sparta rigs

[Welladjusted]

all i know is that use fernandes les paul type guitars, boss pedals and mesa boogie amps

[conno182]

hey brother,

well when i saw these guys they had a mixed array of gear. it was here in perth western australia. they used

marshall cabs
mesa rectos
marshall jcm 800
fender, gibson guitars.

but i didnt see the pedals sorry dude. i know its vague but its what i saw. i hope this helps

peace dude....

[hoarski]

aren't they one of the guitarists from at the drive in? i got some posters and they have an orange head and a heap of racmounted pdeals

[Flash1087]

Jim (might have the name wrong, but whichever one was in ATDI) has a Park amp head (http://www.rockometer.com), some kind of 4X12, and I think a Gibson semihollow body. He used to play a Gibson SG Jr. and an Orange head in ATDI. I don't know if he still uses the SG Jr., but I know he switched out the Orange head.

[clifford]

I got some more information off the website (www.spartamusic.com).. d'addario strings and picks, boss, line 6, and EH pedals... big help, i know..

i get to see em open for pearl jam later this month in Lexington tho, i'll pay attention

[jonnyload3]

Originally posted by hoarski
aren't they one of the guitarists from at the drive in? i got some posters and they have an orange head and a heap of racmounted pdeals

Just to answer this: Jim, Paul, and Tony of the late At the Drive-In went on to form Sparta with some other character named Matt. So, to answer your question, yes.

[SoNiCAnGeR]

Omar, the other Guitarist from at the Drive In, was the one with a whole mess of pedals, and he also used an orange head. Do a google search on "Hell Paso", then checkl out the ATDI FAQ, Jim's Sparta gear could be similar to that.

[Flash1087]

Originally posted by SoNiCAnGeR
Omar, the other Guitarist from at the Drive In, was the one with a whole mess of pedals, and he also used an orange head. Do a google search on "Hell Paso", then checkl out the ATDI FAQ, Jim's Sparta gear could be similar to that.

Wait...they both had Orange heads? I thought one had a Dual Recto...

[SoNiCAnGeR]

Whoops...Omar def. used the Orange head (check out the ATDI performance from Conan Obrien from some file swapping service, absolutely hilarious...they freak out, and Conan looks scared to greet them). Jim must use the Recto, and it sounds like he still does. When i saw them open for Weezer last summer, the other guitarist Paul looked like he was using a silverface fender (most likely twin ) and a les paul. Both guitarists also seem to use Boss digital delays.....hope this helps.

[Flash1087]

You sure about the Dual Recto? The little thing on them in Guitar World said he had a Park head. Maybe it's only for studio use, it would be pretty old by this point.

[SoNiCAnGeR]

You might be dead on about the Park in the studio. I cant really see taking one of those on the road. My friend has a small one that his band uses as their practice PA, and that thing is constantly on the fritz.

[Flash1087]

Originally posted by SoNiCAnGeR
You might be dead on about the Park in the studio. I cant really see taking one of those on the road. My friend has a small one that his band uses as their practice PA, and that thing is constantly on the fritz.

Well, then, good sir (or madam), I believe we may have found our answers here. I guess it all depends on if you like Sparta's studio sound or live tone better.

[reptilzar]

I'm pretty sure his PARK head wasn't the same as the solid-state Marshall "Junior" amps that came out in the 80s and 90s, older parks are excellent Plexi-style behemoths. Pretty rare.

Rep

[Flash1087]

Yeah, I've been looking for one of the 100 watt heads, just to try out and see if I like it.

