Proof that Hard Rock could have been invented in the 1930s!

This 1930s Combo turned out to blow most classic Marshalls and Fenders out of the water!

[@alecboyyes]

Imagine the guys that cranked their gear in 30s or 40s thinking "nah this sounds like shit".... boy did they miss the boat

[@JohanSegeborn]

Hahaha! Indeed

[@torarinvik4920]

I can imagine they said something like the sound is broken. Or it's starts making noises.

[@SebPerfake]

@@torarinvik4920 This is exactly waht it is, broken ! not supposed to sound like this initially

[@michaelcraig9449]

Maybe they said it was awesome, and they were just not the guys that got famous! They could have been totally rockin in small bars somewhere out in the middle of nowhere!

[@Acornhouseworkshop]

Imagine the guys today that think gain is everything and can’t even imagine what Charlie Christian did.

[@obscurebandfan]

This is probably one of the greatest dirty tones ive ever heard.

[@maxsignori7660]

"I guess you guys aren't ready for that yet. But your grandkids are gonna love it."

[@CGJUGO80]

Hahaha. Nice one, McFly!

[@frankus54]

Imagine this in a Mississippi blues club in 1941. What a lost opportunity.

[@larsu-gx579]

Imagine all these flappers listening to swing in the 1930s and then there's one weirdo in the corner playing sweet child o' mine and thinking he might be on to something

[@luthiervandros]

Lars Aarhus haha yes

[@LumiMoonCh]

I'm confident we will find blast beats on a phonograph cylinder someday; they're out there.

[@BLAZINFAST]

Baby Dodds- Talking And Drum Solos, recorded in 1940-ish is about the closest thing I can think of that resembles “metal” drumming.

[@DTaurelion]

No blastbeats and not actually old, but there's this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nIOXc6iDa8mDapY

[@justmarc2015]

Blast beats started in jazz. Modern metal drummers have nothing on the old-school jazzers

[@denizbluemusic]

phonographs went out of fashion back in the mid 1910 when most drum kits only comprised of one snare, one kick, one china cymbal and sometimes a single chinese tom and woodblocks

[@lous8619]

Listen to Buddy Rich smoke every metal drummer with one bass drum.

[@johntilson2535]

Black musicians were using a lot of 'grit' on their tone in the 'across-the-tracks' juke joints in the 40s - 50s. You just know that tone veered into 'pre metal' distortion as the night wore on and volume levels increased!

[@trort2714]

Just when we think we’re progressing along, some dude shows up with an 80 year old rig and kick our tone to the curb.

[@iBullyDemons]

Everyome knows vintage gear is better

[@furthermoore1863]

ancient amp doing dirty better then modern amps who try and sound dirty.

[@ThorCarlton]

Because this is essentially what they're all imitating.

[@xXAlmdudlerXx]

Maybe because it actually is dirty lol

[@furthermoore1863]

@@ThorCarlton i know

[@furthermoore1863]

@@xXAlmdudlerXx i know

[@donrutter6765]

Because power tubes overdriven sound better than preamp tubes overdriven.

[@FatSynthDude]

Speaking as a metal guy, I love this tone. It's aggressive but with a kind of warmth not common in most modern tube amps. I could really dig this.

[@hmpz36911]

This thing Nuges, dude!

[@shirtpants4203]

Just imagine slapping a god damn Friedman be od and a precision drive in front of this bad boy would sound like

[@cliftongardner4367]

I was totally not expecting that tone. This thing is seriously one mild OD away from stoner metal...

[@JohanSegeborn]

Cheers

[@jpvvandermerwe87]

Ah . . . i too was just about to mention the similarity to Stoner Rock

[@richardharrold9736]

Yep, stick a TS or a Klon in front of it, maybe a Blues Driver, and there's your doom metal tone.

[@TheChadPad]

You're exactly right

[@heyitsDevriss]

I know one of the reasons distortion didn't take off was because they thought the distortion meant it was broken and they were scared to turn it up louder

[@TimTkachyk]

Absolutely. It’s easy to look back knowing what we know now, but hearing THAT sound from your amp back then would’ve sounded very wrong to anyone.

