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Thread: Uneven sonics on "Electric Ladyland"

  1. #1
    Join Date: May 2010

    Location: Vancouver, Canada

    Posts: 2,166
    I'm Alex.

    Default Uneven sonics on "Electric Ladyland"

    Jimi Hendrix is arguably the best electric guitar player ever recorded. And his double LP "Electric Ladyland" is the best argument one could put forward to support that claim.

    I originally got introduced to this album on a CD format, and could not enjoy it -- the sound was too harsh, too trebly. I could hear that it contains the meanest guitar playing ever put on tape, but the glassy, shrill overall sound was more than I could absorb.

    Finally, I managed to get me a nice clean original pressing, and now listening to it on vinyl, it finally shines the way it's supposed to

    There is one thing that's still bothering me, though: the sonics appear very uneven. Some tracks are almost an audiophile heaven, while some other tracks sound amateurish and almost blurry. I guess this is due to the fact that different tracks were recorded on different continents, plus Jimi's legendary falling out with his manager etc. Too bad, because this is one of the most epic records in music history.
    Don't you just hate it when you cannot detect where the post ends and a signature line begins?

    Alex.

  2. #2
    Join Date: Sep 2013

    Location: North Island New Zealand

    Posts: 1,757
    I'm Chris.

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    A few corrections: Electric Ladyland was recorded entirely at the Record Plant West 44th Street in New York.

    Jimi's inventive use of guitar was always progressing, so confining it to just this album is a bit sad. Rather
    we can hear even better playing on later posthumos albums like Rainbow Bridge ( the re released Estate version )
    which is not to say Electric Ladyland does not contain some stellar moments, which it does.

    Due to Jimi's extremely inventive use of devices that included feedback across headphones to create the sound of gulls
    and studio perfectionism, IMO you really need to hear it on CD.

    The Authorised release by the Hendrix family is terrific and sounds excellent on a good audio system, even better one with a proper preamp.

    Cheers / Chris

  3. #3
    Join Date: Apr 2015

    Location: Central Virginia

    Posts: 1,736
    I'm Russell.

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    I was a bit young the first time around, but I've recently bought Electric Ladyland on 180g vinyl, and am quite happy with the recording. Of course we do have to take into consideration the year it was made, compared to other rock albums of its day it's very OK.


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  4. #4
    Join Date: Aug 2009

    Location: Staffordshire, England

    Posts: 37,772
    I'm Martin.

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    I've always thought 'Landlady' was a bit self-indulgent compared to 'Are You Experienced' and 'Axis'. Rainbow Bridge = disappointing.

    Live albums 'In The West' and 'The Jimi Hendrix Concerts' are my most usual plays though.
    Current Lash Up:

    TEAC VRDS 701T > Sony TAE1000ESD > Krell KSA50S > JM Labs Focal Electra 926.

  5. #5
    Join Date: May 2009

    Location: gone away

    Posts: 4,870
    I'm joe.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Macca View Post
    I've always thought 'Landlady' was a bit self-indulgent compared to 'Are You Experienced' and 'Axis'.
    Same here, to the extent that I gave my copy away.

  6. #6
    Join Date: Apr 2015

    Location: Central Virginia

    Posts: 1,736
    I'm Russell.

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    Now I've got to listen to it again, and see if I missed something? I will confess I am more likely to play Experienced or Axis. Growing up my older sister had the Best Of album, all the Hendrix I ever had until I was 50 years old and these remakes came out.


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  7. #7
    Bigman80 Guest

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    I know a guy who played with Hendrix when he was in the UK. (He owns my local guitar shop) I spoke to him at length about this very subject a few years ago. His take on it was that they just couldn't find the best way to record him. Some tracks were easier than other and often sounded better but often he'd change the volume of his guitar during a track (as he did live) to attain certain sounds like dive bombs and it would throw the whole recording into a EQ nightmare. The second problem was, he just wasnt that "big" at the tine which also meant he didn't get the amount of attention to detail on his record mixes as say the Beatles or the stones.

    That's his take. Sounds like he's right to me.

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  8. #8
    RothwellAudio Guest

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    Quote Originally Posted by magiccarpetride View Post
    Jimi Hendrix is arguably the best electric guitar player ever recorded...
    Certainly, that's an argument that could be had, but it seems way too simplistic an argument in my opinion. I'm sure the power and excitement of his playing were astonishing to audiences at the time but "best electric guitar player"? For example, Charlie Christian, Joe Pass etc. played electric guitar too, but how could you make meaningful comparisons when the musical styles were so far apart?

    Personally, I've long-since abandoned any ideas about who is "the best" at anything musical. There's stuff I like and stuff I don't. I leave ideas about being "the best" to those blokes (and women) running round tracks and throwing things. A stop-watch or a tape measure easily proves who's best in those areas of endeavour.

  9. #9
    Join Date: May 2009

    Location: gone away

    Posts: 4,870
    I'm joe.

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    Quote Originally Posted by RothwellAudio View Post
    Certainly, that's an argument that could be had, but it seems way too simplistic an argument in my opinion. I'm sure the power and excitement of his playing were astonishing to audiences at the time but "best electric guitar player"? For example, Charlie Christian, Joe Pass etc. played electric guitar too, but how could you make meaningful comparisons when the musical styles were so far apart?

    Personally, I've long-since abandoned any ideas about who is "the best" at anything musical. There's stuff I like and stuff I don't. I leave ideas about being "the best" to those blokes (and women) running round tracks and throwing things. A stop-watch or a tape measure easily proves who's best in those areas of endeavour.
    Though, as with music, much depends on the quantity and quality of drugs they've consumed.

  10. #10
    RothwellAudio Guest

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    Oh yes - I hadn't considered that parallel

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