Riff Tone

Just Got Paid

ZZ Top

Guitarrock1970s

Original Gear

GuitarGibson Les Paul Standard (1959, aka 'Pearly Gates')

AmpMarshall Super Lead 100 (Plexi, late 1960s/early 1970s)

PickupsGibson PAF humbuckers

Amp Settings

gain6

bass6.5

mid7

treble6.5

reverb1

presence6

Effects & Signal Chain

No effects used for this tone

Notes

Studio recording, 1972 for the album 'Rio Grande Mud'. Multiple sources and interviews confirm Billy Gibbons used his 'Pearly Gates' Les Paul and a Marshall Super Lead for early ZZ Top recordings, including 'Just Got Paid'. No evidence of pedal use for the riff section; fuzz and boost pedals were not yet part of his rig for this era. No evidence of amp reverb or other built-in effects.

Tone Character(10)

thick, saturated British crunchpunchy midrange bitefat, sustaining riff toneraw, uncompressed attackslightly hairy breakuptight, percussive low endopen, dynamic responseclassic rock sizzlearticulate pick attackno audible modulation or time-based effects

Difficulty

The riff requires tight shuffle timing, clean articulation, and incorporates slide guitar fills, making it moderately challenging for intermediate players.

Sources

Best Amp For Early ZZ Top Tones | Page 4 | Guitar Forum Billy Gibbons' Guitar Gear, Pedalboard & Amps | Equipboard Billy Gibbons 'Just Got Paid' tone? | Guitar Forum

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