The Paul Franklin sound

Ben Godard · Post by **Ben Godard** » 20 Dec 2007 8:58 pm

I have to admit that Paul is undoubtedly my favorite steeler. I like his style and his tone and his playing is what got me playing steel.

I finally have got a Franklin D10 with BL 710's. I play through a peavey tubefex to a graphic eq and then the peavey nashville 1000. No matter what I do, I cannot get a Paul Franklin sound like I hear on the radio.
What I notice, is when I pick a note, it sound too harsh of an attack. I've noticed that most of Pauls tone, you don't really hear a sharp attack. It's kind of a somewhat subtle, warm, and soft attack but it sounds so good. I cannot adjust any settings to get that warm soft attack without muddying the tone.

I don't have Paul's equipment, but my preamp (the tubefex)is "tube" and you'd think that you could get a similar sound from it. I know Paul uses a MB studio preamp and a mosvalve tube power amp. It sounds like he's tube all the way. Maybe I need to save up 10 grand on a Paul Franklin setup.

Then again maybe I just don't know enough about signal processing.

Any ideas anyone

Dan Tyack · Post by **Dan Tyack** » 20 Dec 2007 9:16 pm

It's probably not a setup issue, but I must say that the Lawrence 710 is a little harsh and compressed to my ears. I like the 705 on my Franklins.

Bobby Boggs · Post by **Bobby Boggs** » 20 Dec 2007 9:18 pm

Well, Ben you're going to like what I have to say.But Paul sounds like Paul thru unmoded Nashville 400's.That's about as far from tubes as you can get.What you're looking for is at least 90% in the hands. .........bb

Stephen Gambrell · Post by **Stephen Gambrell** » 20 Dec 2007 9:42 pm

Bobby's right. To sound like Paul Franklin, you gotta be...
Paul Franklin.

Dan Tyack · Post by **Dan Tyack** » 20 Dec 2007 10:46 pm

or Mike Johnson.

Bill Simmons · Post by **Bill Simmons** » 20 Dec 2007 10:55 pm

Don't listen to them Ben...it is the Franklin Steel that is your problem so I will do you a big favor and buy it from you!! HA HA

Seriously, Franklin's are great steels -- as suggested, for your playing approach, perhaps it may be the BL - 710's are a little harsh sounding?!?

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 21 Dec 2007 12:21 am

Since Paul uses 710's so the problem is probably not the pickup.

Think of how a classical violin player uses his bow. It takes years of study and practice to get it together. So have fun playing and know that while you are getting your chops together you are playing one of the best steels ever made.

Dan Tyack · Post by **Dan Tyack** » 21 Dec 2007 1:11 am

Paul uses both 705s and 710s, but I tend to agree with Bob. I've heard Paul play through ShoBud, Emmons, and Franklin guitars, and ShoBud, and Peavey, and rack amps, and he basically sounds the same.

Johan Jansen · Post by **Johan Jansen** » 21 Dec 2007 2:09 am

You will get the Franklin sound when you also have his brain and talents.

Johan (Merry X-mas)

Jack Stanton · Post by **Jack Stanton** » 21 Dec 2007 3:59 am

Ben,
I own Buddy Emmons' old rosewood Legrand, and when I sit at it I can hear a certain timbre that I hear on "One For The Road" (listen to the CD release, especially "Every time You Touch Me" or the solo portion of "Take Me Out To The Ballgame", but when I play it, the sound that comes out is pure Jack Stanton...(Hey, that’s not necessarily a bad thing, I LIKE the way I sound!)

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 21 Dec 2007 4:13 am

We have the characteristic Franklin sound with our Franklin guitars. After that it's the person, the way they attack or pick the guitar and the equipment they use. However, we can have the exact same equipment and usually do not sound like that artist.

Mike Johnson is the only one I've heard that comes very close to Paul, but he has a Franklin guitar and basically the same recording equipment that Paul has and has most likely seen the settings Paul uses and has duplicated that. (I'm not taking anything away from his talents).

But it's rare that someone can sound like their favorite musician. I hear it all the time, "so and so" sounds just like Buddy Emmons or can play everything Buddy does - BULL!

Glenn Suchan · Post by **Glenn Suchan** » 21 Dec 2007 5:13 am

Mike Johnson is the only one I've heard that comes very close to Paul, but he has a Franklin guitar and basically the same recording equipment that Paul has....

Jack I agree, but I'll add, I know of another person who, when he chooses to, can play and sound like Paul Franklin. That person is my friend and mentor, Paul Carestia. Like Mike Johnson, Paul plays a Franklin guitar and uses the same amp setup. Paul C. has his own wonderful style, but when he wants to, he can sound uncannily close to Paul F. I've heard him do the same with Jimmy Day's style of playing, also. Paul can be heard on many recordings, most notably from Robbie Fulks.

Keep on pickin' Paul!

Glenn

Don Sulesky · Post by **Don Sulesky** » 21 Dec 2007 6:33 am

Jack Stanton
I liked the way you sounded when you used to play the PSGA shows.
I also enjoyed the seminars we took together in NY also.
Keep it up.
Don

Mike Brown · Post by **Mike Brown** » 21 Dec 2007 6:57 am

It's in the family recipe.

