Originally Posted by
GuitarGeek
Yeah, I believe Hackett used the Synthi Hi-Fli on The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway and A Trick Of The Tail. I think he said what sounds like a backwards guitar on Ripples is actually the envelope inverter effect on the Hi-Fli. But the Synthi Hi-Fli, despite it's name, is actually just an elaborate multi-effects unit, not a "true" synth (ie it didn't have pitch to voltage conversion and audio oscillators).
And of course Hackett got heavily into guitar synths on his solo records, using the GR-500, GR-300 and at least with GTR, the GR-700. From what I understand, he still uses the GR-300 occasionally. When you see him strap on that blue Schecter Strat (the one he's playing in the When The Heart Rules The Mind video), that's his guitar synth controller.
And you are correct that the GR-700 uses the same synth engine as the JX-3P (as well as one of the MKS rack modules, I forget which one). It's worth noting that it's bass guitar sibling, the GR-88B, uses the same synth engine as the JX-8P. And from what I've read on a couple websites, you can get effectively the same performance as the GR-700 or GR-88B, but with better tracking by using a modern MIDI guitar device interfaced with the keyboard or rack mount version of the respective synth.
I still think it's crazy that the GR-300 actually tracked better than the GR-700 (or so I've read from various testimonials by various guitarists who owned both).
I could have sworn I read where Tony said that he used the CS-80 on Dodo/The Lurker, but I could be misremembering. I do remember that he said that he didn't take it on the road because there was no room for it in his onstage keyboard rig.
And I would agree that a lot of his sounds are as you say quintessentially Tony. I remember having a debate with someone about Just A Job To Do, and how, since I never actually had the Genesis album and I first heard the song when it was used as theme music for a short lived TV show at the time, I always thought it was a Phil solo track. And this person said something to the effect that there's no way you could mistake it for a Phil solo track, with the synth riff in the verse was so obviously Tony. I guess when you think about it from that perspective, it makes sense. I guess it's my fault for not buying Genesis way back in 1984 (and for that matter, not even buying a used copy in the handful of years that followed). (shrug)
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