Def Leppard Riffs & Licks with a Rockman X100 (17 minute demo with no talking)

[@bwm5150]

Hey folks, if you enjoyed this, you may also be interested in a video I did a few years ago on the JHS Rock Box, which was mentioned in interviews by Sav and Nigel Green that it was also used on the album. You can see that here - kzbin.info/www/bejne/jWmZhnitq6iBpZY Also, Pete Woodroffe confirmed that it was the right Rock Box when I was very lucky to interview him early last year. You can find that interview series here - kzbin.info/www/bejne/nquvpq2haK2XipI :)

[@pj7342]

The interview with Pete Woodroffe was fantastic. Very generous of him, and ingenious to ask.

[@johngregory7329]

Man ,I wish that you lived close by me because we could jam for days. You Rock. Signed John Zepbass Gregory from Munster Indiana,Bass player.

[@tylerbensdad]

the song you ended with lol. Crazy good as usual man. Almost no one knows Leppard guitars like this man.

[@shootit]

This has to feel really really good. After spending years and years chasing THE Def Leppard tone, here they actually are. Damn cool. And impressive. Good stuff!

[@bwm5150]

It’s certainly fun to share. I’ve had Rockman stuff in the past, and while they are certainly the main foundation of tone, I still feel they are quite limiting and need some extra work to nail the tones on the album. But they’re still a great unit to play with. 😁

[@Jorgestrat]

You make it sound not only DL sound but all of the 80´s guitars awesome tones!

[@ExplosionDestroyer]

Awesome video. I especially love the clean tones in Animal, Armageddon in, and Hysteria.

[@c9guitar304]

So clean. So glassy!

[@dunki-dunki-dawg]

Running this with the TC Gmaj for stereo chorusing would sound as good as anything that is expensive and out there in 2024. The absolute transparency of the TC Gmaj is utterly flawless to the point it has never been improved on. It gives you perfect control and with the Matrix function you can have any order of FX in the chain. In Parallel or Series which is wonderful. Another wonder of the signal chain world is if you have an ADA MP1 you can run the Rockman through the Chorus FX of the MP1. Just run it with all the levels set flat to zero or maybe 0.1. This gives you just the sound of the circuit with no width or speed giving you no chorusing effect. It makes it sound like pure liquid and it sounds sublime. I used it that way in my lead solo chain. If you think of say 'Is This Love' guitar solo sound. It is so liquid sounding especially on the neck PU. It very beautiful and sustaining forever. I used it for my JMP1 lead into the chorus of the ADA MP1 and I am sure the Rockman used the same way would also work beautifully also.

[@SignalyardsGarage]

I love the Stumpus Maximus tribute at the end😂! Thank you Ben! I’ve been on the lookout for one of these. I wish now that I’d bought one back in the day. Great demonstration sir! And thanks for the When love and hate collide demonstration also! Thanks much!

[@JoeMack73]

Awesome Job Ben the Rockman X100 sounds great the sound and tone takes me back to the 80’s great video 👍

[@ponraul1221]

For anyone wondering, Def Leppard used the Rockman X100 on Hysteria and then used the Rockman Ultralight in Adrenalize & parts of Retro Active (that wasn’t already recorded with the X100).

[@bwm5150]

You may be interested in my old interview with Pete Woodroffe where we discuss some of this.

[@ponraul1221]

@@bwm5150 Thanks, I just watched it. Great stuff!

[@chstew50]

Fantastic! My refurbished x100 should arrive this week. Killer tone!

[@Kouros-t6d]

Well....this was engineered from one of the best guitarist/keyboardist ever...he also recorded the best selling debut album of all times and he recorded it playing ALL the instruments in the cellar of his house where he built his own recording studio creating all the effects (including those you are showing in this video)in an era when digital did not exist.....they should make a movie about this GENIUS.

[@bwm5150]

Tom certainly helped shape the sound of a decade.

[@kenlanier2131]

Awesome video @bwm5150, Loved hearing all my favorite Leppard tunes clean. As alway very impressive!

[@josephwilliams710]

Oh my Goodness dude wow this sounds super creatively Outstanding man!! Definitely the Leppard sound i hear steve & phils sounds in it !!

[@MrCarl5150]

Although you've found the DL flavor...I can still tell that it's you..that is awesome 🙌👍💪🤘🍻

[@littlegoobie]

good to see you're still at this. I remember commenting something about also having trouble at the beginning with knocking my volume on a charvel guitar layed out like that one because it's so close. that was 30 years ago. hahah I also learned almost the entire hysteria album so i recognized those little bits right away.

