How do you get a good jangly guitar sound on the cheap?

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The reissue Danelectros are dirt cheap and chime well. Remember, you get what you pay for. The lipstick pickups are pretty shoddy, but you could replace them with something else for under $100. Used Ric 360s will cost a little more, but they are very jangly and worth keeping, especially if you find one under a grand. As for amps, find a used silver faced Fender with reverb/tremolo if possible for under $500 at a pawn shop. I don't know if you've tried harmonycentral.com, but they have product reviews that are extremely helpful for purchasing gear and getting second opinions. You learn loads about musical equipment if you spend a few hours at that site.

As for chords, play ones with lots of open and five/six strings like E's. Also, leave the 1st and 2nd strings open on your barre chords. What I mean is to lift your "barre" finger off of high strings but play the bottom strings 1st and 2nd strings(e,B in standard tuning) to get more "chime."

bryan, Thursday, 16 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link

Sorry about that. To clear up that shit I wrote, play the barre chords like power chords at the low end (EADG) but leave the B and high E open.

bryan, Thursday, 16 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link

PF - I think Marr loses a lot of clarity when he does TOO many o/dubs. Wasn't thinking of FMS - will try and find examples.

Dr. C, Friday, 17 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link

I look forward to hearing about them.

(This a great thread, though I wish I understood it slightly better.)

the pinefox, Friday, 17 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link

Buy Doing it for the Kids (pay no more than £1.99)

N., Friday, 17 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link

For good, cheap jangle, you need only two things:

1) Danelectro U2 reissue guitar

2) (optional) Danelectro slap echo reverb pedal

You should be able to get both of those items for under £200. Jangle is all about the treble. I dig those lipstick pickups, anyone who doesn't appreciate them is a PHILISTINE.

For best jangle, play only the top (pitch) two strings, the E and the B in 4ths and 5ths, and drone along on the G. Use capo to get to keys other than G. You'll get a great jangle that is halfway between Johnny Marr and West African guitar pop.

speak of the devil, Sunday, 19 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link

one year passes...
this is a great thread, the pf was right, and now there are more people on-board maybe they know how to get efficient jangle?

cozen (Cozen), Friday, 9 January 2004 02:19 (twenty years ago) link

the squire telecaster recommendation is the best suggestion in terms of clarity of untreated jangle/chime, those danelectros i'm not sold on.

gygax! (gygax!), Friday, 9 January 2004 03:06 (twenty years ago) link

what's wrong with a normal tele or a mex tele (what i have) for the jangle? (or is it just the cheapness issue that keeps them from being reccomended?)

cozen (Cozen), Friday, 9 January 2004 03:23 (twenty years ago) link

nothing wrong with a normal tele. but the cheaper ones probably give the slightly grittier, gnarlier sound i think you're after..

the surface noise (electricsound), Friday, 9 January 2004 03:32 (twenty years ago) link

i've used squier teles in the past and you won't get a crystal clear sound from them no matter what, but they crunch nicely.

the surface noise (electricsound), Friday, 9 January 2004 03:32 (twenty years ago) link

"on the cheap"

gygax! (gygax!), Friday, 9 January 2004 03:33 (twenty years ago) link

mexican teles are pretty cheap considering and i ws just wondering why choose the squier over the mex but jim's just answered that now anyway.

maybe the pf could say some more and give some tips when he wakes up and logs on.

cozen (Cozen), Friday, 9 January 2004 03:36 (twenty years ago) link

well hmmm...

mexitele = $350 USD
squiertele = $170 USD

gygax! (gygax!), Friday, 9 January 2004 03:39 (twenty years ago) link

Are used Danelectro guitars still cheap? You can get a pretty good clean sound on 'em, and they have the right look to match. (I'm not sure how available they are in the U.K., though.) Like others here, I favor open chords (the alternating major/sus thing is a classic), and lots of apeggios to get (or approximate) the jangle-pop sound.

dylan (dylan), Friday, 9 January 2004 04:27 (twenty years ago) link

hey that's my trick!!! goddamn

the surface noise (electricsound), Friday, 9 January 2004 04:27 (twenty years ago) link

How do you get a shambling sound?

the music mole (colin s barrow), Friday, 9 January 2004 04:42 (twenty years ago) link

be an incompetent guitar player

the surface noise (electricsound), Friday, 9 January 2004 04:45 (twenty years ago) link

one year passes...
I think I'm going to buy a new guitar and wee amp to replace the ones I had to sell a few years ago. I have no god-given musical talent and no aspirations of stardom, this is just fun and maybe something I'll play with in GarageBand.

