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Chapter 15: Choosing Your Amp and Effects
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Blues is primarily concerned with the last category, though some blues-rock
players — notably Jimi Hendrix — certainly popularized more intense versions
of guitar distortion, though he tended to save it for his rock rather than his
blues tunes.
Distortion devices are by far the most numerous and varied, so simply selecting
the right pedal for the job is half the battle. Pedals with names like “Metal
Madness” shouldn’t be used to imitate B.B. King, and usually the name of the
effect or its description hints to its abilities.
Figure 15-16 shows a collection of some popular distortion effects used for
the blues. From left to right in the figure, you see the Ibanez Tube Screamer,
the Boss Blues Driver, and the Line 6 Pod XT.
Figure 15-16:
A collection
of distortion
devices.
a
b
c
The Ibanez Tube Screamer, as popularized by Stevie Ray Vaughan, is still considered
by some to be the benchmark for stompbox distortion. Stevie used
the TS-808 model, considered the smoothest and most natural sounding, followed
in quality by the TS-9 and TS-10. Vintage TS-808 and TS-9 models sell
for several hundred dollars, but the reissues are great and a lot cheaper.
Toying with Tone Quality
Effects that act on a guitar’s quality, not its level, are called tone-based effects
and are similar to the way an amp’s controls work — but they’re actually outboard
effects, which connect between the guitar and amp, instead of being
built into the amp. But a dedicated, outboard effect can provide more versatility
and additional control over a guitar signal before it hits the amp.
TEAM LinG