PermissionToLand
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As *true SG fanatics*, we all know AC/DC is where it started!
I'll start this off with the continuation of the other thread we hijacked:
I believe Mal was still using that White Falcon for FTATR, right? So I just compared it back to back with BIB and here are my impressions: Incredibly similar tones, with ever so slightly more gain on BIB. A little louder in the mix on FTATR, but I think almost everything is a little louder on FTATR anyway. Here's a good comparison test: listen to the left channel (Mal) on What Do You Do For Money and Evil Walks back to back, because both start with spacey open E and G chords. Mal has more bottom end in FTATR but it sounds more like EQ than his actual tone having changed to me. More treble, too.
I also compared Angus's tones and they are more different than I expected. Here, I think there's a little more gain with FTATR, and most surprisingly, more mids. He has a much more modern sound there. Maybe even closer to FOTS than BIB? Definitely not as raw as BIB. Less treble. If I had to guess, I might lean towards Tarbacks on FTATR. But of course, the different production, mastering and possibly amp could be the explanation, too. I compared with FOTS and the difference was noticeably more gain on FOTS, but not excessive. That gain kind of masks the tone somewhat from any further comparison.
I'll also add to that now that FOTW increased gain for both guitars. Mal is pretty quiet on this album but he sounds almost like Angus did on FOTS. Angus really kicked up the gain here, and this is what I would say was the most he ever used. One tough thing about analyzing FOTW is that its pretty inconsistent. Obviously the Youngs didn't know much about production so you get some like the title track which just sound terrible, while some like First Blood and Sink the Pink are at least decent.
Who Made Who: Malcolm back to a FOTS or FTATR style tone here. Angus dialing back the gain and sounding more like FOTS or FTATR on the title track, but dialing it back up for DT and Chase the Ace, interestingly. Thank god Vanda and Young came back to produce! What a difference. Still no Mutt Lange but they do a quality job. Also, I just wanna point out the killer solos Angus pulls out on this album, especially on the overlooked DT and Chase the Ace.
BUYV: One of my biggest complaints on the production here is that the guitars (and vocals) are too low, so that makes it tougher to compare. Not sure why after WMW was mixed well by Vanda/Young. The only thing that really stands out in the mix is Simon's soul-less drum machine performance. God knows why. (Okay, I'm hard on Simon because frankly, he was terrible live, but he did have at least some groove on FOTW and WMW. He must have really just checked out by BUYV. But I digress). Malcolm sounds pretty good here, much like WMW, a classic Mal tone. A standout is the breakdown on Go Zone. An underrated classic Mal rhythm riff right there. Angus is also much like WMW tone-wise, maybe a little cleaner.
I'll start this off with the continuation of the other thread we hijacked:
I believe Mal was still using that White Falcon for FTATR, right? So I just compared it back to back with BIB and here are my impressions: Incredibly similar tones, with ever so slightly more gain on BIB. A little louder in the mix on FTATR, but I think almost everything is a little louder on FTATR anyway. Here's a good comparison test: listen to the left channel (Mal) on What Do You Do For Money and Evil Walks back to back, because both start with spacey open E and G chords. Mal has more bottom end in FTATR but it sounds more like EQ than his actual tone having changed to me. More treble, too.
I also compared Angus's tones and they are more different than I expected. Here, I think there's a little more gain with FTATR, and most surprisingly, more mids. He has a much more modern sound there. Maybe even closer to FOTS than BIB? Definitely not as raw as BIB. Less treble. If I had to guess, I might lean towards Tarbacks on FTATR. But of course, the different production, mastering and possibly amp could be the explanation, too. I compared with FOTS and the difference was noticeably more gain on FOTS, but not excessive. That gain kind of masks the tone somewhat from any further comparison.
I'll also add to that now that FOTW increased gain for both guitars. Mal is pretty quiet on this album but he sounds almost like Angus did on FOTS. Angus really kicked up the gain here, and this is what I would say was the most he ever used. One tough thing about analyzing FOTW is that its pretty inconsistent. Obviously the Youngs didn't know much about production so you get some like the title track which just sound terrible, while some like First Blood and Sink the Pink are at least decent.
Who Made Who: Malcolm back to a FOTS or FTATR style tone here. Angus dialing back the gain and sounding more like FOTS or FTATR on the title track, but dialing it back up for DT and Chase the Ace, interestingly. Thank god Vanda and Young came back to produce! What a difference. Still no Mutt Lange but they do a quality job. Also, I just wanna point out the killer solos Angus pulls out on this album, especially on the overlooked DT and Chase the Ace.
BUYV: One of my biggest complaints on the production here is that the guitars (and vocals) are too low, so that makes it tougher to compare. Not sure why after WMW was mixed well by Vanda/Young. The only thing that really stands out in the mix is Simon's soul-less drum machine performance. God knows why. (Okay, I'm hard on Simon because frankly, he was terrible live, but he did have at least some groove on FOTW and WMW. He must have really just checked out by BUYV. But I digress). Malcolm sounds pretty good here, much like WMW, a classic Mal tone. A standout is the breakdown on Go Zone. An underrated classic Mal rhythm riff right there. Angus is also much like WMW tone-wise, maybe a little cleaner.
