History of the Metallica “Sound”

1981-1991

Metallica grew a loyal fan base with their raw and furiously thrashy early releases Kill ‘Em All (1981) and Ride the Lightning (1984). The guitars on these records are loud, brash and have a lot of bite. They entered into more progressive territory in the second half of the ’80s with their widely accepted pièce de résistance that is Master of Puppets (1986) and particularly …And Justice for All (1988), the latter of which boasted super-complex arrangements, highly-technical instrumentation and more brooding and menacing guitar tones.

With every album maturing as the band became more experimental with their songwriting, their critically-acclaimed self-titled record, otherwise known as the Black Album (1991), is where the band peaked commercially. Featuring a number of their signature songs, including Enter Sandman, Nothing Else Matters and Sad But True, producer Bob Rock’s influence proved vital to the album’s overall success, with simpler song structures, catchy anthemic choruses and guitar layered on guitar in a wall of sound.

1996-2003

After three years of rigorous touring in support of their self-titled album, Metallica took what proved to be their most diverse turn in musical direction with Load (1996) and ReLoad (1997). Going for a more alternative hard rock sound, this divisive double release received backlash from some older fans, feeling that the band had “sold out” to remain relevant to a generic audience. Today, this unconventional pair of rock albums are thought of a little higher than they were on release, mixing some country sounds with a more old school crunchy guitar vibe.

After the cover album Garage Inc. (1998) and the orchestra-backed live record S&M (1999), the aggressive-sounding St. Anger (2003) was the long-awaited follow-up to ReLoad. Also released to poor reviews, Metallica’s fans struggled to accept the band’s new and edgier drop-tuned style – as well as the notable lack of guitar solos.

2008-Present

Choosing to tour extensively after the lows of St. Anger in order to resolve the turmoil within the group, Death Magnetic (2008) and Hardwired… to Self-Destruct (2016) were considered a return to form for Metallica. Resurrecting their older, thrashier aggression, these releases showcased Metallica’s huge listener pulling power after all of these years. 72 Seasons continued in the same vein, ditching the ballads and experimental aspects of their nineties records for a tried and tested metal formula that harkens back to Kill ‘Em All, from the Marshall guitar bite to the feisty riffage.

Metallica’s Guitars

Papa Het’s rhythm-chugging Explorer is his most iconic guitar, debuting a white Gibson during the Ride the Lightning tour. ESP later produced copies of this distinctive design (the EXP/MX series), which Hetfield popularised with frequent use in music videos and live performances from the …And Justice for All era onwards.

James is also known to use LP-shaped guitars too, with his signature ESP Iron Cross taking on the aesthetic of the Japanese company’s Eclipse single cut model – with a racing stripe on the body and a metal cross plate embellishment next to the tailpiece.

ESP James Hetfield Signature Guitars

Today, however, Hetfield’s flagship signature guitars are the Snakebyte and the v-shaped Vulture. Taking on the vibe of his older EXP/MX models, the Snakebyte throws in a modern twist with a sculpted lower bout and sharpened corners on the lower horn of the body and the headstock. The Vulture shares a similar design philosophy as the pointed edges of the ‘v’ are slanted at a flatter angle.

EMG James Hetfield Signature Pickups

The EMG 81/60 pickup combination has been a mainstay for Hetfield throughout most of his career. Favouring the crisp attack of the active design, Metallica’s James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett were among the first artists to be endorsed by EMG, relying upon their pickup creations since Master of Puppets. Recently EMG collaborated with Hetfield to design the ceramic-poled ‘Het Set’. Deriving closely from his classic 81/60 humbucker pairing, these pickups benefit from a more potent midrange and a wider dynamic range – allowing for greater articulation and clarity.

The ESP LTD EX-200 or Epiphone Extura Prophecy are great choices for the Hetfield sound and visuals at a more friendly price point. They both resemble James’ ESP Explorers from the self-titled album era with a clean white or stealthy all-black aesthetic. The key ingredient of these guitars are the pickups – the ESP’s being passive, but with high-output ceramic pole pieces, and the Epiphone’s being active Fishman Fluence packing a huge punch. Stretching your budget further will get you an ESP LTD variation of Hetfield’s signature guitars.

ESP Kirk Hammett Signature Guitars

Much like James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett has relied on his ESP workhorses for decades while in Metallica. Opting for aggressive lead playing “s-style” M-II guitars around the time of the Black Album, this model later inspired Kirk’s KH-2 signature guitar. Featuring a Floyd Rose double-locking tremolo system, EMG 81/85 pickups, and the idiosyncratic skull and cross-bone inlays – the KH-2 has remained Hammett’s flagship signature instrument since the early ’90s.

The ‘Caution Hot’ version is his most identifiable iteration, however Kirk is also known for featuring classic horror movie poster graphics on his KH-2 guitars. The most notable of these is the ‘Boris Karloff Mummy’ KH-2, an ESP Custom Shop one-off, however the ‘White Zombie’ is a mass-produced and affordable LTD variant.

Hammett also previously had a KH-3 signature instrument, a model that he used extensively in the Load and Reload tours. Following a singlecut design much like Hetfield’s Truckster guitars, the KH-3 featured a flat top and included a gothic-style spider web graphic on the body. The JH-1 was another early signature model, however these weren’t produced in large numbers and are considered rare and collectible today. Following a traditional Flying V design, this instrument featured a single EMG 81 bridge pickup and a Floyd Rose tremolo system.

EMG Kirk Hammett Signature Pickups

Jackson Dinky Guitars

Hammett previously had a KH-3 signature instrument, a model that he used extensively in the Load and Reload tours. Following a single cut design much like Hetfield’s Truckster guitars, the KH-3 featured a gothic-style spider web graphic on the flat body. Hammett is also a huge Les Paul fan and proudly owns the famous Gibson “Greeny”, a Cherry Sunburst LP owned by Fleetwood Mac founding member Peter Green and rock and roll legend Gary Moore of Thin Lizzy fame. The Epiphone Greeny model captures the spirit of this unique instrument, now faded to what is considered a Lemon Burst. It features an out-of-phase middle switch position, which emulates a mod to the neck pickup to reverse the magnetic polarity.

If you want the iconic Hammett look and something practically identical to Kirk’s personal guitar, check out the LTD KH-602, which is his far eastern-made signature model. It’s got the original KH-2 vibe with a neck-through construction and a pair of his signature EMG Bone Breaker pickups. The LTD KH-202 is an even cheaper alternative, although it features ESP-designed pickups rather than EMGs.

Metallica’s Amps

Despite adjusting their sound a number of times over the years, Mesa/Boogie amplifiers have been a Metallica mainstay. Using the legendary Mark IIC+ heads for the recording sessions of Master of Puppets and …And Justice for All, these amps could achieve a tight and saturated distortion – ultimately pioneering the signature Metallica sound. Hetfield and Hammett later used Rectifiers in the ’90s for an even bigger and more modern timbre, and the duo has since experimented with alternative setups since.

James Hetfield’s Amps

Hetfield currently relies on Mesa Boogie TriAxis preamps, paired with Simul-Class 2:90 power amps. Apart from their Boogies, Hetfield has also been known to use Diezel VH4 amplifiers. These became his main source of tone during the recording of St. Anger. He used a modded Marshall 1959 Super Lead on 72 Seasons, which serves up a famous Plexi British grunt. For live performances, Hetfield and his crew have converted to a Fractal Axe-Fx III, joining the every-growing list of artists bowing to the power and utility of a digital setup.

The Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus is another noteworthy element of the Metallica sound, which James uses exclusively as his clean tone amp. With a solid-state design, this legendary amplifier has a pristine, high-headroom jangle with a super-sweet chorus circuit built in, based on Boss’ legendary CE-1 pedal. If you love the angelic clean tone at the beginning of Welcome Home (Sanitarium), the Jazz Chorus is the answer to that glorious sound.

Considering the wide range of tones in the Hetfield arsenal stacking up over 40+ years, and his preference for premium amps that exceed a modest budget, I think your best choice would be the Boss Katana. This is arguably the ultimate modern amp as it does everything to an incredibly high standard in a bulletproof solid-state package. The high-gain tones are exceptional for the price and sound super heavy in a live setting. It even includes some effects as you might find with the Jazz Chorus.

Kirk Hammett

Despite using Mesa Boogie amplifiers previously for many years, Hammett currently has a signature line of amplifiers with Randall. Their flagship model is the K103, a sophisticated 120W three-channel head that has voicing mode switches and EQ sections for each channel, as well as two tube-driven effects loops and MIDI capability.

A Boss Katana could also get close to Hammett’s tone, but to dial in a more specified lead guitar oriented tone, Marshall would make an excellent choice. He used the famous British amps in Metallica’s early days on Kill ‘Em All and returned to a ’70s JMP head for the making of 72 Seasons. The Origin series are all-valve amp heads that won’t busy the bank. They pack a ton of volume for the wattage, which means they work great with pedals because of the high headroom. The controls are very simple but refined. The “presence” setting is a nice addition for getting a more aggressive, front-footed punch. The highlight here is the two preamp voicings which let you dial in your Metallica sweet spot.

What Guitar Pedals Do Metallica Use?

Metallica aren’t distinguished for using pedals to achieve their core tones – James Hetfield once stated that he prefers the direct distorted tone from an amplifier, as opposed to relying on pedals. Having said that, they have used them to embellish records here and there. Back in Metallica’s heyday, distortion pedals were nowhere near as advanced as they are today – with only a handful of options available.

If you’re looking to build up a more complete Metallica sound, then pedals are the way to go rather than buying the several amps and guitars needed to achieve it. Here are a handful of pedals that contribute to Metallica’s iconic guitar tones.

Overdrive Pedals

Many guitar pedal makers produce advanced, adaptable stompboxes that can closely imitate the tones of distorted valve amp. The MXR 5150 Overdrive has received some unwarranted heat over the years, but this is an excellent high-gain pedal that will get you in the Metallica ballpark, packed with the essential features you’d typically find on a genuine amp channel.

The MXR is based on the EVH 5150 amplifier, an iconic head that has been used by a countless amount of metal bands over the years. Adored for its scooped and dynamic high-gain tone, the 5150 Overdrive encompasses that distinctive sound. With a built-in boost circuit too, you can really tighten up the overall sound of the pedal, akin to when you place a Tubescreamer-style stompbox in front of a distorted amp. The 5150 Overdrive’s noise gate is another thoughtful addition, eliminating the frustrating hiss that can occur when running an ultra-hot amplifier.

On 72 Seasons, Metallica opted to use a boutique Wizard amp with a Klon Centaur in front of it to beef up the gain. These expensive pedals have an air of mystique about them, but its now available to every guitarist as lots of pedal manufacturers have come close in recreating its rich tone. The Wampler Tumnus and Tone City Bad Horse would be great if you’ve got gain stacking in mind – or in other words, layering multiple sources of gain, either with amps or pedals.

Klon Style Pedals

Browse Klon Style Overdrive Pedals

Chorus Pedals

As previously mentioned, the Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus solid-state amp is the main source for Metallica’s clean tones, both live and in the studio. To emulate its beautiful, washy chorus effect, a dedicated chorus pedal would serve you well. The MXR Analog Chorus pedal is popular for a reason, as it packs a quality and extremely versatile tone. It utilises an old-school bucket-brigade circuit much like the original Boss CE-1 units. This gives you a bold yet warm chorus sound, and features all of the key controls you’d expect to find, as well as two EQ controls that allow you to boost/cut the lows and highs.

The Tone City Angel Wing is a more streamlined, budget option but by no means a cheap-sounding pedal. Although it doesn’t have the same level of flexibility as its MXR counterpart, the Angel Wing delivers that unmistakable analogue tone around half the price.

Jim Dunlop Cry Baby Wah Pedals

Kirk Hammett, love it or hate it, is a wah addict. Once quipping that he’d need to have his foot cut off to stop him from using his wah pedal, Kirk employs this effect in many of his pentatonic-based guitar solos. With his Jimi Hendrix influence evident, Hammett uses wah in a heavier context to not only achieve a screaming lead tone, but to also allow his playing to cut through in very busy Metallica mixes.

Hammett has his own Jim Dunlop KH95 Signature Wah pedal, however it is more expensive than most standard wahs. The CBM95 Cry Baby Mini is a highly-compact alternative of Dunlop’s flagship GCB95 wah model. Giving you a wide sweep despite its tiny footprint, this pedal has an internal voicing switch that adjusts its spectrum, letting you attain crazy highs much like Hammett’s very own custom wah.

Jim Dunlop Cry Baby Wah Pedals

Browse Jim Dunlop Cry Baby Wah Pedals

If you’re interested in finding out how to achieve the tones of your favourite artists, check out more of our Sound Like articles.

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Korn are regarded as the godfathers of the nu-metal genre. Bursting onto the scene in 1994 with their explosive self-titled debut album, Korn played a part in ending the grunge era that had filled airwaves so much in the early ’90s. As one of many successful bands that successfully emerged from that decade, Korn remains as popular as ever while many of its contemporaries have faded into obscurity. Their latest album ‘The Nothing’ shows that they’ve still got it!

Blending distorted drop-tuned guitars with aggressive grooves, percussive basslines and frenetic vocals; Korn established a unique sound that has evolved over their 12-album back catalogue. With elements of rap, funk, alternative and industrial metal also thrown into the mix; there aren’t many bands out there that are as distinctive or experimental as Korn.

With such a large discography, Rabea and Matt had to work hard to cover all of the bases in this episode of Sound Like. Focusing on their biggest hits rather than specific albums, the fellas tapped into many of Korn’s signature sounds and recreated them with great conviction.

Guitars

Munky and Head were among some of the very first musicians to use 7-string guitars exclusively. With Ibanez developing the bodacious Universe guitar for Steve Vai in 1990, which was arguably the first mass-produced 7-string available on the market; this instrument inspired a new generation of metallers that took advantage of its additional low B string, with Korn and Fear Factory its earliest proponents. But Munky and Head took things to the extreme; tuning the lowest string down by a further tone for drop A tuning. Heavy indeed!

Ibanez APEX200

The Korn axemen have been associated with Ibanez for a very long time. Munky has used their instruments for over 25 years, and his signature APEX model has been in the Ibanez catalogue since 2007. Taking heavy inspiration from Vai’s Universe guitar with its stealthy RG body shape and pickguard design, the Ibanez APEX has nevertheless undergone many transformations over the years. Powerful Dimarzio pickups and reliable locking bridge systems have always been mainstays though.