Jamie Lennon · Post by **Jamie Lennon** » 21 Dec 2007 7:04 am

I got a Franklin guitar I use a peavey Profex 2 and session 500.

Settings on my amp which I like and gives me the Franklin sort of sound is

low 0
mid -2
mid shift 2 oclock
treble -6
presence 3-6

But I have always based my playing around Pauls, pick blocking etc, and I would check the height on the pickup, lower it down a bit the stop the harsh sound.

Jamie

Scott Swartz · Post by **Scott Swartz** » 21 Dec 2007 8:34 am

You are also comparing your sound in your practice room to a recording produced in a high quality recording studio captured with top grade electronics and mixed/mastered by some of the best engineers in the business, that is a small part of it.

However, steel typically isnt changed as much in the recording process as say drums (which sound quite different than the natural sound on a lot of records), and I have heard PF live several times and that's how he sounds.

The "in the hands" explanation is pretty much it.

Andy Schick · Post by **Andy Schick** » 21 Dec 2007 11:35 am

Where is the placement of your right hand?
What fret do you pick over?
Thanks Andy

Andy Zahnd · Post by **Andy Zahnd** » 21 Dec 2007 12:22 pm

I strongly belief it's not just the right hand... even you're not touching the strings with your right hand... the left hand and the bar, the way you're doing it is maybe more the sound you're gonna get.... I'm strongly belief the left hand and the bar gives you "your kind of sound"!!!! But I have ear and hearproblems anyway... that's maybe why......

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 21 Dec 2007 12:26 pm

I believe first it's a mixture of both hands and the brain. Then the peripherals such as guitar, amp, brand of underwear

etc...

Andy Zahnd · Post by **Andy Zahnd** » 21 Dec 2007 12:27 pm

you're right... black underwears are sounding always better..... $:\$

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 21 Dec 2007 1:52 pm

For years, I was wearing Fruit of the Loom colored bikini undies, but can't find them any more. I had to switch to FOTL briefs (colored of course). I have noticed that my tone has improved a little bit. Not sure if I notice that the black ones sound better. Flowery ones tend to give my playing more emotion.

On a serious note, I have noticed that if I am wearing clothes that make me feel uncomfortable, it does affect my playing a little. An example is large belt buckles that slice my stomach in half when I sit down (if it would only slice some of my stomach off

). It's too hard to relax. You see alot of posts on the right footwear to wear, but your other clothes can make a difference too.

Dean Parks · Post by **Dean Parks** » 21 Dec 2007 6:01 pm

Paul uses a heavier guage on some strings.

http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum5/HTML/012013.html

I have no first-hand experience with the Tubefex or the 500, but my understanding is you COULD use the Tubefex as only effects, but that the Tubefex can also be used as a preamp, with tone controls like a combo amp, correct?

If so, are you using the profex as an EQ/pre, then plugging its output into the regular 500 input? In this case, try going into the Effect Return on the 500... 2 preamps in a row can get nasty.

-dean-

Bob Carlucci · Post by **Bob Carlucci** » 21 Dec 2007 7:24 pm

ditto.. Its all in his hands... I currently play a Carter and an MSA, but have owned 6 Buds, 4 other MSA's, a Dekley, a Williams,a Fender, and no matter how hard I try, they all sound like me playing,, No way around it.... Just once I'd like to sound like Chalker on my MSA or Bouton on my Carter :

( ... btw, I'd like to say hello to an old aquaintence from my NJ days,Jack Stanton, who was always a very fine player, glad to see you finally posting here,,, We both played the same clubs with several of the same guys for the same money for a long time... Good to see you in print Jack.
Ciano, Swain and I have been here for years, and I was wondering if you were still hackin at it, or called it quits and got out of playing!,, Hope you are doing well.... bob

Mike Archer · Post by **Mike Archer** » 21 Dec 2007 9:20 pm

I understand your desire to sound like paul
he is a wonderfull player for sure
as are buddy and tommy white and Mike
but if I were you I would do my own style
and use your franklin knowledge and add that in your playing as well as your own tone
and other players as well
please dont take this as a put down
its just an idea..............
I know a lot of steel players and they all
have there own sound
to me thats a good thing

Jack Stanton · Post by **Jack Stanton** » 22 Dec 2007 8:42 am

Don,
Thanks for the kind words. Those were great times!

Bob- Doing well, thanks. Play out occassioally, but the club scene is not what it was back in the day, plus it’s a whole lot harder to be out until 3 or 4 am and then try to function the next day than it used to! I still tear it up in the music room, though…
I actually lurked here for a long time before I started posting.

Talk about Paul Franklin and sounding like other players, Paul is one of those players who can put his ego a side and deliver whatever the artist asks for. Paul played on a Vince Gill album and I would have sworn it was John Hughey, particularly on “Oklahoma Swing”. He nailed the Hughey C6th sound. Sounded just like John on Dickey Betts’ “Highway Call” album.

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