Yardbirds bass amps?

[johnp352]

Everyone knows there was that one epi rivoli floating around the Yardbirds locker in the mid 60's..but, even though I am usually pretty knowledgeable on arcane things like this..what amps were used at Olympic when they were recording? only a DI? Vox? Selmer? It sounds like something with 12's to me, and I am guessing low watt tube, and lots of compression, but beyond that? Chas Chandler has an almost identical tone, albeit not as amped up, on the soloed Animals intros..flats with a pick. but..this being TB , home of all bassy knowledge..anyone know?

And for the bonus--any of you older Brits who were at the Marque etc and saw the band ..what about live? By the time they got here they were using all sorts of junk onstage, none of which I am guessing was their own.

I am more interested in the studio though..being able to use a low power amp on stage these days, it might be cool to mic it and really nail the sound.

[bertbass666]

I just did a google images search on 'yardbirds recording amps' and found quite a few photos of the Yardbirds live and a couple of them in the studio. Might help.

[Bassmec]

[johnp352]

thanks fellows..i also did that search, but found a mishmash of things, but no fly on the wall things, as in the engineer did this, or Paul SS used ..etc...and yep, there's a quite a few pics of them live with the standard Vox/with Marshalls propped on top stuff, or them in Blow Up or them on tv in Sweden, but that's probably not the gear they used

As far as how they recorded..still looking. compared to say how Clapton did Bluesbreakers, or Hendrix did the 1st..all documented. Where's the 'birds docs, or the Animals for that matter?

[TN WOODMAN]

Good question. I'd like to know as well.

[KramerBassFan]

Roger the Engineer is a fantastic album

[corinpills]

This is a very worthwhile question, IMO. God, there were some amazing bass tones being recorded in London in those years and there's not a ton of info available about how those tracks were recorded. Other bands as well; think of some of the great bass tracks in songs by the Animals and the Pretty Things and a dozen other bands of the same period. The Move, holy moly, that's a crazy bass sound.

The one thing I have surmised from talking to people is that, Beatles and Stones aside, a lot of these sessions were very fast. It was still union tea breaks and 3 hour sessions to get a pop tune tracked, sung and mixed. That kind of makes me think there were studio amps mic'd up (or DI) ready to go.

[BawanaRik]

A lot of times it was what was there. Back in the day they never guessed that 40 years later people would ask what amp did you use to get that sound.

And 8 track recording was still in the future.