Warren Demartini's amp(s) during 1989-1991?
- Thread starter Paksu-aku
- Start date
Frank Levi is responsible for those early RATT tones and they were Marshalls.
That link above to Dezels & DSL's is bogus.
Frank was on the road hired by the band first few tours to get those legendary tones.
SLO's weren't even invented at that point.
Frank also worked at East Coast SIR studios, later transfered to LA SIR to rework all the amps Caswell had worked on.
Everyone wanted Franks amps, not Caswells.
Don't know about 89-90 was RATT even a thing then ?
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Mr. Willy
Well-known member
Yes, Marshalls before Reach for the Sky, and then Soldano from Reach for the Sky onwards. Those live clips are SLO. First SLO’s rolled out in 86-87. Warren is one of the biggest SLO users around. This is common knowledge around here, or at least it used to be. Not saying he wasn’t using Marshalls blended as well, especially in the studio, but I doubt he takes those Super Leads on the road with him.
Frank Levi is responsible for those early RATT tones and they were Marshalls.
That link above to Dezels & DSL's is bogus.
Frank was on the road hired by the band first few tours to get those legedary tones.
SLO's weren't even invented at that point.
Frank also worked at East Coast SIR studios, later transfered to LA SIR to rework all the amps Caswell had worked on.
Everyone wanted Franks amps, not Caswells.
Don't know about 89-90 was RATT even a thing then ?
Racerxrated
Well-known member
Wow. Lots of WRONG here. Levi wasn't even anywhere NEAR LA when Ratt hit big. He showed up long after Caswell left. Caswell modded the Marshall EVERYONE wanted; the 71 Tremolo WAY before Levi worked for SIR. Levi tried to rewrite history by bullshitting people later in the early 2000s so he could try and grab some business of his own; he could see what cash Caswell was making with his mods. After Caswell left SIR they hired Levi to try and clone the modded SuperTremolo everyone wanted. Levi wasn't in LA in 84/85 when the Caswell modded Tremolo was basically hired out for 6-12 months in advance. Frank Levi did some cool mods and was a great tech in his own right; but the Caswell modded Tremolo was THE amp everyone wanted and that was LONG BEFORE Levi showed up in LA.
Frank Levi is responsible for those early RATT tones and they were Marshalls.
That link above to Dezels & DSL's is bogus.
Frank was on the road hired by the band first few tours to get those legedary tones.
SLO's weren't even invented at that point.
Frank also worked at East Coast SIR studios, later transfered to LA SIR to rework all the amps Caswell had worked on.
Everyone wanted Franks amps, not Caswells.
Don't know about 89-90 was RATT even a thing then ?
Late 80s/early 90s Warren used SLOs. When I saw him in 2001 he was using SLOs. Early RATT were stock Superleads..from what I've read.
SBlue
Well-known member
Here is a cool article with Frank Levi were he mention some of the work he did for Warren:
http://theguitarzombie.blogspot.com/2014/10/frank-levi-wizzard-of-amps-speaks-out.html
http://theguitarzombie.blogspot.com/2014/10/frank-levi-wizzard-of-amps-speaks-out.html
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Kapo_Polenton
Well-known member
Haven't listened to those clips in a while and was surprised how "decent" almost reasonably "well" that Pearcy performed in that era. He's always been a shit singer, they were good back then.
I believe around this time that Warren was using the SLO's ..1989 was that still REach for the Sky or was that Detonator? I am pretty sure Detonator is the SLO. I always thought it was that on the crunch channel opened up with a boost in spots. But to be honest, it is his phrasing in the context of RATT which is just out of this world. It all works so well in that band. Awesome swing.
I believe around this time that Warren was using the SLO's ..1989 was that still REach for the Sky or was that Detonator? I am pretty sure Detonator is the SLO. I always thought it was that on the crunch channel opened up with a boost in spots. But to be honest, it is his phrasing in the context of RATT which is just out of this world. It all works so well in that band. Awesome swing.
I knew Frank for a short time.
We had some good talks.
He's gone now RIP and those schematics were in his head, not copied anywhere.
Some try and come close but only Frank knew those circuits.
He would spend a long time with one amp getting it just right.
He was a very humble guy who got his start about the same time Randall Smith did in the 60's.
Frank said he was disapointed Marshall UK didn't even try to contact him during thier "AFD" [appetite for dollars] Saul amp project.
Frank Levi is responsible for some of the most iconic & famous rock tones ever recorded.
Truly a pioneer and expert.
Kapo_Polenton
Well-known member
The great debade...was the AFD amp the Caswell 39 or the Levi 36 mod ? 39 for the demos and 36 for the recording? #34 is cool too but damn it is a bright circuit.
For the clip above though, I'd say we are listening to the SLO. As for the older Marshall folklore, reamping and/or a Furman PQ3 goosing the front end would give that natural added gain grind that I hear.
sahlomonic
Well-known member
SLOs came out in 1987, but I don't remember reading about anyone big using them until at least a couple years later, which would place it in the right timeline.
Frank Levi is responsible for those early RATT tones and they were Marshalls.
That link above to Dezels & DSL's is bogus.
Frank was on the road hired by the band first few tours to get those legendary tones.
