What guitar did Jack White use on Ball and Biscuit?

Jack White used an Airline JB Hutto Res-O-Glas guitar on "Ball and Biscuit." This hollow-body electric guitar with its fiberglass construction gives the distinctive resonant, cutting tone heard on the track.

What amp did Jack White use for Ball and Biscuit tone?

The lead guitar on "Ball and Biscuit" was recorded through a Silvertone 1485 tube amplifier. This vintage amp, when cranked up, produces the natural fuzz and distortion that defines the song's raw sound.

How to get Jack White's Ball and Biscuit guitar sound?

To recreate this tone, use a hollow-body or semi-hollow electric guitar through a low-wattage tube amp pushed into natural overdrive. The key is the interaction between the resonant guitar body and saturated tube amp distortion.

Where was Ball and Biscuit by White Stripes recorded?

"Ball and Biscuit" was recorded at Toe Rag Studios in London, engineered by Liam Watson. The studio is known for its vintage analog equipment and recording techniques, which contributed to the track's raw, authentic sound.

What microphone was used to record Ball and Biscuit guitar?

The guitar on "Ball and Biscuit" was recorded using an AKG D12 microphone. This classic dynamic mic captures the full frequency range of the amplifier while handling the high sound pressure levels of the cranked tube amp.

lead guitar from "ball and biscuit" by the white stripes

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Tone Profile

A raw and biting blues-rock tone with a fuzzy, distorted edge, capturing the intense and gritty feel of early electric blues.

Shop This Rig

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Airline JB Hutto Res-O-Glas(instrument)
Silvertone 1485(amp)
AKG D12(microphone)

The Story

Jack White used an Airline JB Hutto Res-O-Glas guitar through a Silvertone 1485 tube amp for the lead guitar on "Ball and Biscuit." The track was recorded at Toe Rag Studios in London by engineer Liam Watson, who is known for his vintage recording techniques and analog approach. The guitar was captured with an AKG D12 microphone, and the raw, fuzzy tone comes from pushing the vintage tube amp hard.

Production Credits

Producer: Jack White

Engineer: Liam Watson

Recorded at: Toe Rag Studios, London

Signal Chain

Instrument: Airline JB Hutto Res-O-GlasShop on Reverb

Amp: Silvertone 1485Shop on Reverb

Microphone: AKG D12Shop on Reverb

Recreation Tips

Start with a Res-O-Glas guitar and a cranked tube amp. Experiment with different microphone placements to find the sweet spot.
Adjust the amp's EQ to emphasize the midrange frequencies for a cutting tone. If you want more fuzz, try boosting your signal with a fuzz pedal.

Original Gear

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Airline JB Hutto Res-O-GlasShop on Reverb(guitar)
Silvertone 1485Shop on Reverb(amp)
AKG D12Shop on Reverb(mic)

Substitutions & Recommendations

Eastwood Airline '59 2P DLXShop on Reverb$400-$500

Alternative to: Airline JB Hutto Res-O-Glas

Modern recreation of the JB Hutto model with Res-O-Glas body and similar pickup configuration for that hollow, resonant tone

Supro Delta King 10Shop on Reverb$400-$450

Alternative to: Silvertone 1485

Similar vintage tube circuit design with natural compression and fuzz when cranked, capturing that raw blues-rock breakup

Tone King GremlinShop on Reverb$700-$800

Alternative to: Silvertone 1485

Low-wattage tube amp designed to achieve vintage fuzz and saturation at manageable volumes

AKG D112Shop on Reverb$200-$250

Alternative to: AKG D12

Modern version of the classic D12 with similar large diaphragm characteristics for capturing full guitar tone

ProCo RAT 2Shop on Reverb$70-$80

Alternative to: Vintage tube amp overdrive

Adds similar fuzzy distortion character to achieve the raw, biting tone when using cleaner amps

Sources

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lead guitar from “ball and biscuit” by the white stripes | ToneDB