So, just what the heck is "growl", anyway?

Ron Deardorff · From: Capitola, CA

I've heard this quality attributed to vintage Emmons steels, among other things, and I've always been curious about what exactly it was referring to. I ask because I think I was hearing something fairly growly from my humble little BMI the other night while I was sliding the bar on strings 3 and 4 higher up on the fretboard. I became aware of a certain kind of low-tone-sympathetic-resonance thing, very interesting sounding, that was playing right along with the high notes I was making as slid the bar to various frets. Did this have anything to do with the legendary "growl", or is this a more common phenomenon on all guitars that I have been previously unaware of? Whatever it was, it was pretty cool, though.

Bob Carlucci · From: Candor, New York, USA

Ron.. first of all, NOTHING humble about a BMI.. they are as good a steel as any other brand... Also,I think you are are correct as far as your perception of "growl".. sounds as plausible as any other explanation I've heard... I think "growl" or lack of it is a subjective subject really... bob

Tim Harr · From: Dunlap, Illinois

I hear that "growl" on ANYTHING that Dicky Overbey has recorded using his Emmons P/P.

Check it out and you will know it when you hear it.

Tim

Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

Ron, I don't know what it is either, but I don't think it's that low-tone-resonance thing you're referring to. We've had some previous discussion about that resonance in discussing amps in the past. You could do a search on it if you're interested. All I can remember from the thread was John Hughey saying that his Evans amps are the only ones he's ever tried that did not have that resonance happening, so it seems to be some kind of guitar/pickup/amp interaction.

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

Growl?

Maybe it's something the Emmons fans think they hear?

(Kinda like that "moan" of an old Ricky?)

(Or those "overtones" of old Fender tube amps?)

And so it goes.

Ho hum.

Bob Carlucci · From: Candor, New York, USA

uh oh .. I think maybe Donny swatted the hornets nest!!

bob

David Doggett · Posted 4 May 2005 9:15 am

When I think of growl, I think of definition in slides on the low strings, as opposed to a muddy, muffled or woofy sound. Oddly enough, I think the growl and definition come from the high harmonics of the low strings being accentuated and sustained by a trebly guitar/pickup/amp combination - that's why bass players like 10" speakers or 15" cabinets with tweeters. My Emmons push/pull has growl.

When I think of moan, I think of good sustain in the mids. My Emmons push/pull has it.

When I think of tube harmonics, I think of the clean but textured sound you hear from a Fender tube amp. Overdrive and fuzz are different, although they may derive from the same harmonics.

I don't think it is all in our heads. Things do have different sounds.

Rick Schmidt · From: Prescott AZ, USA

I've always thought that steelers were talking about something similar to what standup acoustic bass players refer to as "growl"....e.g. You hit the note, then the string increases in amplitude a couple seconds later, creating a growling resonant sound.

My sho-bud professional does that around the first and second fret when I attack it hard.

Dave Burr · From: League City, TX

Like Tim Harr, I hear what I "perceive" as the "growl" everyone talks about when I listen to Dicky Overbey play his 66' PP. I also hear it in spades when I hear any of the clips Henry or Jelle posts of Koos Biel playing. Especially the ones in this post from back in January; http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum15/HTML/008275.html
Unfortunately, the links are no longer valid. I, however downloaded them to my computer when the post originally went up. The two songs in this post epitomize what I think "growl" is. Maybe someone can persuade Henry or Jelle to repost them.

Respectfully,
Dave

Kevin Hatton · From: Buffalo, N.Y.

I agree with Dave Dogett. String definition with overtones. My ZB Custom like and Emmons push/pull has got lots of it.

Paddy Long · From: Christchurch, New Zealand

It actually refers to the sound your dog makes each time you start a practice session !@ Ha

Mark Herrick · From: Bakersfield, CA

Rich Weiss · From: Woodland Hills, CA, USA

The growl is something that I first heard whenever I'd go to the Palomino, in the 60's and 70's and listen to Jay Dee playing his Emmons. It's like another dimension of sound that to me, is irresistable.

Mike Headrick · From: South Pittsburg, TN, USA

Anyone who heard JayDee in Dallas would have heard the growl, the bark, the yelp, and the whine. That was the most fantasic P/P tone I've ever heard.

Larry Bell · From: Englewood, Florida

OK, I'm donning my Kevlar as we speak, but will risk being flamed to state my OPINION

One thing that's missing in many modern guitars is a gradient in tone between picking softly and really digging in. I PERSONALLY think that a single coil pickup and an Emmons original design (push-pull) guitar into a Twin is a good place to start looking for it.

The different -- slightly ballsier, slightly compressed, maybe even slightly distorted -- tone quality allows the player to get even more soul out of the instrument.

BTW, I think old Buds and ZB's growl too -- just with a slightly different voice than an Emmons.

JUST MY OPINION. I think the growl is real, but it's easier to RECOGNIZE than it is to DESCRIBE.

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Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps

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