ESP LTD SH-7

Head used Ibanez 7-string guitars during his first stint with Korn (1993-2005) and upon his return in 2013. He made a shock switch to ESP in 2016 though, and together they unveiled a signature model at the following year’s NAMM Show. Head’s ESP LTD SH-7 guitar is distinctive for its Evertune bridge and active Fishman Fluence pickups – making it a true modern metal machine!

For our episode of Sound Like, Rabea and Matt decided to forgo using Munky and Head’s signature instruments. This was mostly due to their expense; meaning that the guys would have exceeded their budgets of £1500 each. The more affordable electric guitars that they chose were worthy alternatives though.

Ibanez Iron Label RGDIR7M-LBM

Rabea chose the stunning Ibanez Iron Label RGDIR7M-LBM 7-string guitar; finished in a vibrant Laser Blue Matte colour. Aesthetics aside, this particular instrument closely resembles Munky’s signature model as it boasts DiMarzio pickups. Fitted with Fusion Edge humbuckers, these pickups are capable of handling high doses of gain and provide plenty of saturation for tracks like “Got The Life” and “Blind”. They’re not one-trick ponies though, as with clean settings they sound very articulate and clear; as you could hear in the “Falling Away From Me” excerpt. This guitar does lack a locking bridge, but its rock-solid Gibraltar Standard II-7 bridge and Ibanez Locking tuners ensure excellent tuning stability.

Jackson JS32-7 Dinky

Matt decided to go for something completely different, and picked a Jackson JS32-7 Dinky. Extremely affordable, this particular guitar features the essential dual-humbucker configuration needed to cover all of Korn’s tones. Fitted with Jackson-branded high-output pickups, these are voiced for a deep and rich sound that ensures that the 7th string sounds full and defined with distorted or clean amp settings.

Amplifiers

Munky and Head have used a bunch of high-gain guitar amps over the years. Experimenting with models from the likes of Diezel, Bogner and Marshall in the studio, their Mesa/Boogie Triple Rectifiers have always been live performance mainstays. Serving as their distorted amps, these notoriously lairy valve head staples offer incredible headroom with 150W of unbridled power; allowing the full range of Munky and Head’s 7-string guitars to be heard. These Triple Rectifiers are matched with several Mesa/Boogie 4×12 cabinets that ensure excellent projection onstage.

For their clean tones, Munky and Head rely on Kemper Profiling amps. Kemper amps have become extremely popular with professional touring musicians, due to their compact form-factors, reliable valve-less design and of course – their extremely convincing sounds. If Munky and Head’s Triple Rectifiers go down during a set, the Kempers can be relied on as backups too.

Mesa/Boogies were out of the question for this edition of Sound Like, as they’re very expensive! Rabea and Matt therefore had to find some suitable substitutes that could deliver the high levels of gain that Mesas can achieve, while having the versatility to provide crystal-clear cleans too.

Boss Katana Artist

As the Ibanez that Rabea chose took up almost half of his budget, he didn’t have much left to play with when it came to amps and pedals. He ultimately settled on the Boss Katana Artist combo; a flexible modelling amp that offers a multitude of sounds. To recreate Korn’s thick and almost muddy distorted tones, Rabea cranked the bass and turned the presence all the way down.

Blackstar Studio 10

Matt fortunately had quite a lot of money remaining from his £1500 budget. This meant that he had several valve amp options at his disposal; ultimately choosing the Blackstar Studio 10 combo. This amplifier features EL34 tubes, which are synonymous with the “British sound”. Matt therefore ran a Mesa/Boogie Throttle Box distortion pedal into the front end to capture that mid-scooped, American high-gain character; thus emulating Munky and Head’s Triple Rectifiers.

Pedals

Tonnes of weird and wonderful modulation, pitch-shifting and delay effects are heard in Korn’s music; showing their alternative roots. In the late ’90s, both Munky and Head had outrageously complex pedalboards that featured multiple effects. But today, they’ve scaled things back to just a few essentials and use a mix of Boss, Digitech, Electro Harmonix and MXR stompboxes. Munky and Head have always used effects in an additive way to embellish certain parts, while their amps provide their core sounds.

The discontinued Digitech XP-100 Whammy/Wah is perhaps the most interesting pedal that both players rely on. Used in a bunch of the their tracks, its octave-down effect can be heard most prominently in “Here To Stay”; arguably Korn’s heaviest song.

Modulation is another key ingredient of the Korn sound, with Munky and Head using chorus, flanger, phaser and univibe pedals to attain creepy and unsettling sounds. They usually achieve this by setting their rate/time controls to be fast, thus creating a sinister-sounding warble. The intro of “Falling Away From Me” is a prime example, featuring a chorus-laden clean passage with an eerie reverb.

BOSS ME-80 & Mesa/Boogie Throttle Box

Rabea and Matt decided to use a Boss ME-80 multi-FX pedal to cover the various effects that Korn uses. This was far more cost-effective than buying single pedals, and meant that they could dial-in effect patches to be recalled for certain songs and sections. Also featuring a built-in expression pedal, this allows you to emulate the whammy and wah effects that Munky and Head frequently use.

As mentioned earlier, Matt used a Mesa/Boogie Throttle Box distortion pedal and ran it into his Blackstar Studio 10. Able to reach the insane gain levels possible with a Triple Rectifier, the Throttle Box is also very tweakable and amp-like with its 5-band EQ section.

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Royal Blood: Rhythm Monsters

Royal Blood duo Mike Kerr and Ben Thatcher are true rock crusaders in a time of electronic pop music, regularly breaking into the charts with a sumptuous blend of catchy hooks, big breakdowns and soaring melodies. The Brighton-based band consist of just two mainstay instruments: a drum kit and a short-scale bass, making them truly unique in both pop and rock circles.

One of the many clever aspects to Royal Blood’s music is Mike Kerr’s use of several effects pedals, which transform his standard bass tone into a hybrid lead guitar beast. Along with the tight, hard-hitting drum sounds, Royal Blood are a genuinely heavy, yet accessible-sounding band who have risen to astounding levels of popularity.

We’ve attempted to recreate Royal Blood’s bass tone in our ‘Sound Like’ videos both on a budget and with money no object, with effective results…

Basses

A short-scale bass is an absolute essential in order to follow in the tonal footsteps of Royal Blood’s Mike Kerr. In many ways, it’s a throwback to the sixties when shorter scale basses battled it out with the Precision and Jazz for the for most popular bass.

A short-scale bass is usually classified by a scale length under 31 inches. The space in between frets on a short-scale instrument is smaller and the strings hold less tension across the fretboard than your standard Jazz or P bass.

This is perfect for Royal Blood as a lot of the bass parts share similarities with a lead guitar, which involves arpeggio runs and big bends. When you’re holding down rhythm sections, the reduced string tension allows you to dig in hard on your picks for an aggressive, boomy attack.

Mike Kerr generally favours his Fender Custom Shop Jaguar, which has been spec’d out with a shorter scale like its Squier Modified cousin. He’s also been known to play the much rarer Starcaster – both of which house fat sounding humbucker pickups. If you’re not willing to spend a few thousand on those basses, more affordable alternatives include the likes of the Gretsch Electromatic G2220 or the Reverend Dub King.

