Mr. Gearhead: Distortion Mysteries Revealed!
In the early days of amplified music, distortion was usually considered a “no-no.” Simply amplifying (making louder) the sound of an instrument (like an acoustic guitar) is what musicians were initially after. However, many Blues, Country, and finally Rock-n-Roll guitarists discovered that by turning their tube amps up high, they could create a rich, sustaining distortion sound– not unlike that of a raspy saxophone solo, which was popular in those days. In the 1960’s, the first commercially available “fuzz boxes” made it easier to simulate the “sound effect” of an overworked amp or torn speaker.