What guitar did Dan Auerbach use on Little Black Submarines?

Dan Auerbach used a Gibson Les Paul for the lead guitar parts on "Little Black Submarines." The humbucker pickups were essential for driving the fuzz pedal and tube amp combination that defines the song's tone.

How to get Black Keys Little Black Submarines guitar tone?

Start with a Les Paul-style guitar into a Z.Vex Fuzz Factory pedal, then into a cranked Fender Tweed Deluxe amplifier. The key is balancing the fuzz amount with the natural tube saturation from the low-wattage amp being pushed hard.

What fuzz pedal did Dan Auerbach use on El Camino album?

Dan Auerbach used a Z.Vex Fuzz Factory on "Little Black Submarines" and other tracks from El Camino. This pedal is known for its wide range of fuzz tones and somewhat unpredictable, vintage-style behavior.

What amp does Dan Auerbach use?

On "Little Black Submarines," Dan Auerbach used a Fender Tweed Deluxe amplifier. This low-wattage tube amp is prized for its natural compression and warm breakup when pushed to higher volumes.

How was Little Black Submarines recorded?

The guitar was recorded by blending a Shure SM57 microphone on the Tweed Deluxe amplifier with a direct input signal. This technique preserved both the tube amp's warmth and the clarity needed for the song's dynamic range.

lead guitar from "little black submarines" by the black keys

little black submarines

the black keys

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Tone Profile

A raw and slightly overdriven guitar tone with a blend of vintage amp warmth and fuzz. It's dirty, yet articulate, cutting through the mix with a distinctive character.

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Gibson Les Paul(instrument)
Fender Tweed Deluxe(amp)
Shure SM57(microphone)
Z.Vex Fuzz Factory(processing)

The Story

Dan Auerbach's lead guitar tone on "Little Black Submarines" was recorded at Easy Eye Sound Studio in Nashville, produced by Danger Mouse and engineered by Tchad Blake. The tone comes from a Gibson Les Paul running through a Z.Vex Fuzz Factory pedal into a cranked Fender Tweed Deluxe amplifier, captured with a Shure SM57 microphone. The recording technique involved blending the mic'd amplifier with a direct input signal to maintain both the warmth of the tube amp and the clarity needed for the song's dynamics.

Production Credits

Producer: Danger Mouse

Engineer: Tchad Blake

Recorded at: Easy Eye Sound Studio, Nashville, TN

Signal Chain

Instrument: Gibson Les PaulShop on Reverb

Amp: Fender Tweed DeluxeShop on Reverb

Microphone: Shure SM57Shop on Reverb

Processing: Z.Vex Fuzz FactoryShop on Reverb

Recreation Tips

Start with a Les Paul style guitar into a cranked Fender Tweed Deluxe or similar amp.
Dial in a moderate amount of fuzz from the Z.Vex Fuzz Factory.
Blend a touch of the direct guitar signal if needed to add clarity.
Use an SM57 close to the speaker, slightly off-axis.
Experiment with mic placement to find the right balance of brightness and body.
Slightly compress the final signal.

Original Gear

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Substitutions & Recommendations

EHX Big Muff PiShop on Reverb$80-$100

Alternative to: Z.Vex Fuzz Factory

Provides similar vintage fuzz character at a budget price point, with better reliability than the temperamental Fuzz Factory

Fender '57 Custom DeluxeShop on Reverb$1800-$2200

Alternative to: Fender Tweed Deluxe

Modern reissue of the original tweed Deluxe circuit with the same 5E3 topology that creates natural tube saturation when cranked

Boss Blues BreakerShop on Reverb$130-$160

Alternative to: Fender Tweed Deluxe

Captures the midrange warmth and natural compression of cranked tweed amps at bedroom volumes

Universal Audio Friedman Buxom Betty pluginPlugin Boutique$150-$200

Alternative to: Gibson Les Paul through Tweed Deluxe

Models the interaction between humbuckers and cranked low-watt tube amps with built-in fuzz modeling

Way Huge Swollen PickleShop on Reverb$180-$220