Song Rig

Oh Pretty Woman

Albert King · Born Under a Bad Sign · 1967

Tone Overview

What Makes This Sound Unique

Albert King's most uptempo Stax recording — the minor-pentatonic riff played left-handed upside-down produces the unique bending intervals that no right-handed guitarist can precisely replicate. The Flying V's mahogany body contributes warmth to what would otherwise be an aggressive tone.

Signal Chain

1Gibson Flying V (left-handed, strung right-handed — Albert's unique upside-down approach)
2Fender Dual Showman or similar (loud, pushed)
3Stax Records horn arrangement (guitar cuts through)

Amp Settings

Gain / Volume5

Bass7

Mid7

Treble7

Presence7

Albert's string bending produces pitches other guitarists can't reach because he bends in the opposite direction — his upside-down left-handed setup means pulling strings down creates the same pitch as pushing up conventionally, but with different physics and tone.

Technique

How to Play It

Down-bend technique — Albert bends strings by pulling down rather than pushing up (reversed because he plays upside-down left-handed). This creates a uniquely weighted, thick bend that approaches the target pitch from below with more physical resistance.

Budget Alternative

Achievable With

Flying V or any guitar with medium action → medium-gain amp → the unique bend tone is extremely difficult to replicate because it comes from Albert's unconventional playing approach. Standard right-handed players can approximate it but not precisely duplicate it.

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