Mostly want to play jangle/dream-pop, Buzzcocks-y punk, etc., plan to buy either the 15W or 30W Vox modelling amp (cheap, headphones-capable and supposedly sound great), but can't decide if I should spring for a Mexi-Tele or just buy a Squier. I figure tonally it won't matter, so are there any other reasons to avoid the Squiers (like staying in-tune and so on)?

milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Friday, 27 May 2005 18:04 (eighteen years ago) link

the new squiers look really great. i dont own one, so i cant talk about tuning stability, but they seems fairly solid.

AaronK (AaronK), Friday, 27 May 2005 18:13 (eighteen years ago) link

I would look at it this way:

- Mexi Tele if you buy new
- Vintage Squier (early to mid-80s) if you're buying second-hand

With a new Mexi Tele, you're probably going to want to get a new set of pick-ups. That seems to be the component where they cut corners the most. A well set up Mexi Tele with better pick-ups will work just fine.

Brooker Buckingham (Brooker B), Friday, 27 May 2005 18:14 (eighteen years ago) link

It's like buying a car, if it's your first time driving you won't notice the difference between a Ford and a Mercedes if you're just trying to get to work on time, but after you drive the Ford for awhile you notice here and there how things could be improved; and then drive the Mercedes and think, yes, this is how it should be.

Basically it comes down to your budget. If you can, get the more expensive guitar.

On the bass, 57 7th, he wrote this (calstars), Friday, 27 May 2005 18:16 (eighteen years ago) link

I use a Mexi Strat a lot, though it is not my primary geetar. It will jangle with the pickup selector in the second position (that is, not all the way to the front but just to the right). Ampwise, I use an oldish Fender Performer (hybrid combo), kept on the clean channel with just a touch of ye reverb.

The backwards arpeggio of an open-stringed chord is the jangler's friend in my opinion. G is the key of jangle, as has been noted.

But do not play several songs in G together, as that will start to sound samey.

The Mad Puffin, Friday, 27 May 2005 18:31 (eighteen years ago) link

Why don't you just buy some chimes?

n/a (Nick A.), Friday, 27 May 2005 18:47 (eighteen years ago) link

Dan Electro 12-strings are chimey as hell, cheap (around $300 I think) and fairly decently made.

darin (darin), Friday, 27 May 2005 18:48 (eighteen years ago) link

I thought Danelectro went out of the guitar business? I used to fondle a couple of their guitars but never bought one.

The Mexi is kind of affordable but a little bit of a stretch. I think I'm going to try a Squier and if I suddenly discover that I've developed talent maybe buy a 'better' Tele down the line.

milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Friday, 27 May 2005 19:32 (eighteen years ago) link

Danelectro is not currently making guitars, but they're still out there used (as well as some that have been sitting in shops waiting to be bought).

The Mad Puffin, Friday, 27 May 2005 19:36 (eighteen years ago) link

Do yerself a favor and go for the "Standard" series squier, not the affinity series. Vast improvement in both tuning stability and sound, meager increase in price. Also, always remember that Fender upcharges for certain finishes, so if looks aren't important, stay away from sunburst. If you live in MPLS/ST. PAUL, buy it from my store, because I'm a swell fella. If not, don't buy the megastore "we will not be undersold" hype. Fender/Squier prices are identical everywhere, or should be. On a Squier, you should get 40% off retail, a Fender should be 30% off, and if they aren't, go somewhere else. Don't piss off the person selling it to you by trying to barter, because if you do, we remember you forever, and go out of our way to make your life difficult.

