Guitar tone · rock, blues

ZZ Top guitar tone: gear & amp settings

The gear and amp settings behind 21 ZZ Top songs, researched from rig rundowns, interviews and gear forums. The rig that shows up most: 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard 'Pearly Gates' into 1969 Marshall Super Lead 100.

Guitars ZZ Top used

1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard 'Pearly Gates'5 songs
1955 Fender Stratocaster with stop tailpiece3 songs
1955 Fender Stratocaster (stop tailpiece)2 songs
Fender Precision Bass2 songs
Gretsch Bo Diddley (custom rectangular body, likely used for clean sections on Recycler era)1 song
Dean Z (custom-made, Explorer-style, used for El Loco sessions)1 song
Gibson Les Paul Standard (1959, aka 'Pearly Gates')1 song
Gibson '59 Sunburst Les Paul Standard 'Pearly Gates'1 song

Amps ZZ Top used

1969 Marshall Super Lead 1005 songs
Marshall Lead 12 Solid State Combo (studio, as per forum consensus for 'My Head's in Mississippi')1 song
Marshall Super Lead 100 (1969, non-master volume) with Celestion Greenback speakers1 song
Legend Rock 'N' Roll 50 (hybrid tube/solid-state amp, 1x12" cab, used for nearly all guitar on El Loco)1 song
Marshall Super Lead 100 (Plexi, late 1960s/early 1970s)1 song
Marshall Plexi 100-watt head with two angled cabinets loaded with Celestion 25-watt Greenbacks1 song
Vintage Magnatone amp (model unspecified) with overdrive/fuzz pedal1 song
Legend Rock 'N' Roll 50 (hybrid tube/solid-state, natural wood cabinet)1 song

