Legendary Tone: Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top

Legendary Tone:

Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top

Billy Gibbons is one of the biggest names in classic rock. His technique and tone are also highly recognizable. His tone is very gritty and muddy sounding but sharp and clear at the same time. 

As far as guitars are concerned, it is a bit controversial as to whether Gibbons was primarily a Strat player or Les Paul. However most people believe that his Gibson Les Paul was played on every recording. Personally, when listening to songs like 'Just Got Paid' I cant help but feel that I'm hearing a Les Paul. The Humbuckers are pretty distinct but due to studio editing, anything is possible.

Also like many players of the time, Gibbons used Marshall Amplifiers in his rig. These were the choice for many, many classic rock artists of the 70's and 80's. They just produce a sound that is hard to beat when it comes to its primary uses.

Gibbons used his Marshall amps for overdrive but when he wanted to make a solo sound more interesting he would - like many players then - used a fuzz pedal. This would give his sound more bite and sustain. 

Like Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughn, Gibbons also used an octavia. There weren't many pedals being made back then so it was common for players to discuss gear and experiment with the effects that were available to them at the time.

While Gibbons tone is seemingly simple, the tweaking of the settings on the effects is crucial. He is very careful with the settings that he chooses. This combined with his flawless technique is what gives him such a recognizable tone. Buying the gear is only half of the battle; the rest is perfecting the technique. However achieving Billy Gibbons tone should't be all that difficult even in a tighter budget.