Song Rig
You Don't Know What Love Is
Eric Gales · Middle of the Road · 2017
Tone Overview
What Makes This Sound Unique
Deeply emotional blues — Gales's upside-down left-hand playing (strung for right-hand, played left-hand like Hendrix/Iommi) produces his signature note-attack where the pick hits the bass strings first, creating a fat bottom-first quality to chords.
Signal Chain
- 1Fender Stratocaster (strung right-handed, played inverted left-handed)
- 2Marshall Plexi or JCM800
Amp Settings
Mid-high gain with a fat low-end emphasis — Gales plays upside-down like Hendrix and the bass strings hit first on his downstrokes, giving chords a heavier bottom than standard playing produces.
Technique
How to Play It
Upside-down inverted playing (like Hendrix / Albert King) — strings strung for a right-handed player, played left-handed without restringing. Creates unique fingering positions and attack angles.
Budget Alternative
Achievable With
Left-handed Stratocaster strung right-handed (unusual technique) or simply focus on the Blues tone: Strat bridge → JCM800 → gain at 6.
Your Gear
Adapt to My Amp
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