[guiampeffects]

In Guitar World Axology,

Hinojos

Gibson SG
Fernandes Monterey

Electro Harmonix Small Stone
Line 6 Filter
MXR Distortion +
Boss Delays

Mesa Boogie Head
Marshall 4x12 Cabinet

[guiampeffects]

Also in Guitar World Axology,

Ward

Fernandes Monterey

Electro Harmonix Big Muff
Ernie Ball Volume Pedal
Boss DD-3 Digital Delay
Boss DD-5 Digital Delay

Early 1970's Park 150 Watt Head
Marshall 1960 4x12 Cabinet

[clifford]

I saw'em on Monday (4-21). They kikt ass even though the crowd was very rude. Sparta's more than just some lame opening act... anyway... i DID pay attention... but everything the guitarist was using was not recongizable, especially from my not-as-close-as-id-wanna-be seats. Sorry i'm not much help, i could maybe try and describe it?

about the orange head.. there was a head that was orange in color.. but the orange(brand) heads have the coat of arms style logo big and centered on it, right?? and there was another thing that... the only was i can think to describe it is like a type-writer lookin thing, with wooden sides and a metal bar across it., sitting on top of the cab, and then the orange(color) head to the right of it on a stack of boxes.. had it been something more mainsteam/recongizable i could help more.. the cab sorta looked like a marshall.. 4x12 i'm guessin. it had what looked like orange tape around the perimeter of it... ah this is no help at all

[Flash1087]

Typewriter thing? I'm almost tempted to say it's one of those Silvertone heads...

[clifford]

wull if you can find a picture of it, i'd be happy and try an ID it for you. it was a combination of my ignorance to lesser mainstream gear, and sadly average seating that i couldnt have been more of a help. I did pay a lot of attention, as promised tho..

[Flash1087]

http://guitargeek.com/gearview/875/

Was it at all like that?

[clifford]

nah it had like wood on the left and right sides, with this bar between them... mighta been summin custom.. it actually looked more towards a mixer type thing, but it was on top of the cab so i'm just assumin its a head.

[Flash1087]

Actually, now that I think about it, it might be some sort of really old effect. Like a giant reverb or something? Hopefully someone out there will have a picture.

[toneseeker]

This is interesting. It lists everything that ATDI, Sparta, De Facto and The Mars Volta use. Finally!

http://atdiequipment.cjb.net/

[pianoguitar]

I saw the sparta live on letterman video from punkrockvids.com and noticed a park amp being used. However, I couldn't see what the other guitarist was using. It had a grey face but with a red symbol on the front of it. Any ideas what it is?

[Blue Collar Man]

Originally posted by toneseeker
This is interesting. It lists everything that ATDI, Sparta, De Facto and The Mars Volta use. Finally!

http://atdiequipment.cjb.net/

Thats a really good site, but it's a bit outdated.

I saw them at a small club a few months back, and now he uses the tele as his main guitar. Also, for pedals, hes got the whole Line6 MM4, DL4, FM4 thing going on. He's also using a bunch of the EH pedals, I spied a Big Muff, Small Stone, Small Clone, and some others i couldnt put a name to. And he has a whammy on his board.

Hope this helps.

[bathtubpirate]

I think that Paul uses a Badcat now. Maybe. I think I read it in a guitar player.

[toneseeker]

Originally posted by Blue Collar Man
Thats a really good site, but it's a bit outdated.


Yeah, I found it over a year ago before he lost interest in these bands and stopped updating. Thanks for the information though.

[GearJunkie]

I am seeing them on Nov. 20, 2004. Small venue, I'll be right up close. Maybe bring a dig. cam. If not, I'll get a real close look at their gear and report back. :)

[Welladjusted]

Originally posted by bathtubpirate
I think that Paul uses a Badcat now. Maybe. I think I read it in a guitar player.

yep, he's endorsing bad cat now. i think it's the hot cat 100 watt.

[pianoguitar]

What I saw on letterman looked like a grey head with the knobs on the front. It also had a red rectangular decal or symbol on the front of it. Unfortunately, I couldn't read what it said.

[GearJunkie]

Reporting back about what I saw...

Jim and and Paul both had those 2 level pedal boards so I couldn't see any of the pedals on the lower level. Sorry.

Jim:
Amps:
70s Park head
Marshall cab

Pedals:
Boss DS-1
Ernie Ball Volume (the only pedal I could see from the lower level)
Line 6 DL-4
something that looked like a Marshall pedal, but only had 3 knobs...

