ZZ Top effect

[foneman44]

My guitar of choice is the American Deluxe Strat and I play through a custom built AB763 amp. I haven't in past used effects, but I'm curious what pedal to acquire that would allow me to reproduce the sound of ZZ Top with my equipment of choice. I do have another guitar, semi-hollow body, with humbuckers, and I have solid state amps with drive channels, but they don't sound like what I'm after. What do you recommend for effects equipment?

[wingnut1]

Billy Gibbons played a Les Paul through a Marshall Plexi amp so your equipment isn't really geared toward that sound. I would think a digital modeling rig like a GNX4 or POD XT live that has amp and pickup modeling would get you there.

[foneman44]

You answered the question I should have asked! Many thanks, WN. Does the Marshall amp have a distortion or overdrive selection on it? Just curious. I've never played a Marshall.

[Wilko]

Some of the early stuff was done with a strat, so that part would be cool. A Bandmaster needs pedals or huge volume to do anything like a ZZ Top sound.

Some early type fuzz pedal and a little eq like those old MXR 6 band will get you right in the ballpark for Cheap Sunglasses or Tush, etc. Add a tubescreamer to the fuzz pedal and you'll get into Eliminator territory.

[Mesotech]

Things like La Grange, Blue Jean Blues, and other earlier ZZ was done with a Tele and a Tweed era Fender Champ (a recording trick Billy picked up from Eric Clapton and Hendrix when Billy was with The Moving Sidewalks). A little later he started building amp pyramids with numerous small wattage amps and a mic stuck in the middle of them all. Live he would use big Marshalls to gain the volume needed for large arenas. In the 80's he used all types of things, including the Tom Sholtz Rockman (which he had Tom mod to remove the chorus effect that was always "on" in the first generation models).

Another point is good luck in getting any straight answers from Billy in the form of interviews about his gear choices. He's been known to be rather elusive, some might even go so far as to say he outright lies about his gear. I remember one interview he gave that says he uses .008 guage strings special made from old Cadallac bumpers, tuned down to C, and plays with a Mexican Peso as a pick. Just try playing a Les Paul with that combination, it ain't gonna work.

[Rickenjangle]

I heard somewhere that the solo on La Grange (and some of the riffing on Cheap Sunglasses) was done with a hardtail Strat into a 5e3 (narrow panel Tweed Deluxe) amp.

He might not have used chorus on stuff, but on the Deguello album I definitely hear some of that 'static filter' sound like you get with the EH Electric Mistress - now, I don't know how BillyG got that sound, but it's there...

And the Rockman sound - worked for what they were doing at the time, but I don't really see it as the quintessential Top sound. Les Paul/Plexi Marshall whacked up high, Strat w/Tweed Deluxe, and Tele with Champ are the three primary configurations I'd try to get his sound.

Also, it's in how he holds the pick - no matter what kind of pick (or peso) it was, he definitely holds his pick with very little of it sticking out from his fingers. He also hybrid picks some passages with a couple of fingers and the pick...

[foneman44]

I heard ZZ Top live at the Nashville arena a few years back and those three guys were so loud, it was unbelievable. Must have had amps and axes on ten. The opening act that night was Kansas -- what a contrast. I love ZZ Top -- too many great tunes to pick one fave, but perhaps "Sharp Dressed Man" for me. Thanks for all the great input about things I might try. Your comments about getting straight answers from Billy were hilarious. They recently were featured on the Paladium concert network on HD television. they played a number of hits live in a very small venue. Quite cool. They were actually quite straightforward in their answers to audience questions, too. NO one asked about their equipment, however. Mainly the audience wanted to know about the girls and the car in the videos! Me, too!

[Wilko]

Most of these posts are right on about the gear used, my post was about how to get YOUR GEAR to sound in that range.
The old style "fuzz" boxes when used right will get you a recorded tweed buzzy overdrive tone tat stays clear without getting muddy. Add another modern pedal to that (use both) will get you that oversaturated drive with the spikey clarity of Tweed like you hear in SHarp Dressed Man. The stomp box EQ lets you tailor the sound and push the mids just right.
Good luck.