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Amps

Continuing with the guitar/bass hybrid setup, Mike occasionally favours electric guitar amplifiers for their focussed upper register frequencies, really making his bass pop through at shows and on records.

The Fender Supersonic is a great choice for its balanced dynamic range and versatile sweep of gain and clean tones. If you’re hankering for some more Fender, the Hot Rod Deluxe or Bassbreaker series equally serve up plenty of thickness for bass and have sweet gain stages. Mike has been known to use all three for Royal Blood live shows.

Opting instead for bass amps, Tech-21 are your high-end choice. Great for use in a rack or any kind of audio solution, all while producing a spectacular tone. The Fender Bassman Pro offers your old-school saturated tube overdrive vibes, while the Rumble does an admirable job on a budget.

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Effects

This is make or break for your Royal Blood-inspired tone. Whether you prefer guitar pedals or bass pedals is completely subjective and just worth testing on a pedal-by-pedal basis. There are a couple of ways you can go about getting the Royal Blood high-gain tones and the odd intrepid effect.

The first solution is to use a line selector and two amps; one set to a clean channel and another chucking out full-on distortion. The second is to invest in a quality preamp pedal you can use to EQ your tone to the right dynamic range. You can refine in greater detail with a dedicated EQ pedal to buff up select frequencies into those lead guitar spots.

On the gain side of things, a thick sounding fuzz will be your go-to style of distortion. You can even layer it over your amp’s drive if you fancy. MXR, Keeley Electronics, JHS and Walrus Audio make a number of suitable fuzz stompboxes. An absolute tone saver if you’re going down this route is the Boss NS-2, a noise suppressor that almost completely removes any noise in and around your playing.

Mike likes a few interesting effects to spice up his lead playing. Two types you should consider are octave pedals and pitch shifter pedals. The former tracks your playing and layers an octave note above your original signal, adding another level of depth to your tone. Pitch shifting, meanwhile, alters your bass tone completely and works well used in small bursts for dramatic effect.

You can’t go wrong with Boss’ pitch-altering stompboxes. But if you want to experiment with some even more niche sounds, take a look at Earthquaker Devices and Electro Harmonix.

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Eric Clapton: Rock Hall of Famer

When history reflects on the mid-20th century explosion in guitar music, they’ll remember the music of Jimi Hendrix, Hank Marvin, Tony Iommi, Jimmy Page and David Gilmour. And of course, Eric Clapton. Never one to shy away from breaking the mould, Clapton has always been lauded for his supreme taste in guitars and subsequent legendary memorabilia.

But the Yardbirds, Cream and Bluesbreakers lead guitarist is more than a figure in the background of a bygone era. He was a driving force in technical ability, soulful expression and experimentation within rock and blues.

Clapton used a long list of guitars, amps and effects during his most prominent sixties and seventies discography for which he is revered most. Here is a selection of both boutique and affordable options to achieve the famous Slowhand tone.

Guitars

Eric Clapton wasn’t one to settle on a particular type of guitar. He played a selection of Gibson Les Pauls, SGs and Firebirds, Fender Strats and Teles and a Gretsch or two throughout his illustrious career. Most iconic of all is “Blackie”, a heavily modded Strat made using ’56 and ’57 parts he could get his hands on at the time.

Fender has a diverse range of Clapton-inspired Strats at different prices. Great affordable alternatives would be the Classic series or the Squier Classic Vibe, which encapsulate retro single coil tone, thicker neck profiles and the distinctive look of a retro instrument. If you didn’t get the memo, retro is what we’re going for here.

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Amps

Clapton has always preferred to use a Fender for his clean tone and a Marshall for gain. He’s stuck by the famous Fender Twin for most of his career. It is a great pedal platform amp with glistening cleans to suit single coil pickups. The Tweed sound has a natural, organic, earthy feel. Clapton has used it to its full effect with his expressive playing technique.

The Marshall Plexi style stack is a firm favourite among rock guitarists and can deliver ‘Sunshine of Your Love’ grunt no matter the particular model, be it a vintage reissue JTM45 or new SV20H Studio. Fender Champion or Marshall Code digital amps cover a wide variety of Clapton tones on a budget.

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Effects

A wah pedal is an essential bit of kit in your locker to get the most out of those soulful Clapton leads. Opt for a Vox or Dunlop Cry Baby at your discretion – Clapton for sure did. Add a bit of flavour to your playing using ‘always on’ pedals. As the term suggests, keep these on throughout your rhythm sections to create presence and movement through low frequencies.

Boss pedals have been a mainstay in Clapton’s rig since the seventies and make absolutely every type of effect. You should consider chorus, delay and tremolo to emulate his sound. He even used a now discontinued Heavy Metal distortion pedal, but an DS-1 could fill the void quite nicely. Clapton championed synth effects, too with his use of the Roland G-505 for ambient passages. The boffins at Electro Harmonix love a good synth pedal, so they’d make a for a perfect starting point.

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Joe Bonamassa

Joe Bonamassa opened for B.B. King in 1989 at the tender age of 12; it’s safe to say that the stage was set for a legend in the making. 15 solo albums, a Grammy nomination and an eye-watering gear collection later, he’s one of the most celebrated blues players of our time. He’s performed with the likes of Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, Derek Trucks and many more.

While Smokin’ Joe is known for playing (and owning) just about every bit of vintage gear under the sun, he’s most often seen with a Les Paul of some description. With Les Pauls, vintage usually means heavy. So again, Mahogany body (non-weight relieved where applicable) with vintage-voiced pickups will do the trick. Matt and Rabea chose an Epiphone Les Paul Custom Pro, an affordable but undeniably beautiful instrument.

Next up, amps and pedals. Our chaps went for the Marshall Origin 20, a vintage-style valve combo. Any amp of this description will do it; think old-school, responsive British crunch. To tip it over the edge, a midrange-rich overdrive will add fizz, clarity and heaps of sustain – for Matt and Rabea, it was none other than the Way Huge Bonamassa Signature DoubleLand Special. Add some reverb and wah for a bit of colour and your rig is fully Bona-fide.

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Jimmy Page

There are few more iconic images than Jimmy Page in his dragon suit tearing it up on a Les Paul. It’s in image that’s graced the walls of rebellious teens and music lovers alike for generations. But it’s the sound that’s truly stood the test of time.

Page’s snarling Les Paul-fuelled tone was one of the major driving forces behind Led Zeppelin’s timeless sound. While he used a number of instruments, including a double-neck SG and a ’59 Telecaster, he particularly favoured two instruments: a ’59 Les Paul bought off Joe Walsh in the ‘60s, and a ’59 Les Paul Standard bought in 1973.

The second component was a chunky Brit-style valve sound – the Marshall logo was often displayed loud and proud as part of Led Zep’s backline. He reportedly also opted for American amps in the studio that he’d crank to try and replicate his famed British grit, including Fender & Supro models.