Guitars:
Gibson 335 with a singlecoil pup in the bridge (possibly a SD Phat Cat pup)
a Rickenbacker of some description...black with singlecoils
Gibson 335 with humbuckers

Paul:
Amps:
Bad Cat amp (don't know the model)
Cab covered with mexican flag

Pedals:
Line 6 DL-4
Line 6 MM-4

Guitar:
custom Gibson SG...black with only one bridge humbucker and only one knob (volume, I assume)

Jim also uses Dunlop Tortex .60mm picks. I think everyone uses these. I got one thrown out by Conrad Keeley at a Trail of Dead show, and one from Jim at the Sparta show. Jim's picks are customed tho. They're black with the swan logo on one side and his name on the other side in printed autograph fashion.

[goons84]

When I saw them a few weeks ago In Toronto, Jim was playing a white Ibanez JTK1 for a few songs, which I found kinda surprising. Awsome show though, best Ive ever seen at the Opera house.

[GearJunkie]

I was at the same show. It was awesome!

[bathtubpirate]

Jim's effects. end of story. (http://img141.exs.cx/my.php?loc=img141&image=sparta57rq.jpg)

[lucky13sp]

Originally posted by toneseeker
This is interesting. It lists everything that ATDI, Sparta, De Facto and The Mars Volta use. Finally!

http://atdiequipment.cjb.net/

thanx man!! ive beeen looking for that page for weeeks! :d

[omararodriguezl]

amazing bathtubpirate a legendary photo there many thanx

[Welladjusted]

Originally posted by bathtubpirate
Jim's effects. end of story. (http://img141.exs.cx/my.php?loc=img141&image=sparta57rq.jpg)

that's a lot of delay...

i thought there'd be a phaser in there though. the phase sound on "lines in the sand" is lovely

[Funkatron_Shaun]

Originally posted by Welladjusted
that's a lot of delay...

i thought there'd be a phaser in there though. the phase sound on "lines in the sand" is lovely

that is a mxr phase 100 used on bass.

[Welladjusted]

Originally posted by Funkatron_Shaun
that is a mxr phase 100 used on bass.

oh cool!

[robotskank]

does anybodyt want to name the effects in that picture, just so that i know for sure what effects are being used there.

[Funkatron_Shaun]

Originally posted by robotskank
does anybodyt want to name the effects in that picture, just so that i know for sure what effects are being used there.

i dont know what some are, but i know there is a boss dd series delay. probably dd-3.
line 6 dl-4
boss tr-2 tremolo
guyatone md-3 delay
boss ge-7 eq
boss tu-2 chromatic tuner.

i dont know the rest. he definitely has a very good flanger somehwere on that board. i can hear it in 'breaking the broken'

[robotskank]

alright thanks,
i knew those effects but i was just wondering about one effect which is right beside his russian big muff. i have no idea what that one is. i think he also uses an mm4 for modulation effects such as phase,flange and chorus.
and the effect in breaking the broken sounds more like a small stone, i can make that sound with mine atleast, i could be wrong, but sparta seems to use phase quite often.

[Funkatron_Shaun]

Originally posted by robotskank
alright thanks,
i knew those effects but i was just wondering about one effect which is right beside his russian big muff. i have no idea what that one is. i think he also uses an mm4 for modulation effects such as phase,flange and chorus.
and the effect in breaking the broken sounds more like a small stone, i can make that sound with mine atleast, i could be wrong, but sparta seems to use phase quite often.

thats definitely a flanger. i promise;)

[Funkatron_Shaun]

there's also a boss dm-2 or dm-3 analog delay next to the tremolo.

[BeenersRevenge]

When my band played with them earlier this year (before the new record came out), Jim had like two old marshall plexi style heads in a rack behind the cabs. But hey, he could of switched since.

[Funkatron_Shaun]

When my band played with them earlier this year (before the new record came out), Jim had like two old marshall plexi style heads in a rack behind the cabs. But hey, he could of switched since.

i know jim changed amps like undies in at the drive-in. when i saw them in july he was using a park head.