Members guitarman3001 Posted May 24, 2008 Members Share Posted May 24, 2008 Anyone know what he uses to get that ultra thick tone on songs like Tush and Beer Drinkers/Hell Raisers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MichaelSaulnier Posted May 24, 2008 Members Share Posted May 24, 2008 Les Paul. Loud tube amp. Drive Pedal. Talent. M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Doctor Morbius Posted May 24, 2008 Members Share Posted May 24, 2008 When I saw him in concert last summer he was playing a Billy Bo Gretsch through Crate amps. He still sounded like Billy Gibbons. NOTE: I read a post by someone who says the multiple Crate amps on stage were for show and that he actually plays through a Fender amp but I have no way of verifying this. Take with a grain of salt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members itkindaworks Posted May 24, 2008 Members Share Posted May 24, 2008 Dont forget the light strings and peso. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarman3001 Posted May 24, 2008 Author Members Share Posted May 24, 2008 Les Paul.Loud tube amp.Drive Pedal.Talent.M hrmm..I have all of those except the talent part and I have yet to be able to get that super-thick sound he gets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members scottgd Posted May 24, 2008 Members Share Posted May 24, 2008 I've always thought that all the amps on stage were show and he actually used a small(ish) tube amp off stage somewhere. His sound seems too consistent for all the diff. amps he's had on stage. But what do I know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Oldskool Texas Posted May 24, 2008 Members Share Posted May 24, 2008 Listen to the old ZZ Top stuff through a good set of headphones, and you'll hear the multiple (and doubled) guitar parts in the mix, often separated by a wide stereo image. That's part of his "big" sound, too. Gibbons has been notoriously secretive and contradictory about how he gets his tone - check out his book "Rock and Roll Gearhead" for some insight into his equipment, both musical and automotive. Also a nice photographic history of the band. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members benagain Posted May 24, 2008 Members Share Posted May 24, 2008 his guitar is made of wood from muddy waters birthplace home .. or so i heard... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members itkindaworks Posted May 24, 2008 Members Share Posted May 24, 2008 his guitar is made of wood from muddy waters birthplace home .. or so i heard... That would be hillarious if it were true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Muddslide Posted May 24, 2008 Members Share Posted May 24, 2008 Whatever it is, my hat's off to the man for getting some of THE fattest, juiciest tones evah. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Muddslide Posted May 24, 2008 Members Share Posted May 24, 2008 Listen to the old ZZ Top stuff through a good set of headphones, and you'll hear the multiple (and doubled) guitar parts in the mix, often separated by a wide stereo image. That's part of his "big" sound, too. Best way, hands down, to listen to old ZZ Top is on vinyl. They really {censored}ED up the first few CD releases of their early albums. Even re-recording synth drums over the original mixes and {censored}. I think CDs of the first 4-5 albums have come out now that are more true to the original recordings {censored}, vinyl is the way to go in general, but (IMO) definitely the way to go if you are listening to music that wasn't originally mastered to CD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Stackabones Posted May 24, 2008 Members Share Posted May 24, 2008 his guitar is made of wood from muddy waters birthplace home .. or so i heard... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members benagain Posted May 24, 2008 Members Share Posted May 24, 2008 yes its true about the muddy waters house guitar .. im not saying he plays THAT guitar all the time ..(actually they sold it for charity)... just like Jerry Garcia has a guitar whose body is made of an old Chinese opium bed .. talking bout diggin up the mojo .. i need one made from the tusk of an albino elephant then ill sound better Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarman3001 Posted May 24, 2008 Author Members Share Posted May 24, 2008 hrmmm...so what pickups does he use? And what about pedals? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mistersully Posted May 24, 2008 Members Share Posted May 24, 2008 hrmmm...so what pickups does he use? And what about pedals? apparently his pedals are cased in metal taken from robert johnson's ferrari Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members benagain Posted May 24, 2008 Members Share Posted May 24, 2008 i thought robert johnson drove a Porsche? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mistersully Posted May 24, 2008 Members Share Posted May 24, 2008 nope... that was blind lemon jefferson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members placeboemotion Posted May 24, 2008 Members Share Posted May 24, 2008 This Masterbuilt Strat is sold in Hamburg. The star inlay is wood from the stage of the Star Club in Hamburg, where not only the Beatles played but like everyone else and their brothers and sisters. Having said that - a whole body made of wood of the stage would be much cooler wouldn't it? Sorry for hijacking this ... but the talk about guitars made from wood from this or that mojo origin got me distracted. +1 on the Rock'n'Roll Gearhear book ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ChrisGansz Posted May 24, 2008 Members Share Posted May 24, 2008 That would be hillarious if it were true.Well, it's very hilarious then - one of his guitars in his collection IS made from planks from Muddy Water's home - believe it or else! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RaVenCAD Posted May 24, 2008 Members Share Posted May 24, 2008 I read an interview once and he said his secret to "big tone" was small 1x12 combo amps. And it's true. I've ran several small 1x12 combos at one time with a splitter and it sounds like God.. With a stack, you get one amp with 4 or 8 mouths.. With 4 or 8 1x12's, you get a choir of slightly different voices. Sounds amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Muddslide Posted May 24, 2008 Members Share Posted May 24, 2008 I read an interview once and he said his secret to "big tone" was small 1x12 combo amps. And it's true. I've ran several small 1x12 combos at one time with a splitter and it sounds like God.. With a stack, you get one amp with 4 or 8 mouths.. With 4 or 8 1x12's, you get a choir of slightly different voices. Sounds amazing. Man, what do I owe you for this info bro? I'm planning to put together an amp rig for my bass soon. Do you think this same set-up would apply? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BlackCat Posted May 24, 2008 Members Share Posted May 24, 2008 I read an interview once and he said his secret to "big tone" was small 1x12 combo amps. And it's true. I've ran several small 1x12 combos at one time with a splitter and it sounds like God.. With a stack, you get one amp with 4 or 8 mouths.. With 4 or 8 1x12's, you get a choir of slightly different voices. Sounds amazing. I've been meaning to try that. I have to get a splitter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Procreatur Posted May 24, 2008 Members Share Posted May 24, 2008 i know he bought one of these from a local amp builder not too long ago....http://www.retrokingamps.com/zztop.htm apparently he's buying 6 more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kelly Posted May 24, 2008 Members Share Posted May 24, 2008 Anyone know what he uses to get that ultra thick tone on songs like Tush and Beer Drinkers/Hell Raisers? Those albums were Les Paul and Strat, 11s, Plexi Marshalls that he got from Jeff Beck, and whatever effects were lying around. Try to find some of the old Guitar Player interviews from the 70's. Billy used a '55 hardtail Strat a lot, as well as the Strat Jimi gave to him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RaVenCAD Posted May 24, 2008 Members Share Posted May 24, 2008 Man, what do I owe you for this info bro? I'm planning to put together an amp rig for my bass soon. Do you think this same set-up would apply? Should apply to most anything, but I think unless yer using an array of 1x15 combos you'd really be limiting yourself. Of course, if I could have an array of 8 Delta Blues 1x15's, I'd be in heaven.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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