Real AmpTuning: E StandardPickup: MiddleMost AccurateCrunchBlues

Texas Boogie Bite — Hardtail Intro & Pearly Gates Drive

Billy Gibbons has identified a 1955 hardtail Stratocaster for the cleaner introduction and his 1959 “Pearly Gates” Les Paul for the overdriven riff. Both guitars ran straight into a 100-watt 1968 Marshall Super Lead, with no pedal required for the central drive sound. Pickup and amplifier control positions were not published, so settings are approximated from the documented guitar-and-amp pairing. Source: Guitar Player’s “How Billy Gibbons Wrote La Grange” feature (2021) and Line 6’s Billy Gibbons tone template.

Signal Chain

1955 Fender Stratocaster hardtail1968 Marshall 1959 Super LeadMarshall 1960 4x12 with Celestion GreenbacksOutput
Guitar1955 Fender Stratocaster hardtail
Tone
8
PickupMiddle
TuningE Standard
Volume
10
Amp1968 Marshall 1959 Super Lead
Bass
5
Mids
6.5
InputsLinked
Treble
6.5
Presence
5.5
Volume I3.5
Volume II2.5
Cab / IRMarshall 1960 4x12 with Celestion Greenbacks
MicRepresentative close dynamic microphone
Mic PositionOff-axis, edge of cone

Notes

Make the intro bright and touch-sensitive, then let the Les Paul and louder amp setting provide the thicker riff. The shuffle feel and right-hand accents are more important than adding extra distortion.

Don't have this gear?

See the same signal chain mapped to another platform. Knob values carry over as starting points — gain ranges differ between platforms.

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