How did guitarists often achieve desirable fuzzy sounds before electronic replication?

Answer

Through amplifier limitations or by intentionally damaging components like speaker cones.

Desirable saturation or grit was sometimes created accidentally when volume-maxed tube amplifiers were pushed past their limits, sometimes causing physical results like a ripped speaker cone, which engineers then sought to emulate.

How did guitarists often achieve desirable fuzzy sounds before electronic replication?

#Videos

Josh Scott Presents: The Complete History of Guitar Effects | Part 1

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