Roy Buchanan

Greg de B

Member
Now A Good Roy Buchanan tone would be AWESOME! I know how important his hands where to his tone but what amps and settings did he use, for In the Beginning....American Axe etc.
Thanks
Greg
 
I just saw Greg Koch (of Wildwood guitars video fame) play a a guitar clinic here in Austin and he can channel Roy better than anyone I've ever seen (and channel a whole lot more, he's really a musical wizard and entertaining too). Check him out for sure!

Check this full article out... "Buchanan typically maxed the volume and tone controls on his amp, added reverb to taste, and controlled everything from his guitar. He wore his Tele high, used light gauge Fender Rock and Roll strings, and would only change them “when they break.” Early in 1979, Buchanan switched to a Fender Stratocaster for a few years. He vacillated between guitars until 1985, when he permanently retired his ’53 in favor of a 1983 Tele loaded with Bill Lawrence pickups and a Gibson 30th Anniversary Les Paul goldtop. During this period Buchanan explored a variety of amplifiers, including Peaveys, Mesa/ Boogies, and Marshalls, before eventually settling on a Roland JC-120. He also began experimenting with a Boss DD-2 delay pedal."

One way to get there for the 70's Buchanan tone, if you have a GOOD Tele with a hot bridge pickup:

Start with the '63 Brown Vibrolux and a 2X10 Factory cab (Vibrolux is fine, some custom IRs may be better, I have some coming) . Bass between 4 and 5, Treble between 5.5 and 6.5. Drive at about 3.7 - don't push it too much.

If you want it brighter, use a Blackface Deluxe

Now, get a clean boost in front of the amp for your Tele. Maybe the Micro Boost with drive at about 4, just to lift/fatten up your single coil pickups.

Then to get the dirty and crunchy thing (where Roy screams), put a Full Drive in front of the boost, and put that drive on about 1.7 drive or so (not too high) and the tone between 5-6, and volume at 6. This can make a Tele scream and let those Roy "pinch harmonics" come through.

(Or, you can forgo the drive pedals and just turn the amp volume up to 10 like Roy did and control it all from your volume knob...)
 
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