Abraxas Pool (guitarist rant)

[strangegrey]

Who's got this disc?
I was thumbing through some CDs to listen to this afternoon...and came across this one that I haven't listened to in years...

So I'm listening...and the songs are great, Gregg's great.....but this has to be some of Neal's worst work in decades. His tone sucks and the parts are about as uninventive as they've ever been. It really sounds like Neal's recording direct...which wouldn't surprise me, as he's been known to just plug in a Boss Multi-effects unit and forego the amps....Simply disgracefully awful tone.

Am I alone in this assessment?

[NealIsGod]

Who's got this disc?
I was thumbing through some CDs to listen to this afternoon...and came across this one that I haven't listened to in years...

So I'm listening...and the songs are great, Gregg's great.....but this has to be some of Neal's worst work in decades. His tone sucks and the parts are about as uninventive as they've ever been. It really sounds like Neal's recording direct...which wouldn't surprise me, as he's been known to just plug in a Boss Multi-effects unit and forego the amps....Simply disgracefully awful tone.

Am I alone in this assessment?

Do you ever get tired of bashing him?

[strangegrey]

Who's got this disc?
I was thumbing through some CDs to listen to this afternoon...and came across this one that I haven't listened to in years...

So I'm listening...and the songs are great, Gregg's great.....but this has to be some of Neal's worst work in decades. His tone sucks and the parts are about as uninventive as they've ever been. It really sounds like Neal's recording direct...which wouldn't surprise me, as he's been known to just plug in a Boss Multi-effects unit and forego the amps....Simply disgracefully awful tone.

Am I alone in this assessment?

Do you ever get tired of bashing him?

Not really....it's invigorating...LOL..

Seriously speaking, I'll be the first to praise the guy's playing......I usually have issues with his people skills, not his playing. But Abraxas Pool seems to be the exception. The tone is awful and he phoned in every performance on the disc. I just got done listening to it, and his playing and tone on this album is just pitiful...

[journeywoman]

Who's got this disc?
I was thumbing through some CDs to listen to this afternoon...and came across this one that I haven't listened to in years...

So I'm listening...and the songs are great, Gregg's great.....but this has to be some of Neal's worst work in decades. His tone sucks and the parts are about as uninventive as they've ever been. It really sounds like Neal's recording direct...which wouldn't surprise me, as he's been known to just plug in a Boss Multi-effects unit and forego the amps....Simply disgracefully awful tone.

Am I alone in this assessment?

Do you ever get tired of bashing him?

That's why he has his own bash forum

[strangegrey]

That's why he has his own bash forum

You're a master of the obvious! I salute you!

[Memorex]

On the contrary. I think it was great playing. I do not play myself, so don't get me into a conversation of technical stuff. But for the licks and such, I thought it was great.

Guess we all see things in our own way. It's funny, because i just listened to it for the first time in years about a week ago. I also think he was great on the second Bad English disc.

[strangegrey]

I would take his playing on either Bad English disc over Abraxas Pool....the tone on BE is clearly an amp....it sounds like 1st generation POD or some boss GT unit right into the board on abraxis. It really is just a generally bad tone...and i find that if the tone is off, the playing cant be too far behind. Not too many players, pro or amateur, that can take bad tone and make it sound good...

[conversationpc]

I would take his playing on either Bad English disc over Abraxas Pool....the tone on BE is clearly an amp....it sounds like 1st generation POD or some boss GT unit right into the board on abraxis. It really is just a generally bad tone...and i find that if the tone is off, the playing cant be too far behind. Not too many players, pro or amateur, that can take bad tone and make it sound good...

I actually like the playing on that album but you're right about the tone. It just doesn't sound right.

[maverick218]

Who's got this disc?
I was thumbing through some CDs to listen to this afternoon...and came across this one that I haven't listened to in years...

So I'm listening...and the songs are great, Gregg's great.....but this has to be some of Neal's worst work in decades. His tone sucks and the parts are about as uninventive as they've ever been. It really sounds like Neal's recording direct...which wouldn't surprise me, as he's been known to just plug in a Boss Multi-effects unit and forego the amps....Simply disgracefully awful tone.

Am I alone in this assessment?

I gotta disagree with you. Neal's tone is fine to me-not his best, but fine. I think that he was trying to copy Carlos' tone a little bit here to get the same feel. I still listen and jam with this CD all the time.

[larryfromnextdoor]

i love abraxas pool!! i think neals playing and sound is superb here... that cd seemed to be a bit of a turning
point in his playing style/sound.... its just a real clean tone with some fuzz thrown in..

Boom Ba Ya YA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jeremey fan forever]

Strangegay, you must have rocks in your ear holes. Neal played brilliantly on that disc and his tone was fantastic. I love that album. Gay post

[strangegrey]

Strangegay, you must have rocks in your ear holes. Neal played brilliantly on that disc and his tone was fantastic. I love that album. Gay post

LOL....

Whatever. The guys playing is awful on that record and his tone is direct recorded crap.

[Clasicrockldy]

I don't have the Abraxas Pool album, but I do have a boot of them somewhere around here..........

[Arkansas]

I love Szabo!


later~

[conversationpc]

Strangegay, you must have rocks in your ear holes. Neal played brilliantly on that disc and his tone was fantastic. I love that album. Gay post

LOL....

Whatever. The guys playing is awful on that record and his tone is direct recorded crap.

Whatever. Yes, his tone is awful. Playing is good. Not his best but still good.

[JrnySuxBalls]

The playing is way better than Carlos', I give him that.

Fake amps suck though. It was really apparent on Voice too, the amps were fake and so were the drums.
I flipped that disc like a frisbee out the window!

[Razor]

Abraxas Pool is great and so is his overall guitarplay and tone! Certain parts indeed sounded like Carlos Santana. But Neal has a lot more to offer. However there are certain parts I'd wish he didn't shred all the way but played with a bit more dynamic and feeling. But other than that great great great!

[SF-Dano]

The version of Jingo on there is way more rocking than the original Santana version. Neals work on this project was superb IMO. No problem with the tone either, seems to fit the feel of the record.