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True Blues Amp Settings with a Boss DS-1 Distortion Pedal

So what does it take to get a really good blues sound out of your rig?

I mean like a solid, soulful blues groove that draws out every note and makes you want to scrunch up your face likeJonny Lang always seems to be doing.

For one, it takes the right type of gear.

Because the blues tone isn't just a less saturated distortion pedal. It's a delicate combination of guitar, effects andamplification.

So to truly emulate it, a full compliment of quality gear will help the cause a lot.

That being said, there is only one piece of gear that we're focusing on specifically for this article.

The Boss DS-1 Distortion pedal.

If you don't have one, click through the Amazon link and browse the used options, as they often go for around $30 orless.

Otherwise, you can use whatever distortion pedal you have.

Just be aware that we're developing the settings to work with the DS-1 specifically.

We'll cover how to use this pedal to create a blues guitar sound, and also provide some optimal amp settings toaccompany.

The Traits of a Blues ToneA bluesy guitar sound is loosely characterized by the following things.

1. Distortion with light saturation

2. Bright, with higher treble and mids

3. High presence

Blues guitar is often nearly as prominent as a lead vocalist. Since a lot of the melody in blues is handled by a leadguitarist, their tone and amp configuration should be noticeable enough to penetrate the song, but not so loud that itdistracts.

Higher presence (and perhaps higher volume) to emphasize a bright or "high" tone and a moderate amount ofdistortion is usually the best way to accomplish this.

That's where you'll want to start, and it primarily concerns your amplifier.

Amp SettingsBut if we're to get specific, what exactly should our amp settings look like?

I experimented with a few different configurations, finding that generally low bass, and medium to high treble and midcuts worked the best.

Here are a few configurations I would recommend experimenting with.

You can add reverb to your liking. I found it to work better with lower gain settings or without any distortion at all.

Whatever variation you choose, keep in mind that you want mids and treble high enough that you get that extra "bite"and bluesy siren quality, but not so high that you're compromising good tone. Blues guitar walks a line betweenhaving some higher tonal qualities while also sounding thick and full.

Particularly with your treble tuner, don't push it so high that you're losing a full sound.

Boss DS-1 Pedal SettingsAdd the DS-1 after you've got your amp figured out and you're happy with the clean signal.

Start with all three dials at 12 o'clock, just to give yourself a jumping off point.

12 o'clock Tuner

Personally, I wasn't happy with that on my rig. It didn't sound bluesy as much as it sounded like a flat punk-rockoverdrive. That's not to say you'll hear the same thing, but for my setup, the 12 o'clock strategy left a lot to be desired.

Keep in mind that your level of happiness with the tone is largelysubjective. So if you just like the sound you're hearing, that should countfor something regardless of where the dials are set.

High Gain (Dist) Tuner

Some blues players use more distortion than others.

Jonny Lang, Maragold and Henrik Freischlader are all on the heavierside of the blues spectrum and will typically use higher gain settings.

To get this sound with the DS-1, your first move should be to turn theDIST knob up to around 3 o'clock. Do the same with the LEVEL knob.

Moving the TONE knob past 1 o'clock just sounded too scratchy to tome.

Tweak that one at your own discretion.

Low Gain Tuner

This pedal really seemed to excel and give off a warm, blues tonewhenever I had the DIST knob turned down, emulating a smoother,slightly distorted signal.

Simply cut the TONE and LEVEL knobs back to 12 o'clock and setthe DIST knob around 9 o'clock.

I found that cutting the LEVEL or TONE back too far made thesound muddy, like when you have the tone knob on your guitarturned all the way down.

A good approach with this pedal would be to find your "sweet spot"with the TONE and LEVEL knob, then use the DIST to bounce backand forth between a light and heavy distortion sound. It makes yourtone a little more consistent and requires less adjusting on yourpart.

GuitarsA good blues tone is more closely linked to the quality of your guitar, as opposed to the brand.

Most of today's guitars are versatile enough in their sound to cover a variety of different tones and genres fairlyaccurately. Guitars that meld uniquely well with blues would include the Fender Stratocaster, Telecaster and theEpiphone Hollow Body models, to name a few.

Otherwise, it's about what you're willing to spend.

Cheap guitars sound cheap. There's no way around that, whether you're going for a blues tone or otherwise.

It's not going to sound great if your guitar retailed for $100.

Those who started out on a cheap guitar and then purchased something nicer know what I mean.

The difference is tremendous and the sound quality simply doesn't compare.

So if you're determined to get the perfect blues tone for your guitar, I'dhighly recommend investing in a quality instrument.

We have several resources that can help you find a good compromiseof price and quality.

8 Best Inexpensive Guitars for the Holiday Season (2013 Edition -- good for year 'round as well).

Top 5 Under $1000 Ibanez Guitars (2013 Edition)

Best Value Electric Guitar from Each Brand

8 of the Best Guitar for Under $1000

AmpsWith amplifiers the issues is once again, quality more than brand.

Fender and Marshall amplifiers are the go-to for a lot of pro blues players, though most reputable amplifier brandsand models will do fine modeling your basic blues tone.

If you aren't getting a tone that you're happy with, do some tweaking and some experimenting. Everybody's rig isdifferent, so it's difficult to make broad assumptions about certain amplifiers and gear.

When it comes to your amp, it's worth paying for quality and being willing to patiently work with the settings.

The settings I provided earlier are a good place to start.

Some Artists Worth Checking OutAnother thing I'd recommend when trying to emulate a certain tone is to simply listen to those who already do it well.

For example, I came across a playlist on Spotify call "Funky Heavy Blues."

It's an excellent group of songs and there's plenty of great blues guitar to sample. Here are a few artists from that listI'd recommend checking out.

Tony Spinner "Walkin' the Dawg"

Bryce Janney "Funky Guitar Blues"

Paulo Mendonca "Just in Case"

The more you listen to the sound you're trying to portray, the more skilled you'll become at using your gear and yourplaying style to create it.

Great gear does help, but blues is about what you hear and feel.

It's an emotion as much as it is a particular sound, so if you can understand the emotional appeal of the music by

hearing it over and over again, you'll get naturally better at playing it yourself.

Got settings, ideas or thoughts to share?Like I said, getting a great blues tone is going to be slightly different depending on which rig you're dealing with andwhat kind of player you are.

Share your experience and if you know something we don't (highly probable) we want to hear about it.

Share your thoughts at Facebook, Google Plus and Twitter.

About Robert Kittleberger

Robert is the founder and editor of Guitar Chalk and Guitar Bargain. You can get intouch with him here, or via Twitter, Facebook and Google Plus.

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