[@InfiniteLight4]

I LOVE THIS. Thanks so much as always, Ben. And with the best rare track ending of all!🙌🏽 Bonus shout out to Malvin!😅

[@eddiejr540]

I had one of those when they first came out…its long gone now, like most gear does…it comes and goes…great playing 👍

[@Wyattbrink1037]

I’m loving these Rockman x100 vids! Bravo!

[@HWnomad]

You're the best my brother!!! Anytime you can play the love and affection guitar ending again!! you're the only one i saw who could do this near perfection!!

[@piratephilnitch8505]

bwm5150 - Ahoy thar me good matie! This be yer Captain, Pirate Phil. This is an incredible video. Just phenomenal in every way! I really loved your JHS Rockbox video from a few years ago. I am convinced that on Hysteria, Mutt had them double or triple parts with both Rockman/Rockbox in some instances, especially on the clean parts. I also think that he may have been using a rackmount Rockman sustainer instead of the X100 to avoid the chorus on the X100 and instead, use the rackmount Scholtz Rockman Chorus or maybe an Eventide Tri-chorus - on some of the "chord strikes" during the versus of Armageddon It, you hear a slight detuning at the tail end. This is not a tremolo bar, but rather a slow roto sound. I conclude it must be a tri-chorus. However, there is a break in the out-chorus of Armageddon It with a "solo guitar dive" that has to be ALL Rockman distortion. On a side note, I was able to find an old Ross Rockbox (the American version of the JHS) that was not working. I found a bloke who refurbishes Rockmans who said he'd have a go at the Rockbox. I had an X100 in great shape but not working. He traded me the refurb work on the Rockbox for the X100 to be used for parts. Otherwise I could NOT find a Rockbox anywhere. I have seen some Nobelles SST1 copies of the Rockbox as well as a VERY rare ESP copy, but I have NEVER seen a JHS for sale. Where on earth did you find yours??? Finally I thank you a million times over for the BRILLIANT work you do brother. Your playing is immaculate and you have helped so many people really appreciate the GENIUS of the album HYSTERIA, myself included. I have obsessed over every aspect of this album for years and you have given me so much information and insight. I have made great advances in understanding the incredible methods used to create this work of art thanks to you! If I can ever finish my own, Hysteria inspired album, I sure would love to include you in the liner notes, but I don't know your proper name mate. Do you have an official website? For now, Happy Christmas and Cheers! Pirate Phil

[@Michael-ck1ko]

Amazing work, bro!! That tone is 🔥🔥!! perfection

[@domsthepanda9594]

They need to make these again

[@thelmalynch7109]

🤩😍🎸🎧 my king 👑 I don't even know what to say on that one I am so excited for this one that was awesome 💯 👍 cheers everyone 🥂 your journey fan always 🎶🎶🎶

[@re6035]

Unbelievably clean! Superb!

[@The_Macaroon]

So many great riffs and links. ❤

[@pixelpixel4305]

These sound super authentic! Nice work!

[@stormtrigger5578]

Oh heck yeah the ROCKMAN X100, i still have mine 😄

[@adamwarlock5286]

Beautiful playing as ever.

[@CallousCoder]

It’s Def Leppard in a box!

[@shehzadatif1]

love it

[@nookbandit]

The clean 2 Armageddon It is spiritual

[@chrissalmon3503]

From 1:12 to 1:30 is absolutely amazing if I could play this on loop all day I would

[@Jmac2496]

Okay now redo all of the live in the round covers using this! ❤️😭 JK sounds good ben!

[@bwm5150]

Well, if I got the Hysteria tour gear (Randall preamps, TC Electronic 1210 and 2290, Palmer Speaker Sim) then I’d love to do a more accurate series. 😁

[@HoboRoadrunner]

Would you be able to do some more live videos from the 80s and early 90s please.

[@bwm5150]

I’m trying to do as many as I can, but there’s a full series of Steve from the In The Round concert, most of Phil’s, and there’s a couple Pyro and Adrenalize era vids too.

[@jdooris83]

If you can, could you do Armageddon It from Don Valley 93, especially Viv’s intro

[@Banditman]

If you're really chasing that sound, TH-U makes an excellent Rockman plug-in. It models the Sustainor and the Chorus Delay as opposed to the little headphone boxes, and is priced quite affordably. Amplitube has a model of the X100 in the Joe Satriani package which is also quite good. The nice thing with the plug-ins is that they do allow you to remove all chorus and reverb if desired. Food for thought.

[@bwm5150]

I'm personally not, but maybe that will help others.

[@electricgigolo]

This is all through the Rockman? It sounds great.

[@bwm5150]

Yep, just the Rockman. You can hear most of the main tones but, to me, it also highlights the units limitations too where post production work was needed for the album.

