Marie Landragin

Corsair

August 2010

Let's start off by talking about your Marshall amp head, Marie. What year and model is it? Has it been modified: tubes, circuitry, anything? Is it a master volume model or a non-master volume model? 

I have a 1972 Marshall 100 watt Super Lead. The previous owner had installed a master volume on the back of the amp which allows you to overdrive the head a little without blowing your ears wide open. I actually had it re-wired back to the original two volumes but it was unbelievably loud and without a power brake I would have not gotten the texture I wanted, so I had the guy wire the master volume back on. It was good to try it out though, for sure! It also has an added 16 ohm output and of course some Sovtek EL340s. Apart from that, I believe the amp to have no other modifications.

What about this Marshall led you to it? Have you compared it to other years and models?

Years ago I played a JCM 800, which I really liked but was looking for a warmer, more vintage sound. A friend of mine owned the ’72 that I now have, and when I heard it for the first time the 800 just didn’t seem quite as appealing as the ’72. My first amp (which I still have) was a Marshall Lead 20, a little combo I think from the 80’s that a friend sold me…I would venture to say that this is where my romance with Marshall began.

After your set back in July, I asked you (shamefaced!) to turn up the Marshall all the way and play a chord, so I could hear what it sounded like. My ears are still ringing! Do you ever turn everything up to 10 when you play? What volume setting do you usually use?

HA! Never up to 10! It would kill a grown man I would think. Or at least turn you totally deaf?! I usually have the two volume inputs mixed (for tone) and then the master volume set at about three which seems to be sufficiently loud for any live show or recording. 

I saw you with a Laney 4x12 cabinet, but I remember you told me you have old Marshall cabinets, too, that you usually play through. What models are those? Do you know their specifications? Do you ever play through a full stack? Do you prefer one speaker type over another? 

Yeah, I was playing the Laney because it is a little smaller than the Marshall cab and fits in the Jeep a little easier! I have a Marshall 1960B straight cab from the 1980’s that I use regularly but that’s it. I have never played through a full stack, mainly because, if I did, I think I would always want to play through a full stack! I remember taking the back off the cab years ago and if my memory serves me right, I have those delicious Greenbacks in there. I am a big fan of Celestion speakers, always have been.

You use a few pedals live, including a Fulltone OCD. Will you explain what you have and why and when you use them?

I have Boss Tuner, Akai Headrush, Boss Digital Delay/Reverb, MXR Phase 100, Fulltone OCD, Maestro Phaser and occasionally use a Rat, Flanger (eeek!), EHX Big Muff and an Octavia. The delay/reverb/Akai combo I use for ethereal soundscapes, spacey atmospheric coloring, plinking and scary dark sounds in our music. The OCD is my go-to for heavy riffing and generally I add the phaser for solos. I am a huge fan of well placed (in the music) effects pedals as I feel they can really fill out the real estate surrounding melodies and main riffs. It is not often I go straight clean with the plexi due to the warm sound of my Les Paul: it tends to end up sounding more jazzy than heavy rock!

Do you prefer the OCD (to cranking the Marshall) because of its tone, or is this a way to get the sound you want at a lower volume? Or perhaps this is the precise tone you're looking for? 

Right, so I sort of answered in the previous question. Alone, meaning without effects, the Marshall and Les Paul together are a little cleaner than what I desire. My guitar does not have super hot pick ups and since the amp cannot be cranked to where I would like it to start breaking up, I fall back on the OCD, which has an excellent variety in distortion frequencies. I really do love that pedal. As far as tone, well, I am always tweaking my sound I guess.

When we played with Corsair, you spoke lovingly about your Les Paul, and I agree it's a beauty. Do you mind describing it and explaining some of the changes you've made to it, such as removing the finish from the neck? (Or perhaps it came that way?)

Yes, it is the second electric I have ever owned, a 1976 Les Paul Custom. I traded my 1994 Les Paul Standard and $300 for it about 12 years ago. I even have the original receipt of purchase which I think is quite awesome. I years ago I had it re-fretted (all totally worn out) and put on a new bridge and nut. I sanded off the finish on the neck because the previous owner, a jazz musician, had played the hell out of the 5th, 7th and 12th fret positions and worn off all the finish. My left hand would sometimes “stick” when I would slide over the non-finished parts of the neck which I found to be slightly annoying. So I figured if I sanded down the whole neck that would alleviate my annoyance…which it did wonderfully! Now the neck is super soft and smooth and feels really comfortable.

This combination of Les Paul - Marshall is classic rock all the way, of course. Do you have other guitars and amps? 

I have a Bradley SG knock-off that I have tuned to standard E. It plays quite well, has super nice tuning keys (great bonus) and the pickups sound killer through the Marshall. I actually like it a lot. My fellow band mate Paul gave it to me one Easter a few years back and I use it for another band I play in, Borrowed Beams of Light. 

Why did you decide on on current set-up, as opposed to, say, a Strat and a Vox?

I have never really connected with Fender instruments or any other brand really. It is not to say that I don’t like the sound or am snobby about it, but rather my sentiment towards them is not as genuine as it is for Gibson or Marshall. Not to mention most of guitar idols I have played Gibsons and Marshalls so that’s probably a big sub-conscious influence. As far as amps, well I guess I never owned anything but Marshall, so again, I just don’t feel as strongly about other brands (maybe it is time to try out other gear?!). The main gear I use I came across by chance or luck, and that has created a strong bond between my rig and me: we are destined team! 

Can you tell a little about your recording technique? Was your latest release recorded digitally or analog, or both? Do you remember the mics used for your guitar sound? Was anything added at the board? 

Let’s see, not sure what mics we used, but I believe it was all digital. Can’t say for certain though. At that point in my recording career, I tended not to pay too much attention to what was being used and how it was done, etc. Today, however, it is a different story. I am very much interested in learning more about recording technique and developing the right “sound.” For the most part, I think the guitar sound was pretty straight forward on that recording, maybe some spacey digital effects were layered on tail ends of phrases but nothing that would be considered as an effects cheat. I did not use the OCD then; I used a Blues Driver distortion pedal and Big Muff, mainly.

Do you hear a guitar tone in your head that you're striving for? Or do you start with what you have and go from there? Is there such a thing as the "perfect tone" for you?

I think it depends on the sound of the room I’m in, how long my amp has been warming up, and whether or not my ears are shot. It’s not so much as a tone living in my head that I need flush out of hiding but rather a feeling from my gut. When it sounds right it feels right. I sometimes turn on my amp and it sounds heavenly; other times it sounds like something has gone awry. Eerily enough, I think my amp and guitar have their own moods and personality and there are times when I am a little surprised by their temperamental swings.

Thanks, Marie, for taking such care answering my questions. I'm looking forward to hearing you play again soon. Next time I promise I won't ask you to crank the plexi!

To hear Corsair and Marie's excellent guitar tone, go here without hesitation: http://www.myspace.com/skykrakken