help with blues distortion

JB_2012 · Guest

i just recently started playing blues guitar and i wanted to get that classic whining distortion sound. i bought a electro harmonix big muff but the distortion on it is just too "fuzzy" and heavy metal sounding. is there an effects pedal i can buy that will give me more of a wailing or "crying" blues sound when i solo. thanks.

bedulin · Guest

The most important question first is "what amp are u using?

Most pedals will sound different thru different amps and should be tried to match the amp.

Second question....what volume do you want the OD sound?

For bedroom to practice application, small night club gigs, or large venues.

Third question........what type of guitar.........hollow body, single coil, humbuckers? Sound comes from the entire system, not one component.

and last....what type of OD sound are u after. IMHO, the most versatile way to go, buy a silver face Deluxe reverb. You may have to replace the stock speakers with a Jensen C12 something. For bedroom, get a cheap Zoom 505 MKII which costs as much as a floor tuner. For small gigs, go into the plain channel, turn volume to 8, and use the guitar volume to go from clean to crunch. BTW, the crunch you get doing this cannot be equaled by any pedal. You might also play with a cord from plain 2 to vibrato1 and play with the vibrato volume for tone.

The quest for tone for guitarists is long road but you may take this shortcut.

TimC · Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2003 3:45 pm Post subject:

40 years and much $ seeking the perfect tone. I think I almost got it though. #Beer

firebottles · Guest

hi there. first, you can't get blues tone from a pedal. Go back and re-think BLUES guitar..i.e. Albert King.BB King, Freddie King,Hubert Sumlin,T-Bone Walker etc...these guys ALL played thru their amps with the tone in their hands...the "crying" sound is from squeezing the note while you bend it. Try to turn your amp up like halfway and make the notes sing with your fingers/vibrato..this takes practice. I think you'll find if you practice without a dist box and REALLY try to put some emotion behind those "crying" notes that you will sound great in a short time. of course many so-called "blues" guitarists find that playing thru a tube screamer or similar low-gain distortion box provides them with a singing Santana-like sustain..if that's what you want...try things like a boss blues driver,fulltone whatever etc. although nothin' beats guitar into amp!!! Good luck, and go get those blues records!!!

TimC · Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2003 2:40 pm Post subject:

Amen to that firebottles. That Ry Cooder sound that gives you goose-bumps is from cheap single coils played straight into the amp. Just like the old time blues folks.

51tele · Newbie Alert Joined: 21 May 2003 Posts: 4

CRANK IT UP AND FEEL IT--------------------