cells got hacked, so to speak, so I'm sure about it being an effect on an Amp; none of us had any pedals at the time, not even a Wah. I also recall that this was one of very few of our friends whose parents would buy a real Strat and Fender Amp.

 

@d - It's not like I cannot remember my buddy's name, it's more about the likelihood of finding any of those folks from back then, or their memory being any better than mine.

In looking into this, I saw, (as WPS did or the rest of us, too) lots of info on settings for "surf" sounds.

Mostly they were reverb & other time FX.

Dale also did some R&D w/ Leo Fender & prolly other amp producers.

 

Hey, WPS, do you recall the company that made the amp ?

[sorry if I overlooked that in this thread]

d=halfnote
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@ Surfer Girl, I just changed it to "WP". I put the "SG" at the end of my quote as I mistakenly quoted you when I should have quoted Winston. I also highlighted my quote in red. When you pointed out that you did not know who Jimi Photon was, I noticed the error and apologized. You can keep on posting. :cool:

 

Ps. again, sorry for causing the confusion.

 

No problem, I confuse easily.

Back to Dick Dale, I just read a NPR article about him. He talks about surfing and using 10 foot boards. My Grandpa is down to 8 foot now, mine are mostly 4'10 to 5'2, my longest is 5'6. I still marvel at a 10 foot board, but at 5'8 and 120 lbs, no thanks.

 

Glad you're still on-board [pun intended] Surfer Girl

 

Dick Dale and the Del Tones came out in the Beach Party movie(s) playing surf music back in 1963. I was 13 years old at the time and it was the same year I started surfing. My buddy had a 10' board that we shared on my 1st trip down at Refugio Beach. Later in my Sophomore year in High School I bought my 9' O'Neal and another buddy (drummer in my Ventures band) also bought a 9 footer. I had a 60 Ford and kicked out the back seat. Both boards would fit in the trunk up to the back of the front seat and I could close the trunk lid. We surfed up until '69 and had a great time.

 

 

My last trip was in 1990 when I rented a 6' board down at Pismo Beach and took my son out to teach him. I was 40 years old by then...we moved up to the mountains and just lived too far from the beach to keep on going. I still love to visit the ocean now and then and watch! Those 9' boards were great for learning and easy to get up on...Dick Dale played a part in my teen years for the music I liked to play and my surfing interest. I still play the lead to Pipeline and my other High School buddy (lead guitar player from our Ventures band) still covers Miserlou! :like:

Take care, Larryz
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No problem, I confuse easily.

Back to Dick Dale, I just read a NPR article about him. He talks about surfing and using 10 foot boards. My Grandpa is down to 8 foot now, mine are mostly 4'10 to 5'2, my longest is 5'6. I still marvel at a 10 foot board, but at 5'8 and 120 lbs, no thanks.

 

I hate to nitpick, but there are things I simply WON'T GIVE A PASS TO! :mad: For instance....

 

that should have been "...AN NPR article" . And since the acronym is for National Public RADIO, I'm at a loss as to how one READS radio! But enough of 3rd grade English lessons....

 

That discussion of changing surf board length is one I can't claim familiarity with, since we don't surf up here on the Great Lakes. But people DO ski(on both snow AND water) and although I do neither, I know many who do, and do both. AND I've gone through listening to them go on about the shortening over the years of both snow and water ski length. But that's just the difference in both people and how or where they were brought up. For instance...

 

My favorite outdoor summer sport is...

 

Finding adequate shade to sit under sipping iced tea. ;)

 

Favorite outdoor WINTER sport? Well, when I was a kid, it was sledding. Down any piece of land on a slant. And on anything that'd slide on snow. Sled( with runners or those "saucer" sleds), toboggan, or even( as a group of buddies and I more than once used) an old CAR HOOD! ;)

 

NOW my favorite Winter sport is...

 

Sitting in a warm house, bundled in a warm blanket and looking out at the snow while sipping hot chocolate! :laugh:

Whitefang

I started out with NOTHING...and I still have most of it left!
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No problem, I confuse easily.

