Pedals to get that Def Leppard Hysteria Tone

SIX_STRING_LUKE

Hi there

So I've been really into Def Leppard recently and I'm pretty interested in learning some of there songs like Animal, Don't Shoot Shotgun, Pour some sugar etc

I wanted to ask whats the best way/ best effects pedals to get that Hysteria style tone from a Fender Blackface 65 amp?  

Hope someone can help!

octatonic

Phil has used a Marshall JMP1 preamp for donkey's, back in the day he was using rack effects, now uses an Axe FX for all his effects, into a power amp with a split out to monitors.

With a Fender amp you aren't really in the same sort of tonal area but a Marshall-in-a-box pedal with delay and chorus would get you close enough. It is mostly down to the playing anyway.

So drive pedals to consider: Bogner Red, Amptweaker Tight Rock Jr, Catalinbread DLS, Friedman BE-OD, Suhr Riot, Thorpy Gunshot would all get you into the territory.
Turn the bass down on your amp.

A chorus and delay of your choosing.

EricTheWeary

Ooh that sound was very much the Marshall JMP1 pre amp as I remember it, also the sound of ZZ Top Eliminator period. 
Quick Google suggests £300 on eBay. 

xscaramanga

As you may know, most of the guitars on Hysteria were recorded with an original Rockman headphone amp. The reissues are not the same circuit and apparently sound totally different. Originals do come up on eBay sometimes, but they're expensive and old units apparently can get noisy. But that's the solution.

The Rockman had basically one sound, and they weren't very flexible; you couldn't turn off all the effects. They had stereo reverb and chorus. You can find out a lot online from sites like this: https://www.rockman.fr/Reviews/Rockman.htm

I've never used one so I'd just be regurgitating what I've read online.

But basically it's a highly compressed, distorted tone with a quite artificial cab simulator. This created a guitar sound that didn't use up as many frequencies as your normal amp/cab rig so it could fit into Mutt's extremely busy mixes.

Live Def Leppard have for years used a Marshall JMP-1 preamp, JFX-1 multi-fx, an Alexis reverb (for Phil anyway, I think Vivian prefers a Lexicon unit), and a Palmer PDI-09 speaker simulator. Lately they've been using Axe-FX for some stuff too.

For learning the songs, I'd say the playing matters way more than the tone. I play along with a quite raw, dry distorted tone and it sounds great. But yeah, experiment with chorus, delay and reverb after distortion if you want the full 80s vibe. 

EricTheWeary

Here's how to sound like Hysteria into a Fender Deluxe Reverb, don't know how useful it'll be although I suspect Andy has more idea than I do:

Kebabkid

Yep, the JMP-1 preamp was used and you'll need a delay and chorus, possibly a compressor, but I was going to say one of the Rockman devices or some preamps had a Rockman (tm) model, like the ADA MP-1.

If you want it just for home, Blackstar have just released a 3W mini signature Def Leppard practise map. I think it really needs the Chorus in order to be authentic but it sounds fine https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tE6B9zIhx8 and I quite fancy auditioning one.

sgosden

you need to play topless to really get Phil's tone.

not_the_dj

Kebabkid said:

If you want it just for home, Blackstar have just released a 3W mini signature Def Leppard practise map. 

isn't that just a standard Fly 3 with the Hysteria graphics?

impmann

Phil's been using Blackstar ID Series amps on stage for some time...

Kebabkid

not_the_dj said:

Kebabkid said:

If you want it just for home, Blackstar have just released a 3W mini signature Def Leppard practise map. 

isn't that just a standard Fly 3 with the Hysteria graphics?

Ah. You may be right and that may explain the lack of chorus (add one) and 'getting right into' the DL sound. If so, my apologies

StefB

impmann said:

Phil's been using Blackstar ID Series amps on stage for some time...

Is that with Def Leppard though or his side project Man Raze? I know he used Fender Cyber Twins with the latter so that’s more likely as Leppard don’t have backline on stage as far as I recall. 

hollywoodrox

Also if just for home a blackstar ID core 20 stereo , they use them in the sparkle lounge backstage .  A chorus and a delAy with your Fender should get you there and any Marshall in a box clone

impmann

StefB said:

impmann said:

Phil's been using Blackstar ID Series amps on stage for some time...

Is that with Def Leppard though or his side project Man Raze? I know he used Fender Cyber Twins with the latter so that’s more likely as Leppard don’t have backline on stage as far as I recall. 

Last tour with DL he was using them - and he was out with them this year with them.

FelineGuitars

SIX_STRING_LUKE

Thanks so much for all the info on this guys I really appreciate it!, Will do my research for some gear

The comment about taking your top off and oiling up made me laugh XD

jeztone2

On the 1993 tour they were both using Digitech GSP-21’s. They didn’t go with the JMP1’s until Slang onwards. You could buy a Digitech RP-1 for £50 which is the same unit in a pedalboard.