rhythm guitar from “breaking the law” by judas priest | ToneDB
breaking the law
judas priest
rhythm guitar
Tone Profile
Aggressive and biting high-gain rhythm guitar tone, characterized by a strong mid-range and tight low-end. It's a classic British heavy metal sound, perfect for driving riffs and powerful chord progressions.
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The Story
"Breaking the Law" was recorded at Startling Studios in 1980 for Judas Priest's British Steel album, produced by Tom Allom. Glenn Tipton and K.K. Downing used Gibson Les Pauls through Marshall JMP amplifiers, with the aggressive tone shaped by distortion pedals including the MXR Distortion+ and Fender Blender. The guitars were captured with Shure SM57 microphones and layered to create the thick, driving rhythm sound that became a template for British heavy metal.
Production Credits
Producer: Tom Allom
Engineer: Louis Austin
Recorded at: Startling Studios (Tittenhurst Park, Ascot)
Signal Chain
Instrument: Gibson Les PaulShop on Reverb
Amp: Marshall JMPShop on Reverb
Microphone: Shure SM57Shop on Reverb
Processing: Fender BlenderShop on Reverb, MXR Distortion+Shop on Reverb
Recreation Tips
- Start with a Les Paul style guitar with humbucker pickups.
- Use a Marshall-style amp with a good amount of gain.
- Experiment with overdrive and distortion pedals to find the sweet spot for the level of distortion. MXR Distortion+ and Fender Blender are good choices.
- Use a Shure SM57 or similar dynamic microphone close to the speaker.
- Double track the guitar parts for added thickness.
Original Gear
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Substitutions & Recommendations
Alternative to: Marshall JMP
20-watt plexi-style head captures the JMP's midrange bite and natural overdrive character essential to this tone
Alternative to: MXR Distortion+
Exact reissue of the original pedal used on the recording, providing the same hard clipping and aggressive midrange
Alternative to: Gibson Les Paul
Budget option with humbucker pickups that delivers the essential Les Paul midrange and sustain for this driving rhythm tone
Alternative to: Fender Blender
Modern recreation of the rare Fender Blender's octave fuzz circuit that added harmonic complexity to the original tone
Alternative to: Marshall JMP + pedals
Digital option with Marshall-style amps and built-in overdrive effects that can recreate the layered, aggressive character
Frequently Asked Questions
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