Going for Dan Auerbach sound...

[marktg]

I have been a big fan of the black keys since I first saw them live in Akron, Ohio back in 2005. I fell in love with the original guitar/drums/vocal raw music, and also enjoy their newer music.

I recently started picking up the guitar again after about a two year period of only playing once or twice a month. For the last six months I have made sure to play and practice at least thirty minutes every day.

I am finally at the point where I am picking things up fast, listening or watching a few times and getting it. I am also starting to pick up new techniques and styles. I have not arrived, but I'm definitely in the right direction.

I explained all of that to give an idea of where I'm at. As for my gear right now: I'm playing a 2010 mim tele with gfs crunchy rails that have been coil tapped through an Egnater tweaker 15 combo. Several weeks back I bought a tc electronics hall of fame reverb pedal, and two weeks ago I bought an electro harmonics big muff wicker pedal. I am trying to keep any future pedal purchases below $150 each.

I am looking for additional pedals to add to my lineup that would sound close enough to Dan Auerbach's pedalboard, but would stay within my budget. I don't mind used gear, so that would be an option too.

Any input will be appreciated.

 

[SockPuppetMasta]

Grab a Boss PH-3 Phaser, TR-2 Trem, OC-2 Octave and a PS-5 Shifter, you'll be set and a have pretty similar board to his.

 

[backporchmusic]

It's all here:

http://www.premierguitar.com/Magazine/Issue/2012/Apr/Rig_Rundown_The_Black_Keys_Dan_Auerbach.aspx

 

[scantron81]

I saw him 10 years ago here in town. He was using a Sovtek Mig50 and an old Blackface Bassman. I think he had a 4x10 marshall cab sitting under them. I couldn't make out the pedals. It was a good show. I intended to grab their first few albums but never did. in the ensuing fervor around 2003, I managed to sell my Mig50 that I paid $50 for $550.

 

[Lunchie]

Don't forget to pick up every flavor of Fuzz you can get your hands on along with the pedals SockPuppet mentioned. If you look at his rig there is probably 3 or 4 different flavors of fuzz.

 

[straightface]

Supposedly he used a Fulltone Soulbender on some of the earlier stuff like Thickfreakness.

One more thing is you may want to check out the youtube demo by Pro Guitar Shop on the Black Keys, he says what pedals he's using and he gets a pretty good sound.

 

[CrisHendrix]

Personally i'd go for a tubescreamer, tremolo and a short analog delay for the 'clean' tone, and crank in the big muff on a low gain setting when extra loudness/fuzz is needed. He also uses a pitch shifter on some songs, this is going by their recent album sound at least, which sounds very treated by dangermouse in the studio (seems like there's slapback delay on almost every track, along with various distortions)

 

[gtrguru]

My buddy has a Musket Fuzz, but I cant recall the manufacturer. He nails the BK sound with a BF Fender.

 

[JurassicCactus]

I can get a good amount of his sounds out of a zvex mastotron silicon fuzz

 

[artdecade]

My buddy has a Musket Fuzz, but I cant recall the manufacturer. He nails the BK sound with a BF Fender.

Blackout Effectors.

 

[SirJackdeFuzz]

YUP, like it's been said allready . . . he is a fuzz junkie, and knows his fuzz face from his super fuzz. (like we all should)

Afaik, he is currently running two amps in stereo.
A Fender, and a JTM45.

As mush as i LOVE the early Black Keys stuff, i do NOT like the last two albums, at bloody all.

I know very little about the Egnater series of amps, but i am pretty sure that you can get very close to his tone with a Big Muff & a Tone Bender clone.

Listening to this clip, i think the amp will deff work.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHM8GBvjxaE - 15W Tweaker

https://www.google.com/search?hl=en....6j3j4j2.15.0...0.0...1ac.1.2.img.wSVgcpOhKzg - various images of Dan's boards over the years

As you can see . . . the board changes all the time, but one pedal that stays, is the green Sovtek Muff.

 

[marktg]

I must say, the last two albums were not my favorites, but I haven't given up on the keys yet.

As for the pedals, I'm feeling warm and fuzzy after all the replies lol. I have looked at the various lists of pedals Dan has used or still uses, and I definitely see an ongoing theme: fuzz!

I am thinking about picking up a boss tremolo and pitch shifter as my next purchases, possibly followed up by another fuzz pedal ( I would love to pick up one of the green sovtek big muff pedals, after seeing it on every list)

 

[harold h]

I havent liked their stuff in a few years. I think he sounded best
when he used the Jerry Donahue Telecaster.

 

[tele salivas]

Grab a Boss PH-3 Phaser, TR-2 Trem, OC-2 Octave and a PS-5 Shifter, you'll be set and a have pretty similar board to his.

Boss Super Shifter is one bad ass pedal.

 

[unccivil]

Black Arts Tonework's Pharoah fuzz is a sweet pedal that can get you a lot of different fuzz flavors.

 

[tazzboy]

 

[SirJackdeFuzz]

I must say, the last two albums were not my favorites, but I haven't given up on the keys yet.

As for the pedals, I'm feeling warm and fuzzy after all the replies lol. I have looked at the various lists of pedals Dan has used or still uses, and I definitely see an ongoing theme: fuzz!

I am thinking about picking up a boss tremolo and pitch shifter as my next purchases, possibly followed up by another fuzz pedal ( I would love to pick up one of the green sovtek big muff pedals, after seeing it on every list)

You only need a pitch shifter if you want to do new'er Black Keys stuff.
He never had one for the first 4 albums.

You might want to look into the HairPie Classic.

http://ronsound.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_3&products_id=2

I know there are many booteek-builders doing the old Green Sovtek muffs

 

[SirJackdeFuzz]

I havent liked their stuff in a few years. I think he sounded best
when he used the Jerry Donahue Telecaster.

AMEN BRO !!!

 

[JesterR]

Dirty tube amp, fuzz, reverb and tele with rails. Looks like you already have everything, that you really need.
But if you want to spend some cash, my suggestions:
Tremolo (Keeley TR-2 or voodoolab tremolo)
Delay for slapback (mxr CC)
Another fuzz (Depends on your taste, maybe something less gain-y and compressed, then BM)

 

[SirJackdeFuzz]

Here is a cheap place to start if you want an old Green Sovtek-like sound.

I LOVE MINE on guitar (not just for bass guitar)