Nick McCabe

McCabe's search for new sounds saw him go through a dizzying array of effects for the recording of A Storm In Heaven. "I love buying gadgets, and I go through loads of different setups, so what I use changes constantly," he confessed. "For guitars, my standard Strat is the one I really like, and I also have a Gibson ES-335 for a lot of the feedback stuff. I've got a Jazzmaster which I bought mainly 'cos I liked the shape....and then I found out how shit it was. It was TomVerlaine's fault, as usual." "My main Marshall packed in and started to sound horrible just before we recorded the album so I got hold of a Mesa /Boogie (MkIII) combo. For effects I started off with a Watkins Copicat and I used to have one of those old Roland Space Echoes, but at the moment I 've got a Roland GP-8 that I picked up second-hand. It's pretty reliable, it does the job. But in the studio, it's just a case of using anything I can get my hands on - a GS-6, a Roland Jazz Chorus combo....I hooked those up after the Mesa/Boogie, and it's that which gives the great big sound on The Sun, The Sea. "I come up with new ideas just by dribbling guitars over everything and picking out something that makes some sort of sense," he continued."We sample stuff, loop bits I've played and it's sounds great. John(Leckie) has actually tamed me down a bit, really. But live it's different - we never try and exactly recreate the studio sound and I think all our songs will always take on a different character when we play them live."

"Amps are always really important to me, more so than guitars, and I’d just got a Mesa/Boogie Mark III - cryptic amps at the best of times. It was all baffled off, hidden away, and John (Leckie) would start fiddling with it.

“It got to the point where John used to keep a Filofax with his own settings; he’d march in, and set it to: jazz funk tone #3, or whatever. I just became even more resistant."

TC Electronic Nova Delay shown next to Line6 delay on Nick's pedalboard during The Verve's live session at Maida Vale for Zane Lowe on Radio 1.

https://youtu.be/oIhddrAU-FY

Photos of Nick's Pedalboard are shown in this thread at the Gear Page

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/the-verve-nick-mccabe.406703/page-2

In a photo from his Myspace page, Nick McCabe is seen using the Line 6 DL4 Delay Modeler during a soundcheck, highlighting his preference for incorporating advanced effects into his setup.

Everything went through a Mesa/Boogie Mk III combo or a Roland JC120. Alongside the Quadraverb, McCabe used a Selmer-licensed Watkins Copicat, Roland 201 Space Echo, Boss OD1 and an Ibanez flanger.

https://guitar.com/review/album/the-genius-of-verve-a-storm-in-heaven/

"Nice thing turned up from Fender USA today. Half term means scant opportunity to fiddle but so far so wow. It's a "Christ help me, I can't stop playing" type deal. Is this the best strat I've ever owned or played?"

Amongst many Stratocasters owned by McCabe, the most famous was the Red Stratocaster seen on the performance of Life's an Ocean on "Live with Jools Holland" in 1997. https://youtu.be/FZN3aSKAYxc

It was nicknamed "Spike" as its previous owner was rumoured to be Spike Milligan.

McCabe pulled the guitar from a public auction he was running on Facebook in 2014.

"While McCabe has been open and affable during the public auction, he did get second thoughts on selling one item: a red Fender Stratocaster named Spike.

“I know some of you are contemplating selling stuff to fund purchase of Spike so I feel duty bound to halt proceedings right away,” he wrote on May 21. “I’ve had all kinds of reactions to selling that guitar, but generally people closest to me say ‘you can’t.’ …I’ve managed to autoerase most of my history several times, maybe it’s time to sip doing that. Everything else is still up for grabs.”

As well as Spike, McCabe also owned a black 1979 Stratocaster in the early days of the group.

More photos of Spike can be seen along with McCabe's MIJ Jazzmaster and USA Stratocaster at the following site.

http://www.neilcowmeadow.com/about-guitar-repairs--technical-service.html

"To be honest apart from the Quadraverb+ I wasn't particularly in love with any of the gear. Each album sounds different because of the amps used. They're pretty critical, more so than guitars really and I don't think I really respected them so much then. Combination of reverb and amp can make it sound like it's roaring, or just new age crap. It's a balancing act and I didn't get it quite right most of the time. Have now though. Oops too late!"

"My main amp is a Mesa/Boogie Tremoverb, which was given to me about the time of Urban Hymns. It’s really versatile, with a glassy sound somewhere between the clarity and nuance of a vintage Fender, and the heft of a Marshall."