SLO's weren't even invented at that point.
Frank also worked at East Coast SIR studios, later transfered to LA SIR to rework all the amps Caswell had worked on.
Everyone wanted Franks amps, not Caswells.
Don't know about 89-90 was RATT even a thing then ?
Mark Kendall was the first SLO owner i recall, then Howard Leese, Lynch & Mick Mars.
Later were alot more.
Racerxrated
Well-known member
I have no idea which one was used; I can think of many other recorded tones I’d rather have. My only point is 39 was the Caswell modded 71 Tremolo; and it was far and away the most requested amp from SIR in LA. This was long before Levi was working in LA. So he had nothing to do with the amp everyone wanted. The way I heard it; after Caswell left to start his own business they bought in Levi, who was instructed to clone 39 into multiple Marshalls. So whichever Marshall was used was a clone of 39, or 39 itself.
Also, when Levi piped up about all this (he didn’t say one word about ‘his’ version of events for 20+ years?? Cmon) he was promoting his own amp line, which never saw the light of day to my knowledge. Pretty obvious to me he was telling tall tales to self promote his own products.
Rdodson
Well-known member
Ah, you young guys. 
After Clapton toured with Mark Knopfler and he went to Soldano ('88), then Eddie did...everyone had to have one. Ed was pissed about how 0U812 sounded (really an issue with Landee not 12301). Eddie was a Clapton freak, like many of us my vintage were about Ed. Ed's SLO (probably his 2nd) is dated August 30, 1990. Let me see if I can find the receipt for the Ostrich (I believe his first)...yeah March 7, 1990.
Anyway, when 5150 came out and the 910 was so evident (it was on everything after VH1), the Ed guys wanted that as well.
Warren used superleads, although that first album is most probably a Paul Rivera Fender. Detonator is for sure SLO. The controversy is Reach for the Sky. The song to listen to is "No Surprise". Man, it could go either way. Sounds Marshall to me. However, "I Want To Love You Tonight" sounds SLO. But it is definitely different that the absolutely no doubt about it Detonator.
The one thing we can all agree on is Reach for the Sky, regardless of equipment, is just a great tone. "Way Cool Jr." was the hit, and you can hear Eventide all over that thing.
After Clapton toured with Mark Knopfler and he went to Soldano ('88), then Eddie did...everyone had to have one. Ed was pissed about how 0U812 sounded (really an issue with Landee not 12301). Eddie was a Clapton freak, like many of us my vintage were about Ed. Ed's SLO (probably his 2nd) is dated August 30, 1990. Let me see if I can find the receipt for the Ostrich (I believe his first)...yeah March 7, 1990.
Anyway, when 5150 came out and the 910 was so evident (it was on everything after VH1), the Ed guys wanted that as well.
Warren used superleads, although that first album is most probably a Paul Rivera Fender. Detonator is for sure SLO. The controversy is Reach for the Sky. The song to listen to is "No Surprise". Man, it could go either way. Sounds Marshall to me. However, "I Want To Love You Tonight" sounds SLO. But it is definitely different that the absolutely no doubt about it Detonator.
The one thing we can all agree on is Reach for the Sky, regardless of equipment, is just a great tone. "Way Cool Jr." was the hit, and you can hear Eventide all over that thing.
Kapo_Polenton
Well-known member
I honestly don't even really care. Every RATT album starting with Out of the Cellar has incredible tone. Reach for the Sky is such a frigging amazing album. I remember reading an article in one of these metal rags I bought as a kid where Robin Crosby was saying this album is the best they had ever done. It was going to melt people's faces it was so good (something along those lines) He was right, it totally lived up to the hype. I love everything about that album. Detonator is pretty bitchin too though. Warren's leads were so tasty. I can't name 1 solo where he ever sounds like he has mailed it in. Not one. Fits every time and finds the right notes. That's all in the head, you can't teach that.Ah, you young guys.
After Clapton toured with Mark Knopfler and he went to Soldano ('88), then Eddie did...everyone had to have one. Ed was pissed about how 0U812 sounded (really an issue with Landee not 12301). Eddie was a Clapton freak, like many of us my vintage were about Ed. Ed's SLO (probably his 2nd) is dated August 30, 1990. Let me see if I can find the receipt for the Ostrich (I believe his first)...yeah March 7, 1990.
Anyway, when 5150 came out and the 910 was so evident (it was on everything after VH1), the Ed guys wanted that as well.
Warren used superleads, although that first album is most probably a Paul Rivera Fender. Detonator is for sure SLO. The controversy is Reach for the Sky. The song to listen to is "No Surprise". Man, it could go either way. Sounds Marshall to me. However, "I Want To Love You Tonight" sounds SLO. But it is definitely different that the absolutely no doubt about it Detonator.
The one thing we can all agree on is Reach for the Sky, regardless of equipment, is just a great tone. "Way Cool Jr." was the hit, and you can hear Eventide all over that thing.
Rdodson
Well-known member
With a different singer/songwriting collaborator RATT could have been huge. But, as good as WDM is/was, I don't think he was THAT driven to be a star. Everyone I know who knows him says he's just a super-humble, nice guy from a good family. Pretty fish-out-of-water for RATT.