[Phil Campbell] How to Recreate the Motörhead Sound + Guitar Gear and Tone Settings [Effects & Amps]

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Introduction (Overview of Tone)

Phil Campbell, the guitarist of Motörhead, is a symbol of the raw hard rock sound. His approach to sound design is characterized by simplicity and power, while also possessing thickness and dimensionality.

Known for crafting a piercing guitar sound that stands out against Lemmy Kilmister’s heavy bass and explosive drum sounds, Phil has created tight, aggressive riffs and vibrant solos, especially in iconic tracks like “Ace of Spades” and “Overkill,” which serve as the backbone of the Motörhead sound.

His playing style emphasizes riff work and groove over flashy techniques, embodying the “intuitive explosiveness” that is the essence of rock. His gear choices revolve around classic Gibsons and Marshalls, while also incorporating signature models and custom guitars to establish a unique sound.

This article will thoroughly explain Phil Campbell’s sound design from various perspectives, including “amplifiers,” “guitars,” “effects,” and “EQ settings,” and will also introduce alternative gear that beginners can use to recreate his tone.

Understanding his sound design will provide significant insights for anyone learning hard rock or metal guitar. Use this as a reference to enhance your own sound.

▶ Search official YouTube videos of Motörhead

List of Amplifiers and Features

Phil Campbell’s choice of amplifiers is a crucial element of the Motörhead sound. His tone is designed to cut through the mix without being buried by Lemmy’s bass and drums, primarily relying on classic Marshall amps. He often uses high-output heads during live performances to create a thick wall of rhythm guitar.

One of the frequently used amps in live settings is the “Marshall 1959RR Randy Rhoads Signature.” This amp is known for its aggressive crunch and soaring high gain, enhancing his stage presence. Additionally, he incorporates models like the “Marshall JVM410H” and “JCM900 4100” into his setup, allowing for a wide range of sound variations.

In the studio, Phil has experimented with a variety of amps beyond Marshall, including “Bogner Uberschall,” “ENGL,” “Line 6,” and “Laboga,” selecting the optimal tone for each track. The Bogner, in particular, is used to achieve a loud and modern distortion, blending with the classic Marshall tone to create a thick yet sharp sound.

In his early years, he occasionally used “Gallien-Krueger” amps, which likely aimed for a sharper, punk-influenced texture. Throughout his long career, he has introduced various amplifiers, reflecting his exploration to support the explosive yet straightforward sound of Motörhead.

The following table summarizes the main amplifiers used by Phil Campbell. By referencing this gear, you can get one step closer to achieving his tone.

As outlined, Phil Campbell primarily relies on classic Marshalls while also incorporating modern amps like Bogner and ENGL to diversify his sound for different tracks. His style can be summarized as “building on the classic Marshall tone while adding thickness with various amps.”

Types of Guitars Used and Features

Phil Campbell’s guitar history is incredibly diverse, serving as the core of his sound. He uses a wide range of guitars, from classic Gibsons to signature models and modern custom builds, both live and in the studio. Notably, he prioritizes “the guitar that fits his riffs and the band’s sound best,” often switching guitars even for the same song.

In his early years, he played classic guitars like the “Gibson Les Paul” and “Flying V,” adding thickness to Motörhead’s loud and straightforward style. The “Gibson 335 Reissue” was used for solos, while the Les Paul Silver Burst supported rhythm parts, showcasing a clear division of roles during studio recordings.

His famous signature model is the “LAG Explorer,” featuring two Seymour Duncan humbuckers and a simple volume-only design, embodying the rawness of rock. He has also used numerous custom models, including the “Caparison Angelus M3B Signature” and “Jackson King V Signature,” which have graced the stage.

Additionally, he has incorporated unique-shaped guitars like the custom MC1 from Brian Moore and the Minarik Inferno, enhancing his stage presence during live performances. Recently, he has favored the Swiss “Relish Signature Model,” which integrates modern aesthetics and playability. His history also includes builds by TC Ellis (Les Paul-type, Strat-type, Lemmy-style custom), demonstrating his versatility across various guitar brands.

The background of his guitar choices reflects a clear intention to enhance the sound of Motörhead while also establishing his presence. The following table summarizes the main guitars used. By referencing these, you can understand the breadth of Phil’s sound and practical guitar usage.

In summary, Phil Campbell has used a wide range of guitars, from classic Gibsons to modern customs. His sound can be described as “building on the foundation of classic rock guitars while adding personality through various signature and custom models.”

Effects and Pedalboard Setup

Phil Campbell has built a simple yet effective pedalboard to support the raw sound of Motörhead. His style is based on the direct connection of “guitar + amp,” while also utilizing effects where necessary to add thickness and expression.

Among the most frequently used effects are those from Dunlop. Unique effects like the “95Q Wah” and “Slash Octave Fuzz” provide variations for leads and boosts, while the “Micro Amp” is used to simply raise the volume, highlighting solos and riffs. Additionally, the “Carbon Copy” delay adds depth and resonance to solo parts, ensuring his guitar stands out amidst Motörhead’s rugged sound.

For modulation effects, he has incorporated “Micro Chorus,” “Phase 90,” and “Corona Chorus,” adding spatial expansion as needed. The “Smart Gate” noise reduction helps suppress unwanted hum during loud live performances. Furthermore, TC Electronic’s modulation pedals like “Shaker Vibrato” and “The Dreamscape” were also used, confirming that he added diverse fluctuations to songs based on the performance.

