Solo Tone

Taxman

The Beatles

Guitarrock1960s

Original Gear

Guitar1964 Gibson SG Standard

AmpVox 7120 (hybrid solid-state preamp/tube power amp), 4x12 cabinet with Celestion T1225 12-inch speakers

PickupsGibson PAF humbuckers

Amp Settings

gain6

bass5.5

mid7.5

treble7.5

reverb1

presence6

Effects & Signal Chain

fuzzSola Sound Sola Sound Tone Bender Mk 1.5

Notes

Studio recording, 1966. Solo played by Paul McCartney, not George Harrison. Fuzz/distortion likely from Sola Sound Tone Bender Mk 1.5 pedal. Some sources speculate Vox UL730 or Fender Bassman, but most reliable sources point to Vox 7120 for this session. No evidence of live performance with this exact setup.

Tone Character(10)

fast, percussive attackscratchy treblenasal midrangesinging sustainfuzzed-out distortionmid-boostedwarm but aggressiveslightly compressednot high-gain, but saturatedbridge pickup bite

Difficulty

The solo requires quick alternate picking, precise bends, and rhythmic accuracy, making it moderately challenging for intermediate players.

Sources

The Beatles' guitars & amps: what they played on every album | Guitar World fuzz used on the beatle's taxman solo?? | Page 3 Chasing The Beatles "Taxman" sound - Gearspace

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