[@thomasfarmer1730]

...and it just wasn't applicable to style of music back then.The guitarist would of gotten the death stare and then seriously beaten up by his fellow band mates or hit in the face with a saxophone 😡........🤕

[@BW-dv5cd]

Thomas Farmer or a beer bottle from the audience

[@thomasfarmer1730]

@@BW-dv5cd aww yeah ha ha😂🤣...have good Xmas mate....cheers from Down Under

[@BW-dv5cd]

Thomas Farmer you too brother merry christmas from Canada

[@blakestone75]

Next time on Ola Englund: Will it Chug...

[@orbithesun1]

I would rather chug a nice ice cold beer. LOL

[@LeviJules]

OLA, *MAKE IT HAPPEN*

[@pigdick2233]

@@LeviJules it'd actually be great for metal in the studio in riffs dubbed along with a thick bassy rhythm tone. I'd like to hear Sleep's Marijuanaut riffs with that setup

[@LeviJules]

Fred Herbert oh my god I would LOVE to hear that, someone eLSE MAKE IT HAPPEN

[@lazaglider]

robert proctor You ok?

[@sirbaronvoncount4147]

That’s the tone I look for even today. There must have been players who played loud and proud even before that type of music had a name.

[@permanentvacation2406]

Pat hare

[@superdriver777]

Elmore James!

[@lkgreenwell]

Wade Wilson Langston Hughes recalled seeing Memphis Minnie in the very early 1940’s, playing an amplified National. He said she sounded like a bunch of electric welders in a rolling mill lol

[@pastorkev777]

One of my favorite amps I have heard on this channel.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Glad to hear it!

[@sneifert1968]

It’s amazing how there is so little feedback. Especially with the P-90’s. That’s a killer amp.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks, yeah everything is so well balanced

[@bpdarragh]

Agreed, a hollowbody with p90s usually squeals like a lost piglet.

[@frijidmeatwad5253]

Right? I love P-90's, but that hum drives me up the wall sometimes

[@sneifert1968]

Meatwad MGTOW Try noiseless “stacked” P-90’s I have a dogeared one in a junior. Not quite as narly as a P-90 but no 60 cycle hum either

[@frijidmeatwad5253]

@@sneifert1968 thanks for the heads up. I tried using a noise gate and it helped a little. I knew there had to be a "natural" solution to the problem lol

[@aaronhuisinga2531]

It's your cousin, Marvin Berry, you know that new sound you're looking for? Well, listen to this!

[@smartacus88]

And... Jack White just bought every one left in existence.

[@Fritz-the-Brat]

Josh Homme owns one too.

[@NathanG454]

Jack white🤦🏻‍♂️ i don’t get that guy

[@boofert.washington2499]

Dan Auerbach, as well.

[@chipmcdip8629]

D H no he is not you goon!

[@chipmcdip8629]

Brian Randal why not?

[@christianc9409]

Holy shit. I can’t be the only one who was not expecting that! I was expecting it to be super muddy but that’s fantastic

[@JohanSegeborn]

Yeah I was really surprised as well

[@theshyguy1580]

@@JohanSegeborn I'm shook! It's sounds like somewhere in between a Fender, a Vox, and a Marshall amp at the same time!

[@bootlegapples]

I used to think - vintage -60's back to 50's.Now it's more like 30's - 40's...love the sound of those octal preamps/field coil speakers w/straight cones.They're warm with nice overtones.

[@gordontubbs]

Care to wire this thing to a 4x12 and see how rock and roll she gets?

[@JohanSegeborn]

That can be arranged later on! :-)

[@yearginclarke]

I wanna hear that too

[@torarinvik4920]

@@yearginclarke Me2

[@Zantrop64]

@@JohanSegeborn please drop a bossy on that as well

[@pitoperez3468]

Johan should do it that would be friking awesome 😎

[@TheReverendJonnyNemo]

Everyone knows rock was invented in Hill Valley in 1955 by Calvin Klein

[@davidjohnsen3245]

Exactly!

