Ritchie Blackmore Tones

Enough of me and mine for now, and back to the topic.

The tone from ´72 - ´77:
First, it doesn't "hurt" to have a Stratocaster;). Preferably a heavy 70s, bullet truss rod, 3-bolt neck w/original pick ups. If not, CS69 or similar will do. The set up of the guitars is not easy to tell exactly (pick up hights for example), but you can find pictures that shows that he added a bit of a plastic card under the saddles, as the saddle screws was not long enough to set the desired action.

A scalloped neck will not directly affect the tone, but in-directly, as it will allow you to adjust your playing style - and that will affect the tone.
Watching RB playing, you can "easily" see how he plays, how/when he's picking the string or hit the string, some times switch between use of the plectrum (stiff tortoise) to the use of fingers - or combined. He's pitch and timing (the scilence between the notes), how and when he moves the picking/hitting between the neck and the bridge, and switching between the neck and bridge pick up, roll off/on both the volume and tone controls, will of course all affect the tone.
Live, RB constantly "searched" for the tone he had in his head right there and then - and I think he never played any song or solo exactly the same way - not even twice.

I'm not sure when he started to use Piccato strings, but Piccato offers a RB string set (10/11/14/26/38/48) that should be equal to what he use(d). Of course this will also affect the tone.

We know he used modified Marshall Majors w/a second added effect stage (w/KT88´s), said to peak at 475W. What other mods that was done, its not easy to tell or verify, but some claims that the original pre was switched out with a Vox preamp ++. At least, there are pictures to be found on the web showing the settings on the amps.

Then, of course it was the Aiwa TP-1011 used both as an echo-unit (did not thin up the sound, as he ment all other echo-units did) and a pre amp (booster). You can always try to find a used TP-1011, but they are heavily priced. I guess any reel to reel's with similar functionality also could do, but it`s cheaper and easier alternatives with a stomp box treble booster, such as those offered by Treblebooster or Guitar Slinger.

If there are any good digital modelings to be found, set and used, that could simulate this, I don't know. I'm not into that.
 
Thank you for the information!
If there are any good digital modelings to be found, set and used, that could simulate this, I don't know. I'm not into that.
The Marshall Major has been on the Wish List of the Axe-FX since long time ago. Surely, with all its amps, the advanced parameters, the possibility to change the tone stack, to place two amps in series (e.g.: Vox + Marshall), or the Tape Drive, it must be possible to get it right. But there are other crucial parameters, like the correct IR, pickups, etc. So it is not so easy to get an exact replica of a specific tone, e.g.: Made in Japan. The Axe-FX has fantastic Marshall tones, though.
 
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