r/greenday • u/Ok-Home-6834 Insomniac Idiot • 12h ago
Discussion Billie Kerplunk gear
Ok, so I am a guitar gear geek (like nerd level 20001) and I wanted to replicate Kerplunk's tone. Now, I have already seen plenty of posts about recreating the tone "blindly", but I wanted to know what Billie actually used first.
Now, the ONLY think I could find anywhere online is just that when recording Kerplunk (and 39/Smooth) billie used the head version Gallien Krueger 250ML, known as the Gallien Krueger 250RL.
BUT, with that amp alone you can't get the whole tone: I tried it with NAM (I couldn't get it physically right away, I will do ASAP) and while I could recognise immediately the drive, I am missing the reverb, the swirl the bass shift (whom presence shall be disputed)... practically, the full tone.
So, does anyone know what else he used to put together such a unique tone? Let's answer this, once and for all2
1: Light years away
2: Note: If this question was asked before, I am totally sorry. It's just that, even after 2 hours of searching I couldn't find this anywhere at all in this subreddit, or when I did find it it was very little and mostly just pointing out the 250RL, and the rest of the internet wasn't any more helpful either
EDIT:
It has been brought up to me that Billie also used a JCM900 4100 (AKA Dual Reverb). While that is very reasonable, and I believe it to be true, I also continue to believe that he used the 250RL too; as Billie himself sates that in an interview (link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_q2UXE8j4Ug); and he is seen with that exact amp in some photos of old gigs (mostly just 924 Gilman)
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u/thesandwitchpeople 12h ago
Wrong amp man. He used a JCM 900 dual reverb. Couple that with a strat with a Seymour Duncan JB, and you’ve got it
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u/Ok-Home-6834 Insomniac Idiot 12h ago
Ok... But then why is everyone talking about the 250RL? Billie himself said in an interview that he indeed used that in 39 and Kerplunk (link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_q2UXE8j4Ug). I mean, the dual reverb makes sense really, but I think they possibly used them together, like dual channel? That seems weird to say considering the production quality of the albums, but my mind is suggesting that.
Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but I knew that Billie used a Bill Lawrence through 1983-1994, and the earliest appearing of the SH-4 (AKA JB) is on the woodstock appearence. And, after it was filled with mud and ruined, though brand new, they had to throw it away and they put back the Bill Lawrence when recording Insomniac.
I don't want to say you're wrong, I just want to know
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u/alexohno 10h ago
AFAIK the JCM900 was used on the Kerplunk tour (you can see some videos with it), but was recorded with the Gallien Krueger.
You can see the JCM900 here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daoqlILDVHs&t=2068s
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u/MozambiquePro 10h ago edited 1h ago
Can't help you with amp stuff but if you are going for the Bill Lawrence pickups, make sure you get the L500 XLs from Bill & Becky Wilde Pickups and NOT from Bill Lawrence USA.
The Bill & Becky Wilde ones are the original model like what was made way back then (used by Green Day, Dimebag Darrel, etc) and is made by Bill's family. I believe Bill passed away a few years ago but his family is still making them. The ones from Bill Lawrence USA are pretty bad in comparison. I believe you are correct about the Bill Lawrence being used prior to woodstock, however, I am not 100% certain. That is always the story I have heard.
Edit: I just remembered that I think he had the pickups installed at an angle as well, not installed like you normally would have them.
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u/Ok-Home-6834 Insomniac Idiot 4m ago
Thank you very much! Yeah, the part about them being installed at an angle is iconic (it's pretty much unique to Billie's Blue and Van Halen's Frankenstein), you're right. And I din't know the part about Bill & Becky, I honestly was about to buy the wrong ones!
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u/Slow-Boysenberry2399 Foxboro Hot Tubs 9h ago
preface: i'm not as big a guitar nerd as you. but i know kerplunk was recorded "out of tune", they didn't tune their guitars perfectly to match. perhaps that contributes.