So at the core of Page’s sound is a heavy Mahogany guitar with vintage pickups and a cranked British-style valve amp. Any heavier Les Paul with classic pickups will do the trick, and sticking with Marshall would be sensible. Matt and Rabea chose an Epiphone Les Paul Standard with a versatile Marshall DSL40 combo. Page used a classic Echoplex unit, famed for its gorgeous warm and responsive tone, so the boys also found a Jim Dunlop Echoplex preamp for good measure. Add some chorus (like the MXR Micro Chorus) for a beautiful old-school shimmer over the top of everything.

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The Darkness

You might not have expected The Hawkins brothers to make an appearance in this list, but we reckon the guitar world owes them a fair bit. The Darkness’ debut album Permission To Land was released in 2003, a time when guitar music meant indie-pop, and everything else was either R&B or The Cheeky Girls (don’t look them up).

Enter The Darkness, wearing either spandex, flares or a combination of the two, with their anthemic and borderline-sleazy brand of rock ‘n’ roll. The band bulldozed the charts, with two Top 10 UK singles and numerous awards and accolades. In doing so, they injected the guitar world with some much-needed mojo – and made Les Pauls cool all over again.

Both Justin and Dan Hawkins have used a number of Les Paul Standards, before and after Permission To Land. Having said that, their primary instruments were a little different. Justin’s was a Gibson Les Paul Custom in White, while Dan favoured a ‘50s Les Paul Black Beauty (triple humbuckers).

For amps, it’s the Brit parade once again – we think it’s fair to say Jimmy Page was an influence. Think Marshall, Vox and a little bit of Friedman (a US company who do the British thing really well). Pedals include a Pro Co Rat distortion, Ibanez TS808 and a Strymon Timeline. But the Les Paul + Brit amp combination is the dream team here.

As you may have already guessed, you’ll ideally want a rig that’s similar to the Jimmy Page one mentioned earlier. Matt and Rabea opted for an Epiphone Les Paul Custom and Les Paul Black Beauty (Epiphone version of the Hawkins bros’ Gibsons). For amps, they chose a pair of DSL40 Marshall combos. A little bit of delay and that Pro Co Rat adds a little more variety, and we’re away.

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Slash

The Les Paul has been in the hands of countless players across the musical spectrum for decades. But you simply can’t do a top Les Paul players list without including the mighty top-hatted one. Taking the Jimmy Page formula and injecting it with a little extra gain and some ‘80s attitude resulted in one of the most sought-after guitar tones of all time.

Slash has used numerous Les Pauls over the years, including a number of signature models (remember the Anaconda Burst?). But arguably his most famous one is the AFD Les Paul, a near-mythical instrument that’s supposedly one of three identical replicas. If you haven’t worked it out, the AFD refers to Guns ‘n’ Roses’ seminal album Appetite For Destruction. PAF-style pickups with medium output and that hefty Mahogany/Maple/Rosewood combo have earned their place in guitar history. Slash is also partial to Seymour Duncan pickups, with a number of signature sets over the years offering glorious crunch.

Amp-wise, it’s all starting to sound a bit familiar. He’s used amps from the likes of Vox, Roland and even Ampeg – but it always comes back to Marshall. There’s no pairing quite like it. Slash has also never been one to shy away from experimenting with effects, but nothing too abstract; we’re talking chorus, gritty overdrive to boost the output of his pickups, EQ pedals for some midrange honk and so on.

Matt and Rabea opted for an Epiphone Les Paul Tribute Plus, featuring Gibson pickups for that classic Les Paul sound. The trusty Marshall DSL40 also made the cut, along with a Seymour Duncan pickup booster, Tone City Angel Wing chorus and an MXR Carbon Copy delay. We’d go so far as to say that once you’ve got the Les Paul in the bag, all you’ll need is a Brit-style valve amp, crispy overdrive pedal and a wobbling chorus – then you’re in Paradise City.

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Enjoyed reading this piece? Check out the rest of our Sound Like, Learn, Labs & Industry content while you’re here! If you wanna know more about our Les Paul selection, check out the range here!

The post Our Top 5 Les Paul Players – And How To Sound Like Them! appeared first on Andertons Blog.

Recommended Status Quo Gear

Tom Morello

Rage Against The Machine, Audioslave

Tom Morello is one of the most original guitarists out there, whose approach to playing is very unique. Particularly evident in his work with Rage Against The Machine, Morello’s idiosyncratic style combines powerful pentatonic-based riffs with flamboyant DJ-inspired effects. The moment you hear Tom’s playing, you just know that it can’t possibly be anyone else.

Guitars

Of course, Morello’s gear plays a huge part in his sound. Although he is most associated with his blue “Arm the Homeless” superstrat, Morello has actually relied on his US-made 1982 Fender Telecaster more often for recording. And perhaps unknown to some, Morello almost exclusively uses only its neck pickup. This is yet another aspect of Morello’s style that goes against the grain, helping him to achieve those punchy, mid-heavy tones.

Amps

In conjunction with his guitars, Tom Morello has depended on his trusted Marshall JCM800 head and Peavey 4×12″ cab for almost 30 years. We believe that he must be a firm believer of the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” philosophy.

Frankly, any valve-powered Marshall will get you within striking distance of his ballsy sound. The DSL series is an excellent place to start, although the new for 2019 Studio range features portable 20W versions of the JCM800.

Effects

Much like his amp setup, Morello’s pedalboard has been time-capsuled since the early ’90s and has hardly evolved. Tom has utilised the Digitech Whammy frequently in both his work with Rage Against The Machine and Audioslave. If you’ve ever wondered how he achieved that high-pitched effect on the “Killing in the Name” solo (Rage Against The Machine – 1992); it’s a Whammy set two octaves up!

Apart from the Whammy, the Jim Dunlop Cry Baby wah pedal is another key ingredient, heard prominitely on tracks like “Bulls On Parade” (Evil Empire – 1996) and “Original Fire” (Revelations – 2007). Delay is another staple for Morello, who has used Boss‘ DD-2 and DD-3 pedals in the past. The track “Gasoline” (Audioslave – 2002) showcases his creative use of delay, mixing it with a choppy tremolo effect in the verses.

Recommended Tom Morello Gear

Brad Paisley

Solo

Brad Paisley is one the most commercially-successful American solo artists of the 21st Century. A legend of the Nashville music scene, this 3-time grammy award-winner is a modern country superstar, who continues to carry the torch for traditional music from the southern states.

Guitars

Like many of his country contemporaries, Paisley has carved his signature sound with Fender Telecasters. Making full use of their classic twang, Brad has an arsenal of paisley-patterned Teles in his collection, but is perhaps most associated with his vintage 1968 Pink Paisley Telecaster.

Fender released a Road Worn signature Brad Paisley model in 2017, featuring an eye-catching Silver Sparkle finish and a paisley-themed pickguard. The construction of this guitar is interesting, boasting a light Spruce/Paulownia body that offers a bright, acoustic-like resonance. However, this guitar gets most of its tone from its custom pickups. The ’64 Tele bridge single-coil delivers all the spank you could ever need, while the Custom Shop Twisted Tele in the neck has a much rounder character. To emulate Paisley’s tone, any ’60s-style Telecaster would work well, especially one with more traditional pickups.

Amps

Brad Paisley has been a longtime user of Dr. Z amps, and has recorded and performed with various models of theirs including the Z Wreck, Z Verb and Mini Z. Paisley’s live rig utilises multiple Z Wreck heads that are set with contrasting amount of gain, which he switches between depending on the song. With EL84 power tubes and 30w of headroom, these amps are able to overdrive and compress nicely at high volumes.

