TONEDB

rhythm guitar from “little black submarines” by the black keys | ToneDB

little black submarines

the black keys

rhythm guitar

AI generatedv1.0

Tone Profile

The rhythm guitar sound is a raw, slightly fuzzy, and heavily compressed tone, providing a solid and powerful foundation for the song. It has a vintage feel, reminiscent of classic rock tones, but with a modern edge.

Gear

Fender Telecasterinstrument
ReverbSweetwater
Supro Thunderboltamp
Reverb$699Sweetwater
Shure SM57microphone
ReverbSweetwater
Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Piprocessing
ReverbSweetwater
MXR Micro Ampprocessing
ReverbSweetwater

ToneDB may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.

The Story

Dan Auerbach's rhythm guitar tone on 'Little Black Submarines' was built around his Fender Telecaster through a Supro Thunderbolt amp, with the signal shaped by an Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi and MXR Micro Amp. The track was recorded at Easy Eye Sound Studio in Nashville and produced by Danger Mouse with engineering by Tchad Blake. The raw, fuzzy compression comes from the combination of the Big Muff's saturation and the Supro amp's natural tube compression, captured with close microphone placement.

Production Credits

Producer: Danger Mouse

Engineer: Tchad Blake

Recorded at: Easy Eye Sound Studio, Nashville, TN

Signal Chain

Instrument: Fender Telecaster

Amp: Supro Thunderbolt

Microphone: Shure SM57

Processing: Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi, MXR Micro Amp

Recreation Tips

  • Start with a Telecaster-style guitar for its bright and cutting sound.
  • Use a Supro Thunderbolt amp or similar vintage-style tube amp for natural overdrive.
  • Add a Big Muff for fuzz and an MXR Micro Amp for a slight boost to drive the amp harder.
  • Experiment with microphone placement to capture the right balance of direct and room sound.
  • Use compression in post-production to even out the dynamics and add sustain.

Original Gear

  • Fender Telecaster(guitar)
  • Supro Thunderbolt(amp)
  • Shure SM57(mic)
  • Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi(pedal)
  • MXR Micro Amp(pedal)

Substitutions & Recommendations

Supro Delta King 10$400-$500

Alternative to: Supro Thunderbolt amp

Current production Supro amp with similar vintage tube character and natural compression as the Thunderbolt

ReverbSweetwater
Electro-Harmonix Op-Amp Big Muff Pi$80-$100

Alternative to: Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi

Modern reissue of the op-amp Big Muff circuit that provides the heavily compressed fuzz tone

ReverbSweetwater
MXR M133 Micro Amp$70-$90

Alternative to: MXR Micro Amp

Current production version of the same clean boost pedal used to push the amp into overdrive

ReverbSweetwater
Squier Classic Vibe '50s Telecaster$400-$450

Alternative to: Fender Telecaster

Budget-friendly Telecaster with authentic single-coil pickups that deliver the bright, cutting tone

ReverbSweetwater
Neural DSP Archetype: Cory Wong$100-$130

Alternative to: Full signal chain

Includes vintage Supro-style amp models and classic fuzz pedals for recreating the compressed, fuzzy rhythm tone

ReverbSweetwater

Sources

Frequently Asked Questions

Community Insights

No community insights yet. Be the first to contribute!