If you play the guitar, you probably love the gritty sound of distortion that you can now achieve with various amps, pedals, and plugins. It’s hard to think there was ever a time without this iconic sound. Yet, there was indeed such a period. The path to creating the first “fuzz tone,” a sound now taken for granted, is filled with unexpected twists.
Where It All Began
The adventure begins with a song recorded in 1951 by Jackie Brenston with Ike Turner’s band, often acknowledged as featuring the first distorted guitar sound on record. This happened because guitarist Willie Kizart had a damaged amp speaker, which resulted in a fuzzy sound, inadvertently setting a precedent for the tone. This method was later replicated by other artists, including Link Wray in “Rumble” and Dave Davies of The Kinks in “You Really Got Me,” but the quest for a consistently replicable distorted sound was just beginning.
Incredibly, the breakthrough came about by accident in the summer of 1960 in Nashville. Country singer Marty Robbins was recording a song titled “Don’t Worry” at the Bradley Film & Recording Studios, also known as the Quonset Hut, with Nashville’s A-Team of session musicians. Among them was guitarist Grady Martin. The studio had just installed a new console featuring Langevin 116 tube amplifiers, but a critical component, the output transformers, was not up to standard because they were sourced from a different supplier while Langevin moved its operations. During the recording, one of these subpar transformers failed on Martin’s six-string bass track. The resulting distortion captivated everyone present.
A New Sound Emerged
Word of this pleasingly distorted sound spread across Nashville. The engineer, Glenn Snoddy, recognizing its unique appeal, endeavored to recreate it. He developed a box that mimicked the console’s distortion—the world’s first stompbox. Importantly, while the original console used tubes, Snoddy’s invention was purely transistor-based. Yet, it didn’t deter guitarists who loved the new sound.
By 1962, Snoddy had partnered with Gibson to produce the “Fuzz Tone” under its Maestro label. An initial batch of 5,000 units flew off the shelves, indicating a good start. However, surprisingly, the following years saw a dramatic dip in sales, with almost no units sold.
The Turning Point
Everything changed in 1965 when Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones used a Fuzz Tone on the hit “(I Can’t Get Er, No) Satisfaction.” The track’s success reignited interest in the fuzzy, distorted guitar sound, creating a massive demand among guitarists eager to replicate Richards’ iconic riff.
Since then, the appeal of guitar distortion has only grown, evolving in texture and complexity. While opinions on what constitutes the ‘right’ distortion vary, it’s clear that this effect has become integral to modern music.
The Legacy Continues
Recently, Gibson revived the Maestro brand and released new products, including an updated version of the original Fuzz Tone called the FZ-M. This new pedal offers greater versatility and a richer sound compared to its predecessor, addressing previous limitations.
Despite the plethora of distortion devices available, guitarists continue their search for the perfect distortion pedal, a testament to the enduring legacy of that accidental sound from Nashville decades ago.