30 ZZ Top tones

Song	Part	Guitar	Amp	Gain
Sharp Dressed Man · riff	Riff · distorted	Dean Z (custom, single DiMarzio Super Distortion pickup, no controls)	Legend 50 (50-watt hybrid combo, valve preamp, solid-state power amp), blended with Marshall 100-watt head and Vox Super Beatle (studio recording)	6.5
La Grange · riff	Riff · distorted	1955 Fender Stratocaster (hardtail, sunburst, maple neck)	1969 Marshall Super Lead 100	5.5
Tush · riff	Riff · distorted	1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard 'Pearly Gates'	1969 Marshall Super Lead 100	6.5
Sharp Dressed Man · solo	Solo · distorted	1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard 'Pearly Gates'	Marshall amplifier (likely JTM45 or Super Lead, exact model not specified for this recording)	7
La Grange · solo	Solo · distorted	1955 Fender Stratocaster with stop tailpiece	1969 Marshall Super Lead 100	6
Blue Jean Blues · solo	Solo · clean	Fender Stratocaster (likely 1950s or early 1960s model)	Fender Tweed Amp (likely Fender Bassman or Twin, Alnico speaker)	3
Blue Jeans Blues · solo	Solo · clean	Fender Stratocaster (1959 maple-neck, reportedly the one gifted by Jimi Hendrix)	No amp used; guitar plugged directly into the mixing console (recording desk preamp)	2.5
Blue Jeans Blues · riff	Riff · clean	1959 Fender Stratocaster (maple neck)	Direct to mixing console (no amp used on studio recording)	3
Gimme All Your Lovin' · solo	Solo · distorted	Dean Z (custom, no controls, single DiMarzio Super Distortion pickup)	Legend Rock 'N' Roll 50 (hybrid tube/solid-state, natural wood cabinet)	6.5
Gimme All Your Lovin' · riff	Riff · distorted	Dean Z Custom (Eliminator-era, single DiMarzio Super Distortion pickup, no controls)	Legend Rock 'N' Roll 50 (50-watt hybrid, tube preamp, solid-state power amp, 1x12" cab)	6.5
Got Me Under Pressure · riff	Riff · distorted	Dean ML (custom, likely 1983 model, used by Billy Gibbons on Eliminator sessions)	Legend Rock 'N' Roll 50 (tube/solid-state hybrid combo, as confirmed for Eliminator album sessions)	7
I Gotsta Get Paid · riff	Riff · distorted	1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard 'Pearly Gates'	Vintage Magnatone amp (model unspecified) with overdrive/fuzz pedal	7.5
I Need You Tonight · riff	Riff · distorted	Dean Z (custom, 1980s, used on Eliminator sessions)	Legend Rock 'N' Roll 50 (1x12" combo, solid state preamp/tube power amp, used on Eliminator)	4.5
Jailhouse Rock · riff	Riff · distorted	Vuorensaku Guitars Mr Deadwood	BigTone Studio Plex MKII	5.5
Jesus Just Left Chicago · riff	Riff · clean	1955 Fender Stratocaster (stop tailpiece)	1969 Marshall Super Lead 100	3
Jesus Just Left Chicago · clean	Clean · clean	Fender Precision Bass	Ampeg SVT (early 1970s, likely blue-line or black-line model)	0
Just Got Paid · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Standard (1959, aka 'Pearly Gates')	Marshall Super Lead 100 (Plexi, late 1960s/early 1970s)	6
La Grange · distorted	Distorted · distorted	Fender Precision Bass	Ampeg SVT (early 1970s model, likely blue line)	6
La Grange · solo	Solo · clean	1955 Fender Stratocaster (stop tailpiece)	1969 Marshall Super Lead 100 (through Celestion Greenback cabinets)	0
La Grange (2019 Remaster) · riff	Riff · distorted	1955 Fender Stratocaster with stop tailpiece	1969 Marshall Super Lead 100 (through Celestion Greenback speakers)	3.5
Legs (Edit) · riff	Riff · distorted	Dean Z (custom 'ZZ Top' model, likely with DiMarzio Super Distortion bridge pickup, as used by Billy Gibbons on Eliminator album sessions)	Marshall JCM 800 (modded, studio recording, Eliminator era)	7
My Head's in Mississippi · solo	Solo · clean	Gretsch Bo Diddley (custom rectangular body, likely used for clean sections on Recycler era)	Marshall Lead 12 Solid State Combo (studio, as per forum consensus for 'My Head's in Mississippi')	0
Rough Boy · solo	Solo · distorted	Fender Stratocaster (exact model unknown, likely mid-80s USA Standard or similar)	Rockman X100 headphone amp (studio direct recording, not a traditional guitar amp)	6.5
Sharp Dressed Man · riff	Riff · clean	Gibson '59 Sunburst Les Paul Standard 'Pearly Gates'	Marshall Plexi 100-watt head with two angled cabinets loaded with Celestion 25-watt Greenbacks	0
Tube Snake Boogie · riff	Riff · distorted	Dean Z (custom-made, Explorer-style, used for El Loco sessions)	Legend Rock 'N' Roll 50 (hybrid tube/solid-state amp, 1x12" cab, used for nearly all guitar on El Loco)	6.5
Tube Snake Boogie · solo	Solo · distorted	1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard 'Pearly Gates'	Marshall Super Lead 100 (Plexi, late 60s/early 70s, likely modded)	6.5
Tush (2006 Remaster) · riff	Riff · distorted	1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard 'Pearly Gates'	Marshall Super Lead 100 (1969, non-master volume) with Celestion Greenback speakers	6
TV Dinners · solo	Solo · distorted	Dean Z (custom-made, Eliminator era)	Marshall JCM 800 (studio, Eliminator era)	7
Velcro Fly · solo	Solo · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Standard	Marshall JCM800	7
Waitin' for the Bus · riff	Riff · distorted	1955 Fender Stratocaster with stop tailpiece	1969 Marshall Super Lead 100	5.5

ZZ Top songs on popular amps

Exact settings ToneAdapt players use for these songs on their own amps.

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Frequently asked questions

What amp did ZZ Top use?

Across 21 researched songs, the amps that come up most are 1969 Marshall Super Lead 100 (5 songs), Marshall Lead 12 Solid State Combo (studio, as per forum consensus for 'My Head's in Mississippi') (1 song), Marshall Super Lead 100 (1969, non-master volume) with Celestion Greenback speakers (1 song), Legend Rock 'N' Roll 50 (hybrid tube/solid-state amp, 1x12" cab, used for nearly all guitar on El Loco) (1 song).

What guitar did ZZ Top use?

Most often: 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard 'Pearly Gates' (5 songs), 1955 Fender Stratocaster with stop tailpiece (3 songs), 1955 Fender Stratocaster (stop tailpiece) (2 songs), Fender Precision Bass (2 songs).

How do I get ZZ Top's tone on my amp?

Open any ZZ Top song below to see the original gear and settings, then use ToneAdapt to adapt them to your own guitar, amp, pickups and pedals.