[@rafaelnunes2195]

Greetings from Brasil! Amazing tone as always Ben! Let me ask you something. How does the x100 feels comparing to your other gear? I might be wrong, but in this video the x100 seens to "feel" pleasant to play, more real, specially the clean 2 and the edge channel. Do you think it's still worth buying or the more modern gear like a fractal fm3 or a helix can emulate it and feel more pleasant to play? Thanks man. And thanks for all your songs lessons. I really improved my playing learning songs with you, specially def leppard songs! Thanks!

[@bwm5150]

Thanks Rafael! Certainly from when the instant you plug in, you get a ready made sound that is great and does not need tweaking. But, I feel it is still a bit limited and could be recreated with EQs and compressors. I feel it has quite a drastic EQ shape and a lot of compression that a lot of guitarists wouldn’t think about using. They are my thoughts though. 🙂

[@TimothyHagerTCH]

Something special about that "I Wanna Be Your Hero" lick

[@bwm5150]

Great song and guitar work

[@JamieCarter-wv8rp]

Its actually the Boston sound that all the other bands, Leperd, Brian Adams, and a few others used. But this box of magic was created by Tom Scholtz(SRD Development) for that Boston sound. So....

[@bwm5150]

I think most of us are aware of that, cheers.

[@jwprimetime9795]

Alright I need to buy another rockman. Gave my to my stupid brother 27 years ago!! Grrr!

[@FalseNomen]

Apparently it's fairly common knowledge that this was used for Hysteria, but I had no idea. Until I actually read up on it I was asking myself how you used the device to get so close to that Def Leppard sound--turns out it WAS the Def Leppard tone.

[@chrissalmon3503]

From 1:11 to 1:30 is then sweetest sound i ever heard.

[@dunki-dunki-dawg]

I think many systems with decent freedom of EQ could simulate these nice 'chewy' sounds. The boosted mids are warm and kind on the ear. Something is cut and I am not sure which frequencies are boosted, but I think Kempers would nail this as would a decent amp with a good equaliser in the chain would also suffice. With a bit of noodling, using your ear and having a reference to keep going back to would get you there. It's one of those sounds that I would always go back to and really enjoy, especially the power chords for rockin' out.

[@bwm5150]

I agree, yet there’s still people out there wanting these units, pushing the prices up an insane amount because there’s something ‘special’ about them.

[@hanovergreen4091]

Does your Jackson have a thick neck like Phil's? Planning on getting a small Roland like they used? Great sounds Sir :) Best Regard and Best Wishes!

[@bwm5150]

Thanks! No, it’s a slim neck like most typical Jackson’s. What Roland are you referring to? Do you mean the Galien Kruger amp?

[@tmaciol]

I was just able to get hold of a Rockman Guitar Ace. Since it doesn’t have the chorus and reverb effect I ‘m planning on buying my first two pedals for this thing. Any recommendations? Love the sound of the Rockman (mine and Ben’s). ☺️☺️☺️🎸🎸🎸🎸

[@bwm5150]

Any Boss chorus will get you there. 😁

[@tmaciol]

@@bwm5150 Thx so much Ben. Any thoughts/ recommendations on reverb pedals?

[@bwm5150]

The Dispatch Master from Earthquaker is one of the few reverb/delay pedals that instantly made me want to keep playing when I tried one out. I didn’t buy it though but thought it sounded nice.

[@tmaciol]

@@bwm5150 Thanks for the tip Ben. I’ll try that too. But I’m afraid, that my government will restrict my budget. ☺️☺️☺️

[@rodolfoecheverryurbano3742]

Hello thanks for share... Please Show me how to do those effects?

[@trillrifaxegrindor4411]

rockman....thats it

[@Ronsolid2010]

I listen intently to these posts and keep getting amazed each time how you nail their tone, as if Steve and Phil live through your fingers......totally awesome sir 👍🤜🤛🤘 can you tell me how you modded that guitar to remove the tone control? Hardwired? Keep the great music alive and flowing as always🤘

[@bwm5150]

Thanks! I removed the tone pot and just wired the rest as a one volume set up, getting the schematic from Seymour Duncan website.

[@Ronsolid2010]

@bwm5150 awesome work brother 🤘 I may have to try and find that information as I've been wanting to try that with one of my older soloists, and as for the rockman tone, it's been hard to find a clone pedal of the original, any tips for something close to it? I'm using a marshall and jc120 chorus wet/dry setup but alas still tinkering to get the sound right to do them justice 🤔

[@123456789mtgfan]

These little things are awesome, i use the bass ace

[@cjstroked]

Youll have to do cover of zz top rough boy with the rockman!

[@georgeoosterhous414]

OHYAHOORSIR! ❤

[@GeoffSweet]

I love mine...but they really need some pushing and tweaking post production to really get the tones nailed...but, the basic tone is certainly there! Have you ever seen the getup they made around the X100 to get the sounds on the record??? Hilarious.