[@acloserlook5823]

Lol

[@jpvvandermerwe87]

. . . with a 1958 ES-335, in 1955 :D

[@JC-rn6hp]

@@jpvvandermerwe87 Dont forget, in 1955 he ran that 1958 guitar through 6 Mesa Boogie Triple Rectifier half stacks with 3 daisy chained Boss Metal Zone pedals. All knobs on pedals, amps and guitar turned to 10. Made for a very clean tone.

[@longroadproductions9242]

The Rev "your kids are gonna love it"

[@GiantPinhead]

Charlie Christian riffs as hard as anybody I've ever heard. We can only imagine how horn players reacted when they heard and FELT him adopting, adapting, and improving their lines with innovative new, LOUD energy. I'm looking forward to this one.

[@micromints1735]

Imagine the black blues man scrounging all his money who discovered this sound in 1936 but had no money to cut a record deal

[@wklorenzino]

Someone make this Overdrive sound in a pedal please. What a killer sound.

[@TheChadPad]

Impossible. But we can dream

[@danejurus69]

I'm curious to see how that amp sounds played with a modern guitar.

[@ЗахаровМикита]

It's possible. Just scan this sound to see how the sound wave looks. Then make a pedal that adds right synusoids to usual guitar sounds and turns it into this sound. It's very hard but proffesional engineer can do it)))

[@jace1449]

Look at the JHS twin twelve, it replicates a silver tone amp which is very similar amp to this

[@brandonwayne1399]

Nocturne Brain’s JR Barnyard pedal. You’re welcome 😁

[@michaelivey2294]

Rock was created about a million years ago when great heat and pressure fused sediments together and have us this abundant resource we call rock.

[@theolajide]

holy fuck that first note jumped at me, killin tone

[@JohanSegeborn]

Glad to hear that!

[@StepOnLegos1]

Holy shit that actually sounds REALLY GOOD

[@markusfinkler9625]

Man, Johan You're a real tonehunter. This thing Sounds really amazing unbelievable that it was produces arround 1930 and we're still searching for this Sound now a days. Thank You - Both

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Markus! Yeah they got it right on day one :-)

[@fisk0]

I'm sure people were experimenting with these sounds at the time, but home recording equipment was almost non-existent and music labels were incredibly risk averse, so none of it got archived. There were people experimenting with electronic music sounding very close to techno in the late 50s over at Phillips Research Labs in Holland after all, but their funding was cut because it strayed too far from "what people are asking for", so we had to wait another 20 years for Kraftwerk.

[@evy2031]

Imagine going back in time and getting a big band to play 21st century schizoid man with this amp

[@themreyeballs]

that’d be incredible

[@elmuertogasg]

Awesome track from my fav album of all times

[@pements155]

We need to campaign for Gibson to reissue this amp ASAP

[@stepvanjoe3469]

We will have to wait and see if it is Authentic enough first

[@immanuelkantholz9033]

They'd ruin it like everything they touch.

[@FloridaManMatty]

stepvan Joe 😂Bravo!!

[@PutItAway101]

It'll have robot knobs you can turn from a phone app

[@davemakesnoises]

@@PutItAway101 and they'll only work for 3 weeks and then lock in place and fuck you buy another one

[@0fVolfAndMan]

So this just confirms that back to the Future is possible

[@Dreyno]

Angus Young horrified that his secret is out. Typed that before he started playing Back in Black 😄

[@scottmclennan6114]

When I heard that first note I was looking at the floor to see what pedal he was going through, but there wasn’t one. What a great sound.

[@alizarincrimson123]

Wow! We've all heard a lot of fantastic amps on Johan's channel and this is one of the best. This thing is screaming for a Gibson reissue. At at 20 watts you could actually use it in clubs and your living room with out getting thrown out on the street.

[@jussioman]

1:35 WTF its nothing but the best rock tone ever!

[@tomacosta85]

The first thing I thought was Malcolm Young AC DC and George Thorogood.

[@brandonwayne1399]

Bob Wills’ guitarist, Junior Barnard, had a dirty tube driven tone in the 40s. Some would argue Junior is the father of guitar distortion. Check out his work on Bob Wills’ Tiffany Transcriptions.