Back to Dick Dale, I just read a NPR article about him. He talks about surfing and using 10 foot boards. My Grandpa is down to 8 foot now, mine are mostly 4'10 to 5'2, my longest is 5'6. I still marvel at a 10 foot board, but at 5'8 and 120 lbs, no thanks.

 

I hate to nitpick, but there are things I simply WON'T GIVE A PASS TO! :mad: For instance....

 

that should have been "...AN NPR article" . And since the acronym is for National Public RADIO, I'm at a loss as to how one READS radio! But enough of 3rd grade English lessons....

 

That discussion of changing surf board length is one I can't claim familiarity with, since we don't surf up here on the Great Lakes. But people DO ski(on both snow AND water) and although I do neither, I know many who do, and do both. AND I've gone through listening to them go on about the shortening over the years of both snow and water ski length. But that's just the difference in both people and how or where they were brought up. For instance...

 

My favorite outdoor summer sport is...

 

Finding adequate shade to sit under sipping iced tea. ;)

 

Favorite outdoor WINTER sport? Well, when I was a kid, it was sledding. Down any piece of land on a slant. And on anything that'd slide on snow. Sled( with runners or those "saucer" sleds), toboggan, or even( as a group of buddies and I more than once used) an old CAR HOOD! ;)

 

NOW my favorite Winter sport is...

 

Sitting in a warm house, bundled in a warm blanket and looking out at the snow while sipping hot chocolate! :laugh:

Whitefang

I hate to nitpick, but they do surf on the Great Lakes.

www.sandhillcity.com>glsa

Jenny S.
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:laugh:

I stand corrected. But I never saw waves big enough for surfing(according to my brother, who lived in Cali for a time and has done some surfing) on Lake Erie or Lake St. Claire.

 

I do imagine, depending on weather conditions, that they do (and did according to Mr. Lightfoot's song) get that big on Superior. ;)

Whitefang

I started out with NOTHING...and I still have most of it left!
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Here's some Lake Superior surfing. You have to be young and bold cause It's mighty cold. Sitting in a warm house with hot chocolate sounds like a better way to go to me too LOL!

 

[video:youtube]

 

:cool:

Take care, Larryz
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:laugh:

I stand corrected. But I never saw waves big enough for surfing(according to my brother, who lived in Cali for a time and has done some surfing) on Lake Erie or Lake St. Claire.

 

I do imagine, depending on weather conditions, that they do (and did according to Mr. Lightfoot's song) get that big on Superior. ;)

Whitefang

 

I guess even the smartest of us are capable of making mistakes. Right? I apologize for nitpicking.

Jenny S.
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Glad I didn't have to get into any of that one w/Can't Get The Log Outta They Own Eye-Yi-Yi.

 

& I do hope we've seen/read the last of 3rd Grade English corrections. :like:

 

I would mention that an increase in surfing is spreading across the world & this great land o'ours via theme parks w/wave-making gizmos, so I suspect that soon they'll be boogie-boarding at my childhood home in Port Huron.

:D

 

https://www.surfertoday.com/surfing/the-best-surf-parks-surf-pools-and-artificial-waves

 

 

d=halfnote
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I would like to give a shout out to my 3rd grade teacher, a lovely lady. Over crowded, out dated books and half the class did not speak English at home. We are one of the most diversified school in the country. In spite of it she got us all to the 4th grade.
Jenny S.
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I want to get this back to Dick Dale, because he deserves our attention. Our band is moving towards more Country and I was wondering if he ever recorded any Country music. His Wikipedia page lists Hank Williams as one of his early influences.
Jenny S.
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Country may be hard to find Surfer Girl, but here is a Johnny Cash tune I found (as he also liked Johnny Cash):

 

[video:youtube]

 

Surf meets country and it's got a lot of Johnny's Folsom Prison leads at the end too...

 

:cool:

Take care, Larryz
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