In conjunction with his Dr. Z amps, Paisley has been known to use custom-made Bruno Underground 30 heads too. Often compared to Vox AC30 models in terms of how they sound, any AC30 or AC15 amp will convincingly emulate Paisley’s bright, chimey tones.

Pedals

In the spirit of signature gear, Brad Paisley has his own overdrive pedal with Wampler. Bearing his name, the Paisley Drive has a fairly transparent sound that largely retains your original tone, while adding some grit and, in the words of Brian Wampler – “beef”. He also uses Wampler’s EGO Compressor pedal to squeeze more juice out of his Tele’s single-coils, whch is essential for articulate country lead lines. Either way, these pedals are a key part of Paisley’s sound.

Many country players rely on delay pedals in order to create a short slapback effect, and Brad Paisley is no exception. His delay of choice is the Way Huge Aqua Puss, which uses analogue circuitry in order to produce bold, rich-sounding repeats. The advantage of analogue delay pedals is that their repeats typically sound warm and dark, meaning that the immediate repeat doesn’t contend with the brightness of the original note.

Recommended Brad Paisley Gear

Jonny Greenwood

Radiohead

Jonny Greenwood is an enigma. A man of few words, Radiohead’s lead guitarist rarely gives interviews and tries to keep his setup fairly secret. Having said that, fans have accurately documented Greenwood’s guitar rig over the years, which has largely remained the same since the late ’90s.

Guitars

Jonny’s beaten-up, sticker-clad Fender Telecaster Plus has always been a mainstay and undoubtedly his number one guitar. Telecaster Plus models were only made for a short while in the late ’80s and early ’90s, and are considered rare and highly-desirable nowadays; thanks in part to Greenwood’s popularity.

These instruments were unique for their Lace Sensor pickups, and featured Red Dually humbuckers in their bridge positions. More apt for distortion, Jonny has used this fat humbucker’s tone to great effect in Radiohead, particularly on the band’s earlier albums The Bends (1995) and OK Computer (1997). As the Plus model is discontinued, any humbucker-equipped Telecaster will work well as an alternative.

Amps

Regarding amplification, Jonny Greenwood uses a mix of valve and solid-state. He has long depended on his classic Vox AC30 for cleans, which offers that clear and chimey British-style sound that is often synonymous with The Beatles.

His distorted amp is where it gets interesting, though. Employing an old-school Fender Eighty-Five, this oddball solid-state combo has been a part of Jonny’s setup since Radiohead’s first album Pablo Honey (1993) and can be bought second-hand for as little as £100. The Fender Champion is very similar though, and is much easier to find as it’s still in production.

Effects

Radiohead is an experimental band, and Greenwood along with fellow guitarist Ed O’Brien employ effects heavily in their work. While O’Brien uses delays and loopers to create interesting soundscapes, Greenwood is a little bit more chaotic in his approach.

Running an old Marshall ShredMaster pedal through his Fender Eighty-Five, tracks like “Creep” (Pablo Honey – 1993) and “Just” (The Bends – 1995) fully display how Jonny uses heavy distortion to create dynamic variation. A ProCo Rat pedal is a viable alternative for the ShredMaster, or you could get something fancier like the Friedman BE-OD.

The Digitech Whammy is a must have too. Famously used on the clean guitar parts in “My Iron Lung” (The Bends – 1995), Jonny pitches the pedal up an octave to emulate a 12-string guitar, while the early WH-1 Whammy’s poor note-tracking creates a glitchy warble. For the phase-laden guitar that begins “You” (Pablo Honey – 1993) to the bonkers filtered effects heard on the final solo in “Paranoid Android” (OK Computer – 1997), a powerful multi-modulation pedal like the Strymon Mobius will cover all of the bases.

Recommended Jonny Greenwood Gear

Peter “Danish Pete” Honoré

Andertons Video Team Manager

How on earth could we make a list about Telecaster players without Danish Pete? Our very own video team manager is a real character on and off the screen, loved by our fans for his risqué humour and soulful playing. And as an experienced musician who has toured the world many times over with the likes of Tom Jones and Westlife; he knows a thing or two about road-worthy guitar gear – with a few tricks of the trade up his sleeve!

Guitars

More often than not, Pete plays his stunning Fender Custom Shop Telecaster in demos; unique for its vibrant purple finish. As a gift from his wife, Pete uses his Telecaster not just because its sentimental value, but more so for the unbelievable tones it offers.

Based on an old-school ’52 model, Honoré’s purple Telecaster is powered by a set of hand-wound Custom Shop single-coils, with a 51 Nocaster in the bridge and a Twisted Tele pickup in the neck position. Polar opposites in terms of how they sound, the 51 Nocaster pickup has a hot and spanky character (exactly how a Tele should sound!), while the Twisted Tele projects a smoother tone; akin to a Strat neck pickup.

Amps

Pete almost exclusively used a Mesa/Boogie Lonestar 2×12″ combo in his touring days. With 100W of headroom, this powerful 2-channel amp projects heaps of volume for stage levels, with radiant mid-scooped cleans and warm overdrive tones aplenty. Having sold his Lonestar, Pete’s custom Rift Amps PR35 is a close alternative and his no. 1 combo.

In most Andertons TV videos, though, Pete plugs into a Victory V40D Deluxe with a matching 2×12″ vertical cab. An exceptional clean pedal platform amp, the Victory V40D is driven by a 6L6 power section, letting you attain American-style cleans to ’60s British drive; all from its single-channel.

Pedals

As the video team manager at Andertons since 2015, Pete has played through literally hundreds of pedals over the years. So, when it comes to which stompboxes he uses on his own personal board – you know they must be pretty good!

Pete’s main pedal is the aptly-named ‘The Dane’; his very own signature stompbox from ThorpyFX. Essentially a 2-in-1 overdrive/boost, this versatile pedal covers a lot of ground. The overdrive side is super-responsive to your playing dynamics, with a high-headroom quality that excels for blues. The boost side is also very expressive, but has a much fatter sound for creamier lead tones. Things really get cooking when both circuits are used together.

Recommended Peter Honoré Gear

Jim Root

Slipknot, Stone Sour

Jim Root is a true modern pioneer. Through his work with Slipknot, and to a lesser extent Stone Sour, Root’s aggressive drop-tuned riffs and liquid-like lead lines have helped to inspire a new generation of metal guitarists.

Guitars

Slipknot’s number #4 has used various guitars over the years, but he is most synonymous with the Fender Telecaster. His signature model, however, does not adhere to the typical Fender formula. Boasting a pair of powerful active EMG humbuckers, these chunky-sounding pickups are able to handle copious amounts of gain.

Other features include a Mahogany body for extra low-end girth, and a fast-playing neck finished in a smooth satin lacquer. As Rabea and Matt demonstrated in their Sound Like Slipknot video though, almost any guitar with active EMGs will get you close to Jim’s sound.

Amps

However, it’s not always about the guitar. Although Jim’s signature Fender model plays a vital role, it’s fair to say that his Orange Rockerverb 100 heads are more crucial in forming his distinctive sound. With gallons of gain on tap, the Rockerverb 100 has unique tonal characteristics; super-boomy lows, a scooped mid-range and a rich saturated crunch.

