Guitar Amp Blog

It is well known that Stevie used relatively few effects either in the studio or on stage. His stomp-box gear consisted of a pair of Ibanez TS808 Tube Screamers, a pair of Vox wah-wah pedals, a few Octavias, Univibes, Fuzz Faces, and an Echoplex. It is interesting to note that Stevie never used digital or rack-mounted effects.

Some specific amps which Stevie always used were a pair of 1×15 Fender Vibroverbs. This pair of amps was a constant in Stevie’s sound. One other set of amps that Stevie regularly used were a pair of 100-watt Fender Super Reverbs. A few other amps that he used throughout his life included a Marshall 100-watt Super PA, a Marshall 200-watt Major, and a 200-watt Marshall Town and Country Combo.

Later on his life Stevie replaced the previously mentioned Marshalls with a Howard Dumble Steel String Singer. The Marshalls were replaced due to the fact that the proper tubes could no longer be found.

Another type of cabinet which Stevie owned was a Fender Vibratone. This was a Leslie-style speaker cabinet, but unlike the Leslie, this cabinet had a slotted, rotating foam cylinder around the stationary speaker, instead of a rotating speaker.

Stevie’s on-stage rigs changed a number of times throughout the years. Between 1981 and 1983 Stevie used the following setup. A 200-watt Marshall Combo 2×12 JBL. Two Fender Vibroverbs 1×15. And for pedals a Tube Screamer and a Vox Wah were used.
The following setup was used in 1984. 2 Vibroverbs with 2 Super Reverbs. The effects used at this time included a Tube Screamer, Vox Wah, and a Univibe.

In 1985 Stevie changed his stage setup yet again. He was now using 2 chained Vibroverbs, one of which was driving a Vibratone cabinet. One or two Super Reverbs and a Dumble Steel String Singer, which was driving a Marshall 8×10 cabinet. The effects used during this period included a Tube Screamer and two Wah pedals. This rig was used until sometime in 1988, upon which it was changed again.

The stage setup which Stevie used from 1988 until the time of his death in 1990 was made up of of two Vibroverbs, one driving a Vibratone, two 4X10 Super Reverbs, two Marshall heads driving 2 Marshall cabinets, a Dumble Steel String Singer driving a Marshall 8×10 cabinet, one or two Tube Screamers, a Fuzz Face, and an Octavia.

In Blind Faith, Eric used a Gibson Firebird through either Fender Dual Showman or Marshall amps. But, at the band’s debut performance in London’s Hyde Park, he played a Fender Telecaster with a Stratocaster neck.

While with Derek and the Dominoes, Eric switched to maple neck Fender Stratocasters (primarily “Brownie”). During the band’s UK Tour, he would still play Gibsons. The Fender Champ was his main studio amp used in recording “Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs.” On stage, he used Fender Dual Showmans or Marshall amps with Fender cabinets.

In 1976, Eric used his Cherry Red Gibson ES-335 for slide playing. It was strung with Ernie Ball Super Slinky’s .009 - .042 and he used an Isis medium slide. He utilized Modified Music Man amps (HD 130 Reverb) with the bias up all the way and special open-back cabinets. He also used a Leslie cabinet with JBL components and had a special foot switch with fast/slow and on/off positions so that the guitar could go either through the amp, through both the amp and the Leslie, or just through the Leslie at either fast or slow speeds (as in the song “Badge”). Eric also used a Crybaby wah-wah pedal. His Fender Stratocaster of choice was Blackie, with the tobacco sunburst Brownie on standby.

In his first band, The Roosters, Eric played a double cutaway Kay through a Selmer Futurama III Amplifier. During his tenure with the Yardbirds, Eric played a Fender Telecaster through a Vox AC-30 amplifier.

While in John Mayall’s Blues Breakers, Eric played a 1960 model Les Paul Standard through a 45-watt model 1962 Marshall 2×12 combo (JTM 45). The amp was stock except that the output tubes were replaced with KT66s which have a more refined mid-range and clearer top end than either EL34s or 6L6s. The amp was usually turned up full volume, even in the studio. When the engineer complained that his amp was too loud, legend has it that Eric replied “That’s the way I play.”

In Cream, Eric switched to 100-watt Marshall heads and 4×12 cabinets using two full stacks. He also used a Vox wah-wah pedal and occasionally a fuzz effect pedal. For a while, he used Les Paul guitars exclusively. Sometime in 1967, he started playing a 1964 Gibson Les Paul SG. He had it painted by The Fool and it is as famous for it’s paint job as for its association with Clapton. The Fool Guitar is not a 1961 model as commonly believed as it has six screws on the scratch plate. This number of screws came into use in 1964. During the Spring of 1968, he switched Gibson Firebird with a single pick-up. He then alternated between the Firebird and his now-famous Cherry Red Gibson ES-335 guitar for the US tour through Cream’s farewell concert.

In Blind Faith, Eric used a Gibson Firebird through either Fender Dual Showman or Marshall amps. But, at the band’s debut performance in London’s Hyde Park, he played a Fender Telecaster with a Stratocaster neck.