Song Rig
Freeway Jam
Jeff Beck · Blow by Blow · 1975
Tone Overview
What Makes This Sound Unique
Funky, percussive clean tone with tight wah — one of the few times Beck uses a wah pedal to add rhythm rather than expression. The Strat bridge pickup cuts cleanly through the backing band.
Signal Chain
- 1Fender Stratocaster (bridge pickup)
- 2Cry Baby wah pedal
- 3Marshall (clean setting)
Amp Settings
Gain / Volume4
Bass6
Mid6
Treble7
Presence5
Amp clean for this track — the wah provides all the frequency movement. Higher treble setting to keep the bridge pickup bright and cutting.
Technique
How to Play It
Rhythmic wah — toe down on the beat, heel back on the off-beat. Think of the wah as a rhythm instrument, not an expression device.
Budget Alternative
Achievable With
Any Strat + Cry Baby wah into a clean amp. The Wah technique is the entire content of this tone.
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