[@bwm5150]

Mike Rodgers, Phil’s old tech, helped design their individual demo recording setups with a couple of Fostex four tracks, Oberheim drum machines and Boss pedals. Looked a cool set up. 😁

[@piratephilnitch8505]

Where might I have a look at the getup? many thanks and Happy Holidays!

[@ponraul1221]

I have an Ultralight model myself. What do you have the tiny grain knob in the back set to?

[@bwm5150]

0

[@koji_92fs53]

Good demo!! Is your Focusrite Scarlett connected after the Rockman?

[@bwm5150]

Thanks! Yes, my signal is the Guitar - Rockman - Focusrite - Computer. The focusrite is just the Interface that turns the audio signal into digital so I can record on my computer.

[@koji_92fs53]

@@bwm5150 Thank you!!

[@Wyattbrink1037]

I have a question: what amp do you use? I’ve also purchased a Rockman recently and it has that classic Rockman sound but it’s slightly different to me. Idk if it’s the Rockman and it has something wrong with it or if it’s my amp. I use a boss katana mk2 100 watt. I’ve also put better gear into perspective so maybe that’s why it doesn’t sound as good but I’m kinda lost

[@bwm5150]

I’m not using an amp. The Rockman is playing straight into my interface. If using an amp, use the low output option.

[@Wyattbrink1037]

@@bwm5150 Okay thanks!

[@piratephilnitch8505]

@@Wyattbrink1037 Tom Scholz did not design the Rockmans to be used with a "guitar amp". I found this out the hard way brother Wyatt. You should run your Rockman into a POWER amp, then straight into a full range, stereo speaker. Basically the Rockman IS your guitar amp. You can run the Rockman into a mixing board and use available effects from the send and return section, use it in an effects pedal chain (I recommend the Rockman frist and then to your stomp boxes) or run it into an interface on a laptop to add effects, but I highly recommend avoiding a conventional guitar amp all together. By the way, are you using an X100 Rockman box or a half-rackmount Sustainer/Distortion unit?

[@Wyattbrink1037]

@@piratephilnitch8505 I bought the actual Rockman X100 box, but I’ve also looked at the other Rockman gear. I kinda new it wasn’t made for an amp but I saw somewhere that said like if you EQ it in a certain way, it would sound better but I’ve tried that and it just doesn’t sound right at all. It sounds super dry and terrible in my opinion when it’s ran through an amp. Also thanks for the very valuable information. It’s hard to find information about how to use these and I look forward to using it with full effects!

[@tonictonetomrockstar1931]

my x100 isn't working and I was told they can't get the parts to fix it.

[@theredraven]

What did they use live during this era? They didn't hook a bunch of Rockmans up to the PA surely?

[@bwm5150]

Randall Preamps, Tc Electronic 1210 and 2290 for chorus and delay, into a Palmer speaker and Randall power amps.

[@theredraven]

Ahhh thank you!@@bwm5150

[@gergoaltorjai8096]

how do you keep your tones so noiseless?

[@bwm5150]

The unit is certainly noisy but proper muting technique can limit that a bit, but sometimes there’s not much else you can do.

[@piratephilnitch8505]

Seeing as Tom Scholz was apparently a "consultant" on Hysteria and modified the Rockmans to a certain extent, he probably brought them his half rackmount ROCKMAN SMART GATES. They are extremely sensitive and do not brutally cut off notes. They are VERY rare these days but I managed to find one and it is incredible. When you combine the Smart Gate with, as Ben said, proper hand muting techniques, you can play with with full on Rockman distortion and keep it very clean. Cheers!

[@felipecamera5629]

Please, could you make a capture for tonex?

[@bwm5150]

I’m not able to do that.

[@tulusgendut3302]

I'm Indonesian, how can I buy that product 🙏

[@treystunkel2044]

what headphones are you using? Sony 7506?

[@bwm5150]

Sennheisers HD something. They're quite old now so I don't think they do them anymore.

[@kennybeard4654]

What Jackson guitar are you playing?

[@bwm5150]

DK2 Dinky that I got new in ‘04 but is apparently a Made in Japan model from ‘96.

[@chiricm]

What’s the bridge PUP? JB maybe?

[@bwm5150]

Stock Duncan Designs. Not sure of the model.

[@chiricm]

@@bwm5150 always heard a JB when you play this. Thanks for all the content! Your channel and Patreon single-handedly elevate my playing…

[@bwm5150]

Ah that’s great to hear, thanks! 😁

[@Hellspawn1212]

2 months ago bought a x100 for $1000

[@bwm5150]

Ouch, I originally got Rockman stuff around 15 years ago for less than £100. Sold it on because I thought they were too limiting. 🙈