I am MADLY ABSOLUTELY in love with everything Noel Gallagher acoustic related...if some of you browse Youtube, you might remember my username from some "Noel Gallagher Acoustic Collection" videos, I uploaded some a few years ago and they (surprisingly!) haven't been taken down yet.
He is the man, the songwriter, the reason and main inspiration for why I picked up a guitar, and I have never stopped since hearing a (at the time, stranger but now very close) friend bang out "Revolution Song" and "Champagne Supernova" in my living room one fateful evening on his acoustic...I'd never heard music so real! So awe inspiring...my mind, soul, and heart went somewhere else after that performance. After asking him to play "Where Were You While We Were Getting High?" over and over (as I thought the song was called back then!) he said bugger off, handed me a copy of The Masterplan and (WTS)MG?, and let me play around on his acoustic... it was all over for me...I was hooked!
I've learned god knows how many of his songs as covers. I write my songs because of him, and every chord, every style, every musing and lyric is directly inspired or influenced by Noel and his songs. Not plagaristically, I never nick his words lyrics or direct chord patterns, but my songwriting hobby is driven by the desire to write as song AS GOOD as a Noel Gallagher...I think I've had a few close ones, and the more I write the closer I may get. I dream someday of playing in front of the man and getting a nod of approval. (dream on, I know
)
I'm am almost exclusively an acoustic player (do own an Epiphone SG Special though...gotta start somewhere! and an acoustic bass too) and adore his live acoustic sound, his solo acoustic sets from the britpop glory days, bootlegs, the 2006/7 solo tour, one-offs...if it's Noel and it's Acoustic I've heard it...
I know Noel Gallagher has used a large variety of Acoustic guitars over the years...does this list sound about right, cover all of the bases? Any models/guitars I'm missing, or that he used very, very rarely, if even only once? From Youtube, Wikipedia, and Google this is what I've found...
-Gibson J-45 Acoustic
-Gibson L-200 Acoustic
-Gibson/Epiphone Custom EJ-200 Acoustic
-Epiphone Frontier Acoustic
-Takamine EF-325SRC Acoustic
-Takamine FD -460SC Acoustic
-Takamine EG 335 12-string Acoustic
-Takamine NV360S Acoustic
-Guild 12 String (On Sad Song)
-1970 Martin D-28 (Dig Out Your Soul)
I want these guitars dammit, working and saving towards my first J-200. I've got a few used scuffed, less-than-stellar-brand pawn shop acoustics which sound fine and had great price tags, but once again, looking specifically for that Noel sound.
I'm writing songs, demoing songs, and wishing to get together a "live set up" for when I start playing gigs and singing my own songs...I want the "Noel Solo Acoustic Sound".
Does anyone know what kind of amplification for acoustic guitars Noel uses? Does he just run them all through his Marshall/Vox Stacks he uses the same for his Electric guitars? I know he got rid of his Orange amp apparently, has used a few Fender Blues Junior amps...but many artists, musicians, and friends recommend buying specifically ACOUSTIC guitar amps when playing live and recording...does Noel use "acoustic" amps or just run everything through his usual Electric stacks? Anyone know of any models if so?
And throughout the years, I've heard his voice change, say on Morning Glory Acoustic from Maine Road 95...full of echo! Has Noel ever used a specific microphone, or used any sort of effects on his voice, or can these odd vocal differences just be explained by venue, acoustics, and size of the club/arena?
Also, little bonus I found when researching... I love finding funny edits people post on Wikipedia, this way made me laugh out loud. The Encyclopedia anyone can edit, and for good reason!
It is quite possible, especially considering the wide variety of amplifiers used during this period, that no definitive record will ever be assembled. This is certainly controversial. Indeed, between 1997 and 2000, there appear to be no extant records of what Gallagher was playing through or even whether he was consistent in his choices, or in fact, whether Gallagher existed.Thanks everyone for taking the time to read this long post, and hope someone can help me out!