In this photo, McCabe can be seen playing Gibson Les Paul Custom.

Nick McCabe praises the Mesa/Boogie Lone Star Special Amp on Facebook, noting it delivers the best recorded tone he's ever achieved with a DPA omni microphone on his guitar.

In the music video for "She's A Superstar" by The Verve, Nick McCabe is seen playing a cherry Gibson ES-355 electric guitar. This guitar was also used during the recording of their album "A Storm in Heaven" as noted in a review on Guitar.com. Additionally, McCabe can be seen using the same guitar in a performance video at Camden Town Hall in 1992.

In a photo posted on Myspace, Nick McCabe is seen using the Gibson Echoplex, captured during a soundcheck.

In a photo from his Myspace gallery, Nick McCabe is seen using the Electro-Harmonix EH-4600 Small Clone chorus pedal during a soundcheck, highlighting his preference for classic gear in crafting his distinctive sound.

In a photo from the Maida Vale sessions, Nick McCabe's pedalboard features the MXR M101 Phase 90, highlighting its use in his setup.

The photo shows Nick McCabe playing his Fernandes Native Pro during The Verve's BBC Radio 1 sessions in 2008

"My favorite guitar is a Sustainer-equipped Fernandes Native Pro. I bought it secondhand, and I saw it as kind of a “trick” instrument that I might be able to fiddle with, but the more I played it, the more I realized it delivered most of the tones I was looking for." https://www.guitarplayer.com/miscellaneous/the-verveand39s-nick-mccabe

Nick McCabe seen with his Blade Levinson in 2008

"So I’ve recently been playing several Levinson Blade Texas Vintage guitars. They’re like Strats, but with a boosted midrange." https://www.thevervelive.com/2008/12/nick-mccabe-no-guitarist-left-behind.html

"Major dudes, the cream etc. Left to right Eastwood Guitars And Airline Guitars Ichiban Mongrel Fender Strat reborn via Fender UK & ROI Custom shop's beauteous generosity and craft Levinson/ Blade Guitars Texas Vintage Lucem Custom Instruments se rial #2 "Old Nick" (Nick McCabe special edition) Gibson Les Paul VOS 57 (now property of Davide Rossi - when are you picking it up dude? x)"

In this photo, the Akai S3000XL can be visible below the Sequential Prophet 2002.

In a photo on Myspace, Nick McCabe is seen using the MXR M102 Dyna Comp during a soundcheck, highlighting his preference for straightforward, reliable gear.

Les Paul Goldtop with P90s used during 2008.

In this photo, one can see McCabe playing a Fender Electric XII.

Nick McCabe used the Marshall 1960A 4x12'' Cabinet during the "Judas" tour rehearsals in Stockport, October 2007, as detailed on the Nickmccabe-kim-2freespirits website.

''Still interested in loops, delays and the sonic possibilities of the guitar, Nick McCabe now uses an Eastwood Ichiban as one of his main guitars.''

Here he can be seen playing a Gretsch Jet in the 'This Is Music' music video.

" Three have analogue filters. Nice hybrid weirdness. I had to sell my first Prophet 2002 in 1995 when the first sacking left me penniless. Got one back as soon as I found a nice one. Really powerful filters on there."

Atop the pyramid, the Akai s950 MIDI Digital sampler can be seen.

In this photo, a bit of McCabe's Studio Electronics ATC-1 can be seen.

"IT. Fricken. LIVES!! They tried to kill it. Left it to rot. Gave it up for dead. Like its owner, there is more fight left in this. McCabe 98, world 0."

"Removed while two guys recovered from alcoholic over enthusiasm. Thank you so much guys, that was really helpful :-/ Space echo RE-501, £900 plus £20 shipping. From my eBay listing- "Good condition. Japanese/US power (needs transformer). This is ex Verve circa Forth. Since, with my early work with the Verve, and our T-shirts, featuring my old 201, I'm one of the folks who are responsible for the escalation of the prices of these machines, and also since I've had not one but two Space Echoes stolen, I'm unfortunately joining the trend of Space Echo exploitation."

In a photo from Nick McCabe's Myspace gallery, the Boss GE-7 Graphic Equalizer is visible during a soundcheck, reflecting his approach to fine-tuning his guitar sound.