Arctic Monkeys – Fluorescent Adolescent

Alex Turner uses a Selmer Zodiac Twin 30 combo amp as his primary amplifier for almost all of Arctic Monkeys records and live performances. During the bands early shows and first tour, Alex used primarily an Orange Combo amp or a Vox AC30, even earlier The amp can first be seen during the recording of the bands second album, “Favourite Worst Nightmare,” as it was seen being used in the “Teddy Picker” music video. Looking though pictures of all the bands recording sessions the amp can be seen, usually in combination with a smaller amp for a more dirty, vibrato tone.

In an interview with long time producer James Ford, from Sound on Sound, Ford goes into detail on how him and the band went about using their gear in this 2011 interview. Ford states, “They took all their own guitar amps and stuff that we've used quite a lot before, a great old Selmer and Magnatone amps. We knew what we were doing, really. I've been in quite a few sessions where it's pretty up in the air and there's just too many things to think about, so it's harder to concentrate on the actual sonics and the performance. This time it was much easier in that respect.” James continues, “Alex Turner's rig typically featured him playing his faithful Fender Bronco or occasionally a Gibson Les Paul through his crocodile‑skin Selmer Zodiac and '60s Magnatone amps. "Al does more rhythmy stuff, and for that it was just pretty straight, quite bright and punchy into the Selmer. We sometimes ran that and his old Magnatone at the same time. It has a really nice vibrato on it and reverb. So sometimes we'd mix those two signals together, but just onto the one track.”

The band also has an identical version of this amp, which can be seen amplifying various keyboards and synthesizer throughout their live shows.

An example of how Turner likes to keep the setting on this amp would be the song “Fluorescent Adolescent“ off the bands second record. The amp has a distinct British tone, clean with a bit of chime and breakup.

Pictured is Alex’s Selmer Zodiac Twin 30 during the recording of “Suck It And See” at Sound City Studios in Van Nuys in the San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles.

(Sound on Sound, James Ford: Producing Arctic Monkeys) http://www.soundonsound.com/people/james-ford-producing-arctic-monkeys%3famp

Alex Turner used this Selmer 30ss “Super Reverb” during the Favourite Worst Nightmare era. The amp can be seen pictured alongside Turner’s other Selmer, the Selmer Zodiac Twin 30, during the recording of “Teddy Picker” in their music video.

This is a 30 watt solid state amp, equipped with two 12" speakers. Two channels, with simple volume, bass and treble controls. Reverb fitted to second channel. Great for a clean 60's sound which Turner uses on songs such as “Florescent Adolescent” which is a great example of that clean, bitey British sounding tone that Selmer amps can achieve.

The source shows a picture taken by a former Arctic Monkeys guitar tech. We see Jamie using this guitar in this performance of Fluorescent Adolescent - http://youtu.be/ge1OOHMB6x4 at 6:15.