Tommy James and the Shondells · Crimson & Clover, 1968
Crimson and Clover
7 sourced items across 4 sectionsVerified1Reported6
What the sources do and do not say
Single Sound On Sound Classic Tracks article read in full; it covers this song directly. Most instrument rows are the journalist's narrative, so they are reported. The article gives no microphones, amps or settings for bass, drums or guitar, and no model for the tape machine. Studio-wide gear (custom console, Pultecs, Scully machines) is described generally and omitted.
Lead vocal (tremolo section)
2 items
Tommy James
Amplifier
The real chain
Ampeg Gemini II
Reported
Guitar amp used to apply a tremolo, set to the song's tempo, to the repeated 'crimson and clover, over and over' vocal; the miked amp was then fed back through the console.
- Settings
- Tremolo speed matched to the tempo of the track
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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Covers this kind of unit
IK Multimedia AmpliTube 5
amp and cabinet simulator
An amp and cabinet simulator that covers a wide range of amplifiers and speaker cabinets of this kind. It is not a model of this unit, so pick the nearest one in it by ear.
Also worth a look 1
- Native Instruments Guitar Rig 7 Pro (An amp and cabinet simulator that covers a wide range of amplifiers and speaker cabinets of this kind. It is not a model of this unit, so pick the nearest one in it by ear)
Microphone
The real chain
Telefunken 251
Reported
Microphone on James's voice for the tremolo-treated vocal near the end of the song.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model.
Guitars
2 items
Tommy James
Instrument
The real chain
Fender Jazzmaster
Reported
Electric guitar among the instruments James played on the record.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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No plugin suggested. A guitar is the source of the sound, not a process applied to it. No plugin stands in for it.
The real chain
AKG D12
Reported
Acoustic guitar among the instruments James played on the record.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model.
Keyboards
2 items
Tommy James
Instrument
The real chain
Hammond B3
Reported
Studio's organ, among the instruments James played on the record.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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Emulation of this unit
Arturia B-3 V
instrument
A model of the Hammond B-3 with a Leslie speaker. The C-3 is the same organ in a different cabinet.
Also worth a look 1
- IK Multimedia Hammond B-3X (Made with Hammond as a model of the B-3)
The real chain
Baldwin Electric harpsichord
Reported
Studio's electric harpsichord, among the instruments James played on the record.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
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Emulation of this unit
Spectrasonics Keyscape
instrument
Keyscape includes a deeply sampled Baldwin Electric Harpsichord among its collector keyboards.
Tape delay on the tracks
1 item
Bruce Staple
Input chain
The real chain
Unidentified Tape machine (model not stated)
Verified
Staple fed the recording machine back on itself, returning the play head to a mixer and then to the record head, to create a tape delay on each track with the amount controlled on a separate mixer per track.
Source: Sound On Sound, accessed 15 Nov 2026
Get the sound · our suggestion
Approximate
Slate Digital Virtual Tape Machines
tape
Models two Studer machines, not this recorder. It gives the general behaviour of analogue multitrack tape.
Also worth a look 1
- Universal Audio Studer A800 Tape Recorder (Models a Studer A800, not this recorder. It gives the general behaviour of analogue multitrack tape)
Sources
- Classic Tracks: Tommy James & The Shondells 'Crimson & Clover', Sound On Sound, 2010-06. Accessed 15 Nov 2026.
What the ratings mean
Stated by the engineer, producer or artist, or by the manufacturer.
Stated by a reputable secondary source.
An educated suggestion, not a documented fact.
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