Song Rig

Crosscut Saw

Albert King · Born Under a Bad Sign · 1967

Tone Overview

What Makes This Sound Unique

More aggressive than the album title track — the guitar attack is sharper and the bends more urgent, with Albert digging in harder on the shuffle pattern. A defining example of the Stax Memphis soul-blues guitar tone that influenced every subsequent blues-rock guitarist.

Signal Chain

1Gibson Flying V 'Lucy' (bridge pickup, volume 10)
2Acoustic 361
3Studio limiting compression (Stax house style)

Amp Settings

Gain / Volume6

Bass6

Mid8

Treble6

Bridge pickup adds attack and definition. Mid boost helps the guitar cut through the full horn section arrangement typical of Stax recordings.

Technique

How to Play It

Heavy-attack downward bending on the B and G strings — the inverted stringing lets Albert use his full hand weight behind each bend, producing more force than a conventionally strung instrument.

Budget Alternative

Achievable With

Les Paul bridge pickup → Marshall-voiced amp with mids at 7–8 → Stax shuffle rhythm track. A compressor before the amp replicates the studio limiting.

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