[Don]

I think it has more to do with playing technique than anything else. That, with a cranked amp and occasional fuzz can get you close enough for rock and roll.

I'm only talking about the first few albums. After that, I have no idea.

[Wilko]

gawd yes. Technique is very important for those sounds. You gotta get real good at playing with a tight grip on the pick and combining that with the meat of your thumb/fingers. Pinch harmonics come in and out of phrases, choking and releasing, etc. Great dynamic control is a huge part of that sound.

[elicross]

Billy Gibbons is the king of pinch harmonics. I think it may have been a 1980s interview with him in Guitar Player that got me to turn my pick where just a little of one of the rounded corners sticks out between my thumb and forefinger. I know he's the reason I briefly tried picking with a two-bit piece, but it just didn't feel right. I guess I needed a peso.

[majwild1]

Here is a little lesson from Billy on some of the riffs he uses and technics:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34wNfmpYrb8

[Pearly Grapes]

With your equipment I'd try to find a first generation (black, not silver) Marshall Blues Breaker overdrive. Another good one is the Reverend DriveTrain. Of *course* both of these pedals are discontinued. But they usually pop up on ebay.
PG

[Franklin]

The search is endless! don't get too hung up on nailing it. Try fuzz, a germainium one. I can dial in my sunface to get a wide range of grit with the volume knob. When the pedal is cranked all the way on the fuzz, vol high using a s/c bridge p'up with the guitar's vol all the way and the tone all the way down I get the sickest Billy type tone. Especially with P90s.

The trick is to dialing it in. You may need/want an eq pedal or another od pedal to stack with it, but there's good stuff in those fuzz boxes. Oh yeah, a cranked tube amp too! It doesn't literally have to be cranked, but on the point breaking up loud.

You need to remember that you use your guitar's vol to adjust gain, not volume and that the tone pots mean a lot to the tone and you'll be alright.

[Sixpense]

Billy Gibbons gear has changed over the years. In the early days up to the mid eighties he used Pearly Gates (59 Les Paul) Strats and teles. Rumors that he even used cheap Japanese copies on Got Me Under Pressure. He is recently photographed with Epiphone Les Pauls as well.

The biggest change in his sound (IMO) is the switch in string guages from .11s to .07s. The lighter string guage has had an effect on the sound. So it depends on which ZZ Top era you mean.

I picked up a distortion pedal that he used live and in the studio on the track Pincushion that just makes your amp sound really sick. (in a good way :) )

[mmcquain]

I heard somewhere that the solo on La Grange (and some of the riffing on Cheap Sunglasses) was done with a hardtail Strat into a 5e3 (narrow panel Tweed Deluxe) amp...

I heard it was the rhythm part (that intro riff) that was played on the Strat on La'Grange. The outro solo (the one back in Am) was his Les Paul (Pearly Gates) where he does all those cool pinch harmonics. I'm not sure if the first solo (Cm) is the Strat or Les Paul. Anyway, that's the way I've always it was recorded (but I've seen many a debate on this song and what gear was used).

[Offshore Angler]

The Rev is living proof that it's all the player. He has performed all the songs on everything from Teles to Gretschs and still manages to sound like himself.

The other secret to the Huge Billy sound is to multi-layer the guitars. Take for example, the intro to "Give Me All Your Lovin". If you listen carefully, there are actually three separate guitar tracks on that seemingly simple intro lick with three close, but not the same sounding axes. That type of layering is pervasive in ZZ Top recordings and one of the secrets to the sound. And also why some of the ZZ Top songs never sound quite right when you hear them live. Even Billy can't get Billy's sound live.

[mgade]

I believe that Osa. Trying to do the La Grange riff I loaded it into a sound processing program, slowed it down and loope through micro sections. I ended up concluding that there waere at least 2 tracks on top of each other and settled on what I thought was the best one guitar approximation. That happens to be better sounding to my ears than what the man plays himself on the live YouTube clips. Also it didn't pass the drummers ears test. He is a ZZ Top fan and claims that what I play is not what Billy plays he he he ARGH I hate whan the explanation last longer than what the receiver (sp?) can handle. Also - he's right!

