ZZ Top - Profiles & Effects?

    Would anyone like to share their solutions for ZZ Top (70's, early 80's), the profiles and effects?
    I really dig the Driving While Blind tone.


    That is, name them. If they are commercial I either have them or will get them.


    I once nailed it, but it took a pedal with a double drive (I think MT2) but now that I have an LP and no such pedal, I'd like to use the KPA.


    However, IF you use an external pedal, feel free to mention that too.

    There a a few ways to get this tone, cranked old fenders , JTM45 ...


    I once nailed a Gibbon's tone using Djemass's John Petrucci rig available on rig exchange , but in a more modern era (eliminator ) . You'll sure find something usable in Djemass mark II C+ impressive collection.


    check rig ex for :

    BOOGIE JP-2C +



    check the last clip of this set of samples :


    External Content soundcloud.com
    Content embedded from external sources will not be displayed without your consent.
    Through the activation of external content, you agree that personal data may be transferred to third party platforms. We have provided more information on this in our privacy policy.

    Yeah..LP.PAF-type bridge humbucker,cranked amp (JTM/PLexi-type o thing)..but most of all you need to play in way "squeezing the tone" like Billy always does with a mix of his peso-dime-pick and his nail..he is actually "the master of pinch-harmonics" and controlling the "highs" even playing on the lower strings and knows with any type of amp how to get "his" unique sound.Afaik Billy still uses just the (some say "modded") Marshall-JMP-1 for his live gigs.Enough said..


    I found some nice Twin/JTM/Plexi-profiles I use for my "squeezing-trebly-harmonic rich"-try to sound (intuetively since I heard Billy for the first time at the age of 14) what I have in my brain for the first few ZZTop-albums..but there are many other fine proifles I found for this style of rock.Carr profiles (specially the S6 "brown") form TAF some nice Bogner-Helios-profiles (cant remember which ones).In general I would say that you need an tube amp which has a lot of treble while sounding "very warm" specially in the higher frequencies.


    But most of all Billy is all about the way he picks and "squeezes" the notes while using his unbelievable vibrato to celebrate it. ;)

    I was playing in a band doing a load of ZZ Top covers from that period (Tres Hombres/Tejas) last year and went for the TopJimi 1968 Marshall Super Lead 100W Profiles pack. Think Billy was using a '69 Super Lead back then so made sense to start there and they sounded really good.


    Other than that the Marshall Superlead ’70 pack from Amp Factory would also potentially be a good one. I've found the TAF Marshall profiles to be great live and recorded. I use the JCM800 TAF pack for all my dirty rhythm sounds in my main band and they sound great.

    Quote from Voojagig

    I was playing in a band doing a load of ZZ Top covers from that period (Tres Hombres/Tejas) last year and went for the TopJimi 1968 Marshall Super Lead 100W Profiles pack. Think Billy was using a '69 Super Lead back then so made sense to start there and they sounded really good.


    Other than that the Marshall Superlead ’70 pack from Amp Factory would also potentially be a good one. I've found the TAF Marshall profiles to be great live and recorded. I use the JCM800 TAF pack for all my dirty rhythm sounds in my main band and they sound great.

    I also prefer the JCM800 of TAF.
    Really nice tones.