Mike Bloomfield — Rig Network

The Les Paul Standard that helped define the model's tonal reputation — Bloomfield's 1959 Les Paul is one of the most discussed guitars in blues-rock history. The original PAF (Patent Applied For) humbuckers produce a warm, full low-mid character with smooth high-end that has never been exactly replicated in later production. This guitar's tone on "East-West" and the Butterfield Blues Band recordings set the standard for what a Les Paul should sound like.

Used during the Electric Flag period and some Super Session recordings for a brighter, more articulate character. The Telecaster's bridge pickup added a different tonal dimension to Bloomfield's blues playing — more percussive and cutting than the Les Paul's warmth.

Bloomfield's primary amp for the Butterfield Blues Band period — the Super Reverb's four 10-inch speakers produce a tight, punchy low-end character that suits Chicago-influenced electric blues playing. At Volume 7–8 the Super Reverb enters a light, natural breakup that responds to guitar volume and pick attack dynamically.

Used from the Electric Flag period onward — the Marshall Super Lead adds the British midrange character and compressed sustain that Bloomfield needed for the longer, more sustained lead lines of the psychedelic period. The Marshall and Fender represent two distinct aspects of his tonal vocabulary: American warmth and British compression.