[@qualityisrare]

I've had the pleasure of playing a similar amp from the 30's. What this video can't get across, is the feel of each note blooming and swelling as you play it. Really the feel of the amp adds greatly to the dynamics of what you actually hear as you play.

[@JohanSegeborn]

That kind of comes with the video medium

[@superstrato9571]

The best vintage distorted sound that I've since heard........Ty Bro

[@JohanSegeborn]

Glad to hear that, thanks!

[@vinnieramone4818]

this is proof that hard rock guitar could have happened in the 30's but you would still need unidirectional dynamic mics, electric bass,high powered pa systems etc. If you go thru the history of rock music most of the time the changes are driven by technology

[@JohanSegeborn]

That’s a good point. Cheers

[@NukeClock]

Damn sharp point. I remember watching a documentary about the issues they faced back then with public access, even the Beatles years after with their monster budget had troubles filling the stadiums with quality sound.

[@Wolf_K]

Vinnie Ramone indeed, and by Leo Fender amps and Dick Dale in particular. The godfather of high power amplification.

[@duffman18]

@@NukeClock weren't the first 100w stacks invented just to be used by the Beatles for the shea stadium gig? Made by vox. But then they mic'd everything up to the awful tannoy system so it sounded way worse than it could have done. I guess big sound systems for stadiums were at least a decade away from them

[@chantsurwhen5475]

You dont need any of that for punk!

[@stepvanjoe3469]

Man that amp sounds good! That overdriven tone is fantastic.

[@ponraul1221]

Imagine WW2 with a Vietnam soundtrack lmao

[@ryanspalding875]

I wish dude. Imagine a typical 'Nam era song with any 80's metal twist being released during the era. It would've been badass.

[@ponraul1221]

Ryan Spalding exactly, imagine WW2 with the soundtrack of Operation Desert Storm from 1991 lol

[@ryanspalding875]

@@ponraul1221 something similar to Cowboys From Hell by Pantera blasting from the radios of landing craft at Normandy would've been an experience.

[@ponraul1221]

Ryan Spalding Or Enter Sandman by Metallica in 1942 Africa… Thunderstruck by AC/DC playing inside a B-17 above Germany… The endless possibilities lol

[@davidwilkin1202]

Votes for best war soundtrack?

[@BSIII]

I guarantee that sweet amp can DOOM.

[@laika6661]

It’s official, hardcore punk was invented by the rich kid who got one of these for Christmas and didn’t know how to use it.

[@torarinvik4920]

Sound extremely good, and very unique. Surprised by how smooth the distortion was, I was expecting a "You really got me" sound. Also Simons playing is tasteful.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks man, yeah it may be the smoothest distortion I have played, but it still gives a rough (in a good way) impression

[@torarinvik4920]

@@JohanSegeborn Agreed

[@caydenhunter665]

Josh homme was using one with them crooked vultures if that’s any indication of what it can do

[@VintageSlide]

Cayden Hunter did he really?

[@caydenhunter665]

Valtteri Kataja Yup! In conjunction with a couple other oddball amps

[@epiphonium]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/joewdI2EjNaFerc

[@Heimelhead]

Cayden Hunter thanks for neat factoid! Never knew that and love his playing with all iterations of Kyuss and QOTSa

[@PD-pw4wd]

It could have been invented if only Marty McFly had traveled to 1935 not 1955 ;)

[@jcoulter43]

Simon makes that amp and guitar just SING! Well done once again gentlemen. God bless and rock on 👏🎸😎

[@allstar930]

Homeboy got riffs for days

[@imcttunome]

Our mother had that same amp, bought in 1940 along with a National Hawaiian steel guitar . . . black art deco-shaped guitar, similar to the Chrysler Building in NYC! I used to pull them out of attic in the late 60's to goof around. I remember the chassis comes out of the amp, I think on hinges. It also had a great smell as the tubes got hot! Years later, after I took up guitar, I asked about the amp and learned she had given it to her church choir in the mid '80s. I'm so happy to see this video, because I always wondered what it would sound like cranked up. Oh well, I hope my Mom's amp is still making music for someone!!! Thanks Johan! And to Simon, you and my brother share the same name!!

