Stevie Ray Vaughan

• The Tube Screamer is a boost, not a distortion — high volume, low gain
• SRV played heavy strings (.13s) for the thick tone — try .11s as a start
• Play with your full arm, not just your wrist — his attack was aggressive
• Clean amp is the foundation; let the speaker push for breakup
• Use string bends aggressively — SRV bent sharp deliberately
• Tune down to Eb standard — SRV played in Eb his entire career, which reduces string tension slightly even with .13s and adds harmonic depth
• Ride the volume knob constantly — between 7 and 10 for dynamic shaping; SRV never left it pegged at full
• No compressor, or the lightest possible touch — SRV's explosive dynamics came entirely from his hands; compression would kill the attack that defines his tone
• Play behind the beat on slow 12-bar blues — SRV's rhythmic feel was relaxed and behind the kick drum, especially on ballads like "Lenny" and "Riviera Paradise"

SRV's tone is the pinnacle of Texas blues — a heavy-strung Strat with raw aggression, warm Fender sparkle and a Tube Screamer used as a clean boost. Everything in his tone came from his hands.