# Triumph Tone



## ezcomes (Jul 28, 2008)

Triumph is a classic Canadian band...great rock tunes...and that wicked guitarist we've had conversations about, Phil X, filled in for a tour when Rik left

my question is...does anyone know what he ran for amps? i know he was into Gibsons and then Yamaha guitars...(and now uses the YCS traynor line) but...back in the day...what was he running?


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## cheezyridr (Jun 8, 2009)

i heard he used to mic a 10w gorrilla s.s. practice amp behind a wall of big stacks.


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## fretboard (May 31, 2006)

I know Rik used some Canadian made "Rexx" amps in the "Thunder Seven" and later era (when he had the white Yamaha RGX guitars as his mains). My son now rocks out on my old Rexx RG45 combo. Likes like this is the only picture I've got of the amp;


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## fretboard (May 31, 2006)

Sadly, the hair didn't come as an option with my amp...


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

According to an old interview with Phil X he was using the following when he was with Triumph



> A lot of Marshalls, JCM 800 heads and cabinets. I don’t really like the 900 series. I also used a Peavey 5150 stack for some leads. Guitars - several tracks were cut with a Strat. I had a custom guitar made for me by a Iuthier in Kitchener, ON named Freiheit. He does unbelievable work. His guitars are like a Les Paul meets a Tele meets a Strat. My guitars are equipped with the Flip Stick.


Rik used to use 50 Watt Marshall's but I am not sure of the model. Guitar here was an Ibanez Artist doubleneck in Wine Red that he used up until 1984 or so before moving over to a Yamaha










Photo taken around 1980/81 at Hamilton Place


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## NB_Terry (Feb 2, 2006)

Awesome pic!

Phil X uses Kasha Rockmod amps. 

Rik is using one of the Vox multi-fx pedals these days without an amp, but I'm not sure about the amps in the old days.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Although Rik is and has long been, a great player, his tone back in the Triumph days was not his strength. In fact it was pretty harsh in my opinion. I'm sure it's much better these days but I wouldn't be trying to replicate the tone from the Rock and Roll Machine days.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Milkman said:


> Although Rik is and has long been, a great player, his tone back in the Triumph days was not his strength. In fact it was pretty harsh in my opinion. I'm sure it's much better these days but I wouldn't be trying to replicate the tone from the Rock and Roll Machine days.


I would agree. It was basically raw cranked power. Hard to duplicate without going deaf


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## ezcomes (Jul 28, 2008)

GuitarsCanada said:


> According to an old interview with Phil X he was using the following when he was with Triumph


must be Phil's rig...the 5150 wasn't introduced until 3 yrs after Rik left the band


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## NB_Terry (Feb 2, 2006)

Those REXX amps were really well built. 

I had a 2 channel 150 watt version, and it had great distortion tones. 

They were made in Canmore AB. The builder went on to Yorkville sound.


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