How to Sound Like The Beatles Using Modern Guitar Gear

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How to Sound Like The Beatles Using Modern Guitar Gear
by Damian Fanelli
photo by Jim Gray/Getty Images

Posted 12/26/2016

Late last week, the gang at Reverb.com posted their latest "Potent Pairings" video. The series shows guitarists how to sound like their favorite bands using various modern pedals—pedals that, in most cases, were never used by the bands themselves.

This time around, Potent Pairings checked in with the Beatles.




"Recreating the actual rigs [the Beatles] used is, let's just say, out of reach for most," writes Reverb's Peter Schu. "If you can budget $100,000 to get a Neumann U47 in front of a ’63 Vox AC-30 pumped with a WEM Pep Box and run through a Fairchild 660, by all means, go for it.

"For the rest of us, we'll settle for the delightful JHS Colour Box and a few other affordable pedals to get the job done. Check out the settings below and play along."

In the clip, which is titled "How to Sound Like the Beatles Using Modern Guitar Gear, Part One," guitarist Joe Shadid runs through "A Hard Day's Night" (0:00), "Nowhere Man" (0:31), "Taxman" (0:47), "Paperback Writer" (1:00), "Think for Yourself" (1:18), "Revolution" (1:45), "Happiness Is a Warm Gun" (2:05) and "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" (2:31), all the while pairing modern pedals with guitars in order to match the Fab Four's original sounds.

Below, you can see all the pedals used in the video.

What do you think of the sounds Schu gets for each song? Do you miss the ultra-trebly sound of the Sonic Blue Fender Stratocasters George Harrison and John Lennon used on "Nowhere Man"? Any other thoughts? Be sure to let us know on Facebook (where you probably found this story) or in the comments section below.

For more information, including exact knob settings and much more, head here.