Song Rig
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Mike Bloomfield · East-West · 1966
Tone Overview
What Makes This Sound Unique
Raw Chicago blues urgency with a band — Bloomfield's Les Paul through a loud amp produces a tone that is forward and aggressive without being heavily distorted. The note attack is immediate, the sustain medium, and the character entirely in the pick-hand dynamics.
Signal Chain
- 1Gibson Les Paul Standard (bridge pickup)
- 2Fender Bassman or Marshall (pushed hard)
Amp Settings
Amp pushed to natural breakup — Bloomfield in the Butterfield Blues Band context played harder and louder than his acoustic blues models, but never resorted to fuzz or heavy pedal gain.
Technique
How to Play It
Hard pick attack on single-note runs from blues and jazz scales — Bloomfield's phrasing drew as much from jazz as from blues, giving his leads an unusual harmonic sophistication for 1966.
Budget Alternative
Achievable With
Les Paul or ES-335 → Bassman or Blues Breaker (the original Marshall combo) → push it until natural breakup appears. Avoid distortion pedals.
Your Gear
Adapt to My Amp
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