Felderfans

Mark wants to know whether or not you modified your Tweed Deluxe with different tubes or speakers.

No, it’s just a stock Fender tweed deluxe.

Ken C. asks, “What specific pedals do you use for the effects on One of These Nights and Hotel California?”

For “Hotel” on stage I use a Boss stereo chorus, Boss echo and an OCD overdrive pedal on the six string neck. I use a boss echo and a leslie for the 12 string neck. The guitar is custom-wired with two output jacks so that when I switch necks it switches outputs to different amps.

Hello from Spain. I have a guitar from a customer who acquired it in Florida at antique shop. She was told the guitar at one time belonged to Don Felder. I’ve attached a photo. Can you verify or not? Thanks.

Sorry, looks like your customer was fooled. I have NEVER owned a blonde Gibson custom in my life!

Daniel was wondering how you set your delay pedals. “You mentioned you use two delays live. What settings do you use?”

I always set the slap delay times to either 1/4 notes or some meter that is in time with the song. For Victim Of Love I set it to be a 1/4 Triplet. That way the echo is in time with the song and not fighting it.

Brian asks: I’m working on recording a cover of All of You just for a hobby project since it’s my favorite song from Mr. Felder. I’ve seen that some answers are given for Takin’ a Ride but was just curious if there are any other tidbits of info on how the guitars were recorded on All of You?

Brian, the basic track and was recorded in L.A. at Westlake studios. All the overdubs were done in Miami at Criteria Studios while I was down there working on a Bee Gees record. One guitar, one amp, one or two pedals, one mic. Simple.

Items in Don’s set-up that he absolutely can’t do without

• Gibson Les Paul
• Fender Strat with custom pickups and wiring
• Fender black face Deluxe or Tweed amp
• Chorus
• Echo unit
• Herco custom picks

Steve let us know: I just posted the Eagles’ Good Day in Hell online as an example of a screaming slide solo, and added “standard tuning too”. Was I wrong?

No, you weren’t. Good Day In Hell was in “STANDARD” tuning.

From Jeremy in Texas: I am a fan of Don’s guitar and steel playing. I currently play an MSA Millineum pedal steel. I think he used a Sho-Bud in the 70′s and I just want to verify that, and what amps used to get that great sound.

Jeremy, I used a Sho-Bud double neck and ran it through a Roland amp with one 15-inch JBL speaker.

I recall your use of an acoustic 12-string to compose “Hotel California” for the Eagles. Have you played Breedlove or Guild 12 strings (ie. 212 with Rosewood top?) Do you ever play acoustic 12-strings with just external tube mikes – for added warmth? Bruce T., Canada

Yes, I use acoustic 12-strings. Hotel California was recorded on a Martin 12 string with a pickup in it. The pickup was run through a leslie cabinet and recorded in stereo. The acoustic was recorded on another track and placed in the center of the mix.”

I’m a huge fan. You are a great guitarist. Do you remember what Gretsch you used for Desperado and Wasted Time on the 1994 Hell Freezes Over DVD? It was black. I know you used a White Falcon for two songs but I can’t make out what the black one is. Thanks, Tony

It was a 1959 orange Gretsch “Chet Atkins” that I had refinished black. I loved the sound but hated the color.

I’m a lifetime Felder fan, and also a guitarist. I love the big guitar tone on ‘Already Gone’. What was the guitar, amp, and whatever else used to achieve that tone? Thanks, Phil P.

If I recall correctly, the “big guitar tone” on Already Gone was a Les Paul Special and a black face Fender Deluxe amp with a Vox speaker.

Austin wrote asking what pickups Don uses in his Les Pauls. “Does he use Seymour Duncan’s like in the Strats or something different?”

I use custom-wrapped Seymour Duncan pick ups in my new Les Pauls that are wrapped to my specs to equal my old Les Paul outputs.

I was wondering how the sustain at the very end of “Visions” was achieved. The notes go on and on and it sounds like they are faded out. Were any effects used to get the notes to sustain for that long? Or was it a studio effect? What guitar(s) did you use on that track? Thanks, Manny

Manny, the sustain on the end of Visions is me sitting very near the amp in the studio and using NATURAL feedback. No pedal or gain boost, just guitar pickups feeding back into themselves.

On the subject of acoustic guitars, Dave asked, “Don, I know you are a fan of Taylor Guitars (as am I), so what do you think about the Taylor T5 Hybrid Acoustic Electric? I have heard that while people love the playability, the various tone options it offers via the 5-way Taylor pickup system are a real compromise. Have you had any experience with the guitar?”

And Duke wanted to know, “What brand/model of acoustic guitar does Don play the most now? I may have read somewhere that he is playing a Collings. I am contemplating buying one myself. Thanks!”

I love Taylor acoustic guitars and even have several electrics that I use in my studio. I have not had the opportunity to play with the Hybrid models yet but I would expect them to be as good as the rest of the Taylor line. I play mostly the Taylors (model 614 CE) on stage now. They sound the best I’ve heard on stage and in the house for live shows.