An Orange amp is a must if you’re keen to replicate Root’s heavy tones. And fortunately, his signature Dark Terror is an affordable lunchbox head that perfectly emulates it. The standard Dark Terror is an even more budget-friendly option, which you could pair with a smaller Orange 1×12″ or 2×12″ cabinet.

Effects

Jim isn’t a massive pedal fanatic, but he uses a few essentials when necessary. As he typically uses lots of gain, his Boss NS-2 Noise Supressor keeps unwanted hiss and feedback at bay. We’d recommend using noise gate pedals in almost any live situation where you’d need to turn up loud, but they’re imperative when playing through fiery amps.

Root also utilises an MXR Carbon Copy delay pedal, which he engages for thickening the sound of his solos. This particular pedal is adored by many guitarists, as it features analogue bucket-brigade circuitry that gives the delay repeats a darker, richer-sounding quality. Almost any analogue-style delay pedal will suffice, though, with affordable options from the likes of Tone City and Landlord FX.

Recommended Jim Root Gear

Keith Richards

The Rolling Stones

Just when you were probably thinking “how can they make a list of the best Telecaster players and not have Keith Richards?” – well, of course good ol’ Keef made the cut. Forming one half of The Rolling Stones’ guitar partnership along with Ronnie Wood, Richards is without a doubt the most influential player in our top 7 (ahem, 8).

Guitars

Keith Richards has used a raft of different guitars since the ’60s, and reportedly has a collection of over 3,000 instruments. However, there is one guitar that has been his primary weapon of choice since 1971; his ’53 Butterscotch Fender Telecaster. Nicknamed “Micawber”, this particular Tele has a number of customised elements that make it totally unique to Richards.

Missing its low E string, Micawber is set up for 5-string open G tuning; used for signature songs like “Brown Sugar” (Sticky Fingers – 1971) and “Before They Make Me Run” (Some Girls – 1978). Micawber was fitted at some point with an aftermarket bridge made of brass, presumably to yield more sustain. It also boasts a Gibson PAF humbucker in the neck position, and its bridge pickup was swapped with a Fender lap steel single-coil too. To replicate Keef’s tones, any Telecaster with a neck humbucker and a snappy-sounding Maple fingerboard should do it.

Amps

Richards has used a lot of amps over his six-decade long career, especially in the studio. Mesa/Boogies, Hiwatts and Ampegs have tickled his fancy, but Keith is perhaps most associated with Fender when it comes to amplification.

What’s interesting is that Richards prefers to use low-wattage combos, like Fender Champs, as they break up more easily at high volumes while remaining focused and clear. He has also been known to use these in conjunction with larger high-headroom amps, such as Fender Twins, which he’ll typically run clean. This therefore gives him the best of both worlds when playing live.

Pedals

Keith Richards used the classic Maestro FZ-1 Fuzz Tone pedal to attain the harsh guitar sound in the renowned Rolling Stones track “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” (Single – 1965). Intended as a guide track that would be later replaced by a horn section, the iconic guitar riff remained and, like they say; the rest is history! Fulltone‘s 69 MkII fuzz pedal closely emulates the super-gritty tone of the Maestro, which Rabea and Matt demonstrated in their Sound Like video:

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The post Our Top 7 Telecaster Players & How To Sound Like Them! appeared first on Andertons Blog.

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Jimi Hendrix

You can’t make a top five Strat list and miss out on the one and only Jimi Hendrix. Despite his mainstream career only spanning four years, he’s become one of our favourite guitarists and inspired many of us to pick up the instrument in the first place.

The Southpaw flipped between Gibson and Fender affinity, but it was the vintage white Strat that truly stuck with him and his posthumous image. His tone is as organic as it comes – a lot of it down to his playing technique. The searing Marshall JTM head and 4×12 cab combo produced the tones, combined with Dunlop’s circular Fuzz Face pedal and Roger Mayer Octavia which featured front and centre on the Purple Haze solo. Fuzz and octave effects were some of the first ever created, so it’s no surprise to hear them used liberally throughout his sixties discography.

Jimi’s use of the Vox V846 wah is yet another aspect of his rig to burn an unforgettable hole in our minds. The intro to Voodoo Child is one of the most iconic pieces of music ever created. Like Simon Neil, it’s not difficult to get a good Jimi tone on a smaller budget. The most important aspect is getting a vintage style valve Marshall and a retro fuzz.

Featured Gear

John Mayer

You cannot escape the behemoth that is John Mayer. One minute he’s rocking the amp apple cart with his Axe-FX, the next he’s playing an acoustic rendition of Old Town Road with Lil Nas X. Oh yeah, and in between all the headlines he’s writing the biggest bluesy pop tunes in the business.

Looking past his controversial switch to PRS, Mayer first came to recognition with a Strat in his hands. A single coil Fender works great for Mayer’s blend of hybrid picking throughout rhythm and solo sections. There’s lots of dynamism to his playing and his tone could only be achieved through single coil pickups.

It’s easy to get carried away with tubes and transistors in search of the perfect cleans, but a Fender Deluxe Reverb, Milkman amp or affordable alternative from these brands will get you closest to his tone. It’s not surprising to see him use some high-end pedals like Eventide, Chase Bliss Audio and Strymon workstations for his effects, considering his budget is pretty much unlimited. Although, a Line 6 DL4, Boss Blues Driver or anything from the Way Huge range will capture some essential crunch or textured sounds.

Featured Gear

Stevie Ray Vaughan

Blues has a lot to thank Stevie Ray Vaughan for, despite his short career. The Texan’s unprecedented guitar skills gave the genre a much-needed kick up the backside and kick-started another round of blues rock ‘n’ roll in the eighties.

The famous “Number One” Strat wielded by Stevie featured a pickguard engraved with his initials and came equipped with three vintage hot single coil pickups. His definitive sound comes from a super cranked Marshall amp with a fiery overdrive and boost out in front. You can really take things to the next level by boosting and layering overdrives during your solos.

A Vintage Reissue Marshall would be the perfect amp, but unfortunately it’s not a realistic choice for many of us on a budget. Blackstar are a strong alternative as they produce equally tasty British tone in bucketloads. An Ibanez Tubescreamer is ideal for pushing the amp into midrange saturation, while a clean boost from the likes of Keeley would do for punching through a mix when performing lead passages.

Featured Gear

David Gilmour

The thinking man’s guitarist. Pink Floyd is probably your dad’s favourite band but don’t worry, they’re still kind of cool!

David Gilmour is all about effects piled on top of his sweet Strat tone. When he hits those big notes it’s the pedals that launch this legendary tone into outer space. Keeley have made a few workstations perfectly suited to a Gilmour-esque sound. Alternatively, try out T-Rex boutique pedals. Expansive reverb, vintage analogue-style delay and a splash of pitch-wavering modulation should be on your shopping list.

It’s essential you get a good pedal platform amp with plenty of clean headroom to get your stompboxes performing optimally. A Fender Twin Reverb at the top end or Super Champ on a budget are great picks.

Featured Gear

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The post Our Top 5 Strat Players & How To Sound Like Them! appeared first on Andertons Blog.