[OneHighwayDeluxe]

I'd also throw a flange somewhere in your pedal chain before your OD. But just barely dialed in/low mix of the effect(almost bypassed) for getting some of that spacey sound like on "Just got paid" etc..

[Pearly Grapes]

I'd also throw a flange somewhere in your pedal chain before your OD. But just barely dialed in/low mix of the effect(almost bypassed) for getting some of that spacey sound like on "Just got paid" etc..

Sounds like you are referring to the Six-Pack remixed recording instead of the original.
PG

[Rickenjangle]

Sounds like you are referring to the Six-Pack remixed recording instead of the original.
PG

Dang, they actually went ahead and added modulation effects to guitars? What were the remix engineers thinking??

[Offshore Angler]

Dang, they actually went ahead and added modulation effects to guitars? What were the remix engineers thinking??

Why Johnny, are you implying that what we hear on the recording may not be the result of the player's gear and technique?!

That just can't be!

[Rickenjangle]

LOL Chuck...post processing is NEVER used to "fix" anything!!!

[Kap'n]

I suspect that those remixes were done like that so that Eliminator and beyond would sound just as good.

[Rickenjangle]

Well I like some of that stuff - remember I was a teen at the time - but now I find almost all the post-eliminator stuff unlistenable. I like SDM and Rough Boy and Legs...other than that - forget about it. Not until My Head's In Mississippi that I got back into the Top.

[thegeezer]

Well I like some of that stuff - remember I was a teen at the time - but now I find almost all the post-eliminator stuff unlistenable. I like SDM and Rough Boy and Legs...other than that - forget about it. Not until My Head's In Mississippi that I got back into the Top.

I agree but I think that the major factor in The Revs playing is The Rev.
Jerry

[OneHighwayDeluxe]

Sounds like you are referring to the Six-Pack remixed recording instead of the original.
PG

Actually, their recent "Story Tellers" live performance sounds like its got a slight flange to it.

And my mp3 I've got on my ipod is from a tape of "greatest hits" The tape probably was worn out when I made it.

[Don]

I suspect that those remixes were done like that so that Eliminator and beyond would sound just as good.

I assumed that they were trying to cash in on Eliminator's (and later albums) success by mutilating the earlier stuff.

[elicross]

One good thing: The "expanded and remastered" reissues of those early albums have the original recordings.

[Pearly Grapes]

One good thing: The "expanded and remastered" reissues of those early albums have the original recordings.

Right! That's the Chrome, Smoke , & BBQ set.
Them there's some fine re-cordins!
PG

[elicross]

Yep. Great title for a boxed set. If somebody asked me "What band would you guess has a box set called 'Chrome, Smoke & BBQ'?" I'd say "ZZ Top!"

[KyKaH]

RAT

[ronworld]

BG certainly used a wide variety of gear. But throughout them all His biggest effect is 'Billy' HIs own attitude and style.
If Im doing the Tush or Sunglasses period though, I just use a Turbo Overdrive in a fairly low driven setting and a Blues Driver or such for earlier stuff. Maybe some chorus too.
I saw ZZ Top live twice in the eighties, and they definatley used a ghost player or taped backing. Getting the 'full Billy' live obviously gave even ZZ Topsome bother!

[holmis63]

I saw them last month in Gothenburg, Sweden, and Billy still sounded like Billy (have seen them a lot all the way back to the seventies, always different gear) when they played the old ones. Yes, he used multi tracking on some old stuff too. But you can´t beat the comp and solo sound on Blue jean blues (and others) and there is that creamy dynamic Rew sound without multitracking, it´s in his fingers and head and feeeeeeling!!

[NDRU]

I believe I recently read ina interview where he said that only the CLEAN stuff on La Grange was done with a Strat, and the dirty stuff was done with the Pearly Gates Les Paul (actually I see someone else mentioned that above, oops)

Personally, I have noticed that using a fuzz or preamp distortion (on the bridge pickup, of course) sounds more like ZZ Top than does an overdrive pedal.

It might not nail the sound exactly but fuzz or preamp distortion has that nastier tone than overdrive pedals

[Don]

I prefer a Strat when I play La Grange. It just sounds "right" to me.