John Justen (johnjusten), Friday, 27 May 2005 23:07 (eighteen years ago) link

Danelectro is making guitars again, for anyone who's interested. The '56 pro' is out in limited production. It seems to be basically the 56U2 with better hardware. It lists about $500, and everyone's selling it for about $400. Could end up driving down the ebay prices of the older reissues, who knows?

santos vega, Saturday, 28 May 2005 13:44 (eighteen years ago) link

three weeks pass...
Is the descriptor "jangly" so prevalent in describing Rickenbacker-y guitar sounds because of the "Jingle jangle" line in "Mr. Tambourine Man" (the Byrds' version)?

PB, Tuesday, 21 June 2005 03:16 (eighteen years ago) link

Are you nuts or just a dilettante? I can make a Les Paul "jangle" with the right amplification and EQ.

John Justen represent!

George Smith, Tuesday, 21 June 2005 06:18 (eighteen years ago) link

ihttp://www.goodlaughter.com/ funny/bigfart.html

Michael Costello (MichaelCostello1), Tuesday, 21 June 2005 06:37 (eighteen years ago) link

George Smith speaks the truth.

Ye Les Paul will indeed jangle on the treble pickup with its tone at circa 6, amplified via a cleanish combo--AC30, JC120, Princeton, etc.

The Mad Puffin, Tuesday, 21 June 2005 14:43 (eighteen years ago) link

six months pass...
Danelectro DC-12 shimmers seductively for under 500 bills new. Not a Ricky, but very very nice. Good enough for Jimmy Page = good enough for you.

And the 56 Pros are currently on blowout at Music123 for $299. Not bad, though they do only have the six strings.

rogermexico (rogermexico), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 21:02 (eighteen years ago) link

Also, if you don't ph3ar teh sparkle... Nothing rocks harder than an ALL-PEARLOID axe. Especially a semi-hollow MIK 12-string that can be found for as little as $425 new. That would be the Italia Rimini 12.

http://www.tonefactor.com/images/rimini12big.jpg

Reverend makes some really nice semi-hollows as well, though they're killing the mid-price MIA line...

rogermexico (rogermexico), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 21:39 (eighteen years ago) link

two years pass...

how do you get this kind of guitar sound?

audio clip

i don't even know it it's a specific type of guitar (was thinking pedal steel for some reason but appears not) or how affected it is or if it matches the kind of thing described above but thanks for any info

blueski, Wednesday, 23 July 2008 19:18 (fifteen years ago) link

might be a phaser?

G00blar, Wednesday, 23 July 2008 19:20 (fifteen years ago) link

Really warbly chorus. Rate knob turned way up I think? Haven't had a chorus in a while but yeah.

call all destroyer, Wednesday, 23 July 2008 19:49 (fifteen years ago) link

There's such a thing as a good jangly guitar sound?

chap, Wednesday, 23 July 2008 20:22 (fifteen years ago) link

fourteen years pass...

Eyelids from Portland, Oregon go for jangly on their latest album produced by Peter Buck

curmudgeon, Monday, 20 March 2023 15:40 (one year ago) link

What's the cheapest gear that'll chime? What are the best types of chords?
― sean, Wednesday, May 15, 2002 8:00 PM bookmarkflaglink

use an egg slicer
― bob snoom, Wednesday, May 15, 2002 8:00 PM bookmarkflaglink

Compression was the secret ingredient in Byrd’s jangle as they ran 12 string through a couple tube compressors direct to the board. Mcguinn uses a pedal now to get that sounds.

The Artist formerly known as Earlnash, Thursday, 23 March 2023 22:49 (one year ago) link

can confirm; love to play jangly stuff and love my mxr compressor almost as much for its facilitating of that. for fun jangly lofi goodness = chorus->comp->spring reverb. oh yeah.

''can be prusuaded to show gayness'' (Austin), Thursday, 23 March 2023 23:30 (one year ago) link

MXR Compressor with the 'snake eyes' setting is pretty much the default for a Tele to get that spanky country sound.

There is a Byrds inspired compressor called the "Jangle Box" that some pedal scientist has out there.

earlnash, Friday, 24 March 2023 00:51 (one year ago) link


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