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lead guitar from “spirit in the sky” by norman greenbaum | ToneDB

spirit in the sky

norman greenbaum

lead guitar

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Tone Profile

A raw, piercing, and heavily compressed fuzz tone with a distinctive percussive attack, defining the song's iconic psychedelic rockabilly vibe. The sound is bright, cutting, and has a unique, almost 'speaker-shredding' texture from the custom built-in fuzz.

Signal Chain

Instrument: 1960s Fender Telecaster (with custom built-in fuzz circuit by Russ Hamm)

Amp: Fender Dual Showman head with Fender 2x15 cabinet

Microphone: Shure SM57 (or similar dynamic studio microphone)

Processing: Custom built-in silicon fuzz circuit (in guitar body, likely two-transistor design), Studio plate reverb (likely EMT 140, added during mixing)

Other: The fuzz circuit was custom-built by electrical engineer Russ Hamm directly into the guitar. Its direct integration with the guitar's pickups, aggressive character, and simple silicon design is crucial to the unique tone.

Recording Notes

  • Recorded in late 1969 at Coast Recorders, San Francisco, by producer Erik Jacobsen.
  • The unique fuzz circuit was designed and built into Norman Greenbaum's Telecaster by Bay Area electrical engineer Russ Hamm.
  • The Telecaster with the built-in fuzz was plugged into a Fender Dual Showman amplifier.
  • The extreme fuzz heavily compressed the signal, providing sustain and a unique, cutting texture that sounds almost DI'd despite being amped.
  • Norman Greenbaum played the lead fuzz guitar part with its distinctive Bo Diddley-esque rhythm and strong pick attack.

Recreation Tips

  • Use a Telecaster (bridge pickup) or a guitar with bright single-coil pickups.
  • An aggressive, trebly, and somewhat 'gated' or 'starved' silicon fuzz pedal is essential. Place it first in your signal chain after the guitar.
  • Look for fuzz pedals inspired by simple 1960s silicon circuits like the Jordan Bosstone or Mosrite Fuzzrite, or a silicon Fuzz Face variant.
  • Experiment with your guitar's volume and tone controls interacting directly with the fuzz pedal.
  • Use a clean, high-headroom Fender-style tube amp (e.g., Showman, Twin Reverb, Bassman) or an accurate modeler.
  • Add a subtle touch of plate or spring reverb.
  • Focus on a strong, rhythmic picking style to emulate Greenbaum's playing.
  • EQ your fuzz or amp to emphasize high-mid frequencies for that cutting quality.

Sources