[@stephensmith799]

Johan you are an inexhaustible supply of brillinant music questions and answers. The amp is priceless as are your vids

[@marcelbelanger4424]

I'm blown away by that tone! Here's an idea for a future video (or several) - is there any guitar/amp combo out there that you just can't get to sound good no matter what you do? Let's go!

[@CMorris7989]

I have a Recording King from about the same era. It has three guitar inputs and one mic input. I use the mic input because it has the most gain.

[@mourningleaves]

The best tone Simon has ever had on this channel! You should get him this guitar/amp combo for Xmas ;)

[@JohanSegeborn]

I doubt the owner will ever let this one go :-)

[@nonsenseinmyhead9016]

It’s amazing, these things record so well. You never know what small vintage amp is gonna sound great.. but one things for certain, not many new boutiques have that tone even when using NOS parts. Don’t no why, but it’s true. Nice find.

[@T0bh]

Dang! This is THE tone! Fantastic sounding amp!

[@fm1317]

52 ES 295 was one of the greatest guitars I’ve owned or played. The light resonant top plus the p90s is a killer combination. The amp is so sweet and harmonically rich. Thanks for the vid!!

[@mjb6673]

That sounds AMAZING! The most original historic sound I have heard. The combo Guitar and Amp has resurrected time.. NEAT THX

[@martinwasson3088]

One of your finest Johan, just ordered 4 6SJ7s on the back of this video for a project, thank you for some brutal tone x

[@eDWICHt]

When the sound came on, I literally shouted 'Woah, fuck off!'. What an incredible sounding little amp!

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks man! ;-)

[@jose_simon]

Always loved the old Gibson and Vox generations with pentode preamps, and this one is no exception ... what a beautiful and sweet sounding piece! Thanks for the great video, these don't show up often enough!

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Joe!

[@ChristopherGwinn]

That is a dream tone - love it!

[@JNava]

Those P90’s is what does it

[@willwetherell7265]

Bingo!

[@doctornerve]

Brilliant video, spectacular tone. Thanks for this.

[@Cercular]

I imagine if hard rock was around in the 30s it would be banned out right. Link Wray's first hard rock song was banned cause it was thought to insight violence. Crazy times

[@frantisca]

Soooo Cool ! At the time the people would have probably said: "but it distords horribly"... and now it's the sound we know and love :) Awesome tone !! \m/

[@BillyCobbOfficial]

Wait I'm confused, that distortion is from a pedal right? Is that thing really making that sound? I thought overload distortion wasn't a thing until the 60's? If that's the actual sound of the amp then this is truly astounding.

[@andrewconley4460]

It's amplifier overdrive, too much power makes the sound distorted. no pedal, all tube amps can do this.

[@simonsimon1983]

Billy hi billy

[@omarmega4093]

Aight this sounds much much better than I anticipated. Holly cow it's too good. Hard to belive they werent aiming for this sound.

[@RoachDoggJr2112]

Plug a Les Paul tuned to C, and either slash the speaker or plug a fuzz in, and you've got Sleep tone. Crazy, man.

[@BSIII]

Right before I saw your comment, I left a comment saying I guarantee this sweet amp can DOOM.

[@tomsvintagegear]

Excellent !! Some slap back with an EP-1 would be the icing on the cake !

[@bradrevland5451]

Great tone! Excellent playing! Very cool amp!

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Brad!

[@spynae]

Oh my god I can't believe how delicious that sounds overdriven

[@siegfriedwashburn3484]

Hi, Johan! All can I say is THANK YOU for the greatest video and music! I was just flown by such so AWEAWEAWESOME SOUND! Thank you, Zigfrid

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Zigfrid, glad you like it! Cheers

[@spaidly]

Sick! You guys are superb. Thank you.

[@cprogrck]

I love the sound of this amp. There's sooo much there. It's so warm but punchy

[@jeffloucks2120]

In love with this setup !! Thanks Simon for all the tasty licks and the mighty Johan for providing the fix.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Jeff! :-)

[@davestein940]

Had one years ago...a monster but she could blow at any time! Some one should make a modern copy!! I want that tone back!