Guitars

Angus Young – Lead Tone

Angus Young has rarely been seen without his trusty Gibson SG and those mid-range heavy pickups are just what you need to get the biting, powerful tones that he gets. You could describe his lead lines as ‘stinging’ and this is largely down to the warm mahogany body of the guitar combined with potent pickups. The lighter body of an SG also means you can fly around the stage and wield your guitar like a weapon whilst doing the duckwalk across the stage!

Gibson SG guitars have got a signature sound of their own and it’s probably epitomised by Angus Young. Want ACDC tones? Get an SG.

Malcolm Young – Rhythm Tone

Malcolm used a Gretsch throughout his ACDC career and his metronomic, groovy rhythm playing was supporting by the crispy top-end of the Gretsch pickups. For similar results, a Gretsch with TV Jones style pickups would obviously do the trick! You’d want a solid body Gretsch to get a slightly fuller tone without the ‘air’ that you might get from a semi-hollow or hollow body.

Having a solid body also means you can crank the guitar without worrying too much about feedback problems. You’d do well with something like a Gretsch Double Jet. However, if a hollowbody is what you want, then a White Falcon would be the way to go. Just watch the gain dial…

Featured Products

Amps

The guitar amp is a big part of where ACDC get their ‘sound’ from. Essentially, they just crank up Marshall Plexi amps which are surprisingly not high gain amps. But when turned up that loud, they’ll break up the speakers for that classic rock sound. So, get a good valve amp and crank it up and keep the gain down where possible. You don’t need as much gain as you think.

One piece of advice I was given to get that Angus Young sound was to turn all of the EQ knobs on your amp up all the way. It really worked! The gain doesn’t need to be high but you can ‘open up the floodgates’ by doing this and really give your guitar a voice. It’s almost like you’re not restraining any frequencies from your guitar and when combined with a nice sounding valve amp, you’ll get a ton of rich overtones coming through.

Pedals

This is a really interesting one because you probably don’t need any pedals if you’ve got the right sound coming out of your amp. The ACDC sound is quite dry, so you won’t need modulation, delay or reverb pedals. The bass drives the low-end and the rhythm from the drums and rhythm guitars is what really makes the tracks. On top of that, you have Angus Youngs blues-inspired lead licks with the amp cranked up to ten. It’s a simple formula in theory but a little more tricky in practice.

If you were to get any pedal, it would need to be a boost pedal to push your valve amp over the edge. Any boost pedal will do but if you really want to nail then tones then you might want to check out a company called Solodallas. They built the wireless system that Angus used and he favoured it for the way it flavoured his guitar tones more than their actual functionality. Fortunately, in the modern day, we can get these tones with the right pedals and Solodallas pedals will definitely get you into the ballpark.

Conclusion

It goes without saying that the ACDC guitar sound is invariably large and iconic. It is also quite a simple setup but much more can be said for the style of playing than the actual gear played. Angus and Malcolm both attacked their guitar parts with vigour and that attitude in their guitar sound comes from the way that they both play.

Keep the setup simple, use guitars with humbuckers into a Marshall-style amp. It’s a long way to the top if you wanna rock n roll but if you keep the gain down and the volume up, you’ll get there!

The post Sound Like AC/DC By Busting The Bank appeared first on Andertons Blog.

Get a taste for the Foo Fighters pure rock ‘n’ roll guitar medley below…

Guitars

Let’s start off with the guitars. Chris Shiflett wields a signature Fender Telecaster equipped with his own custom thick-sounding humbucker pickups. This gives him the grunt needed to fill out the full tonal spectrum and hands him more control over higher gain tones. Occasionally he’ll also play a Gibson Les Paul, which covers very similar punchy frequencies thanks to the P.A.F style pickups. If you’re looking to carve out your own look, a Fender American Professional Tele or Gibson Les Paul Standard or Classic will do the trick. Working on a budget, you may want to opt for a Squier Classic Vibe or Epiphone Les Paul Classic. These all provide you with a similar  sound and feel, with classically low-to-mid output pickups, 9.5-inch radius fretboards and “C” shape necks.

Dave Grohl has used a lot of guitars over his three decades of guitar playing, but he’s most famous for his limited run ES-335 in Pelham Blue. You won’t be able to pick up this custom shop Gibson, so the standard ES-335 will have to fill its place. As it’s a semi-hollow guitar, it produces a lot of natural resonance and a big harmonic sound. But that doesn’t mean it’s not got a crunch tone in it – the ES-335 uses Gibson Burstbucker pickups, best used when paired with thick overdrive or sweet edge-of-breakup bite. You should check out Epiphone for lower priced options, who make some of their own unique guitars such as the Casino, Kat and Sheraton, which you won’t find in the Gibson line-up.

Gear Used

Amps

Mesa Boogie is the only way to go in order to recreate Dave’s tone as precisely as possible. The Mark V is a boutique choice, packed with extensive EQ options and is famed for its astounding versatility. Foo Fighters have used Mesa Boogie since their mid ’90s beginnings. Simply put, the Mark V possesses one of the most expressive tones of any amp in the world. This beast spits out sparkling cleans, heavy metal distortion and everything in between in equally great measure. Ideal for Foo Fighters, who like to mix up the tone from album to album.

The Tone King Sky King combo is a great alternate high-end pick. These amps, like Mesa, are handwired for the best tone possible. This will get you closer to Shiflett’s roaring classic tone and keeps the Foos close to their rock ‘n’ roll roots. It has two channels like the Mesa, but with a much-simplified EQ layout. You can add bite to the lead channel, or add some softer characteristics using the built-in spring reverb with control over the depth, rate and potency of the effect.

At the other end of the price spectrum, the Fender Bassbreaker range can get you close to the American style gain of the Mesa or Tone King. Plus. the Bassbreaker is a real tube amp, allowing it to gloriously saturate when pushed harder on the volume. A great solid state alternative is the all-encompassing Boss Katana, allowing you to dial in a number of Foo Fighters tone with excellent accuracy.

Pedals

Foo Fighters aren’t afraid to delve into the world of pedals to spice up their guitar sound. They’ve used stompbox effects in very particular parts to add a touch of brilliance to their songs before. For example, a delay and a comrpessor for the intros to Rope and The Pretender, respectively. Boss certainly aren’t as well known for their reverb effects as they are for drives and modulation, but the RV6 does a great job of providing an extensive choice of reverb types like spring, plate, room and hall variants, with added shimmer and delay settings. A great all round pick.

If you’re going for precision, the Cali76 is a no-brainer. Regarded as one of the best compressors ever created, the Cali76 gets you incredibly close to The Pretenders squashed intro. This levels out your guitar signal, and you have a load of parameters at your disposal to shape it how you please.

Gear Used

The band also use a combination of the T-Rex Mudhoney, Wampler Thirty Something and J Rockett Archer Ikon overdrives to obtain their classic gain tones. All of these pedals sound great on their own, but together with a bit of tweaking, they open up a massive range of drive layering possibilities.

Other pedals any players could buy that feature in the Foo Fighters sound are the classic MXR Phase 90 and Boss Waza Craft DM-2W delay – a reissue of the original ‘80s stompbox. Both pedals are super simple to operate for a unique spin on proceedings. You know you’re getting proven, great effects used by the biggest names in music.

If you enjoyed this read, check out more of our Sound Like articles!

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