[@donsmith5385]

Wow Johan! I believe reading that the amps were matched for the P-90 pickups, I remember reading an interview with Seth Lover, he was trying to keep within in specs for those amplifiers when making the Humbucking P-90 (P.A.F), even in the states those pre- war amps are extremely rare. It’s amazing one landed in Sweden!

[@iansmith8783]

I’m imagining a bunch of 30s guys just gathering around and getting their minds blown 😂

[@jeanguion3223]

Damn the old amp sounds good.... Pick-ups make a difference too.... But these old 12-20 watt tube amps are the real jewels.... It is what they did not know back then that made these amps have so much personality...... Best time I ever had playing was sitting in a music store with a 1986 charvel#2 an orion distortion pedal and a tiny all tube fender champ from the late 60's or early 70's....low volume beautiful natural tone plush and growly.....learnt me to love old stuff....

[@chedu77]

Best gear video of the year, hands down

[@sniffrat3646]

So how come no one ever did this in the 1940's? I honestly thought it was because they didn't have the amps in those days. This proves me wrong! Enlightening stuff, thanks lads!

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks! I think hard rock is a piece time luxury ;-)

[@kentgrill-als2894]

But did they have guitars with enough pickup output to make the amp sound like this in the 30's?

[@guillll]

Maybe they did ... John Lee Hooker recorded some pretty distorted guitar tracks in the late 40s, and I suspect that his records are probably just a tame version of what he actually sounded like live.

[@fuzzface8252]

Most people thought that sort of sound was terrible in the 30's and 40's. They turned the amps up just loud enough to be heard, and not to intentionally make distortion. but there is a video somewhere on KZbin that showcases distortion WAS in popular music all the way back to the beginnings of music recording. Rocket 88 wasn't the first recording with guitar distortion by any means.

[@sniffrat3646]

@@guillll Good point. Maybe they did play distorted "for a laugh" or to experiment. Strange that no there's no recordings though. Or maybe people just didn't like it back then!

[@Heka41]

wow thats a fabulous tone, and excellent playing, im very impressed

[@Shadowcruise99]

Got a little caught up playing with the video effect tab, there Johan.

[@Gentamoru]

"I guess you guys aren't ready for that yet... but your kids are gonna love it"

[@danielforsberg4018]

Man, that boy could play! Sounds very “air:ey”! 👍👌

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Daniel! He sure can!

[@MarkProffitt]

Try this, I used to do it with my 1968 Fender Princeton. Bypass the reverb chamber and run that cable directly back in. The reverb knob becomes the most amazing overdrive / distortion. Severely over driven 6L6 is the key ingredient.

[@byronlaird5116]

Hell yeah, that Amp/Axe combination KILLS !!

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Byron! :-)

[@JPTyler]

Well now...the opening notes made my butthole pucker! Who would've thought that an ancient combo amp could get so dirty in its tones? Love it! 😁

[@JohanSegeborn]

Glad to hear it!

[@thoth8663]

Yeah boi, spank that plank !! Playin' my personal anthem for the past 53yrs.....not fade away.

[@SC4211]

Damn. That's really ballsy for something that came from the 30's. I wonder if it could even be pushed to metal territory with an overdrive and a solid body Les Paul?

[@jordangraf673]

Sounds beautiful with that guitar. That was some nice playing too.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Jordan!

[@honour123]

I almost shit my pants when you hit the first notes of your chord from that guitar to that old amp! OMG! HEAVY! OH YA!

[@mr.banana4893]

The music from around 8:00 to around 10:00 is pure alternative/grunge, it sounds like the new Oasis release. Wow, we also could have had that in the 40's as well.

[@kebman]

Happy New Year folks, _that_ was something else! What a *sound!*

[@DMSProduktions]

ROCKIN' the juke joint! \m/

[@JohanSegeborn]

Cheers DMS! ;-)

[@DMSProduktions]

@@JohanSegeborn Have FUN!

[@batheavy2834]

Astonishing tone, really, really perfect in many ways. 👌

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks!

[@turdferguson9190]

Josh Homme used a similiar if not identical Gibson amp together with an Ampeg when he played with Them Crooked Vultures. Really great tone!

[@epiphonium]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/joewdI2EjNaFerc