In recent setups, units like the “Flashback Delay / Alter Ego X4” and “PolyTune” tuner have been integrated into his board, achieving modern and stable operation. Boutique overdrives like “Gurus Sexy Drive mk II” are also used, allowing for adjustments in attack and harmonic content compared to simple amp drives.

The following table organizes the effects Phil Campbell has used. This list is highly useful for hard rock and metal guitarists looking to reference his setup.

In summary, Phil Campbell’s setup is primarily based on the explosive sound of Marshall, enhanced with various pedals to add expression where needed. His frequent use of Dunlop effects indicates a configuration that provides personality to his straightforward yet aggressive sound.

Tone Settings, EQ, and Mixing Approaches

Phil Campbell’s sound design is characterized by an approach that ensures his guitar does not get buried in the raw band sound of Motörhead while also providing solid support for the overall mix. His guitar work is not solely technical; it balances the weight of riffs with clarity during explosive live performances, necessitating careful amp settings and EQ adjustments.

When using Marshall amps, it is crucial to emphasize the midrange. For instance, when using the “JVM410H” or “JCM900,” he likely sets the bass around 5-6, mids at 7-8, and treble at 6, ensuring that guitar riffs stand out in the mix. The presence is kept around 5 to avoid harsh highs while maintaining a strong attack.

For distortion, he builds on the natural drive of Marshall and boosts it with pedals like “Micro Amp” or “Sexy Drive mk II” as needed, enhancing harmonics. This adds thickness to riffs and elevates volume during solos. Particularly, applying a small amount of “Carbon Copy” delay enhances the presence and dimensionality of solos.

Mixing plays a significant role due to the unique sound balance of Motörhead. Since Lemmy’s bass often serves a “distorted rhythm guitar role,” the guitar’s frequency range is adjusted to avoid excessive low-end while emphasizing mid to high frequencies, effectively separating their roles. From a PA engineer’s perspective, reducing the 250Hz-500Hz range while boosting 1kHz-2kHz can achieve a mix that highlights the attack of the riffs.

Given the high volume during live performances, noise reduction settings (Smart Gate) are essential. This allows for higher gain without unwanted hum, ensuring a clear and powerful sound. While modulation effects like phasers and choruses are not heavily used, they are employed at strategic moments with “Phase 90” or “Corona Chorus” to add fluctuations and dynamics to the songs.

In recordings, blending Marshall heads with Bogner or ENGL amps has been utilized, allowing multiple amps to be triggered by a single guitar track, achieving a thick yet distinct sound. During engineering, combining staple microphones like the SM57 and 421 in front of the cabinet helps add depth to the sound.

Overall, Phil Campbell’s sound design can be summarized as “emphasizing midrange EQ based on Marshall, enhancing riffs and solos with simple boosts, and being mindful of low and midrange separation in the mix.” This reflects his pursuit of how the guitar can assert its presence within the unique configuration of Motörhead, which is central to his sound philosophy.

Affordable Alternatives to Recreate the Tone

Phil Campbell’s sound is built around Marshall’s explosive tones and Gibson-style guitars, but it is possible for beginners or players on a budget to recreate a similar sound using relatively affordable gear. Here, we will introduce products that are accessible for newcomers.

Regarding amplifiers, assembling a full Marshall stack is not realistic. Therefore, options like the BOSS Katana series or Marshall Code series are excellent choices. These allow for home practice and live performance without needing a head and cabinet, simulating Marshall-like distortion effectively.

For guitars, while Gibsons can be expensive, Epiphone’s “Les Paul Standard” or “Flying V” are available at more reasonable prices, adequately replicating the look and tonal direction. Additionally, Jackson and ESP LTD offer V-shaped and Explorer-type guitars, providing a playing experience close to Phil’s aggressive riffs.

For effects, Dunlop’s “Cry Baby Wah” and “MXR Phase 90” are classic staples that can be acquired at affordable prices. Furthermore, overdrive/distortion pedals like “BOSS DS-1” or “SD-1” can complement Marshall-style amps, mimicking Phil’s aggressive lead sound. For delay, “BOSS DD-8” or “TC Electronic Flashback Mini” are recommended, adding depth during solos.

The following table summarizes alternative gear that can help you get closer to Phil Campbell’s sound at a relatively low cost.

By utilizing relatively affordable gear from brands like BOSS, Epiphone, MXR, and Dunlop, you can get closer to Phil Campbell’s direct and powerful sound. The key to recreating his tone lies in acquiring “amps that emphasize midrange like Marshall” and “classic Les Paul/V-shape guitars.”

Summary and Conclusion

Reflecting on Phil Campbell’s sound design, its essence lies in “the explosiveness found within simplicity.” Rather than showcasing flashy techniques as a guitarist, he has meticulously chosen gear and playing styles to support the overall groove of the band and complete the unique sound of Motörhead.

His explosive setup based on Marshall, combined with Gibson and signature guitars, and enhanced with effects from Dunlop and TC Electronic, may seem simple at first glance. However, the core of his ingenuity lies in how to bring the sound forward and ensure it does not get buried in the mix.

His approach to differentiating between studio and live use is also notable. In the studio, he utilizes modern amps like Bogner and ENGL to create the necessary thickness and separation for recordings. In contrast, during live performances, he unleashes Marshall at full volume, delivering overwhelming power to the audience.

His choice of effects emphasizes practicality, utilizing “minimum necessary effects for maximum impact.” Effects like wah, phaser, and delay are introduced to highlight lead parts, contributing to the prominence of Phil’s solos within the band sound.

In summary, his sound design can be encapsulated in the philosophy of “building on the classic Marshall sound while adapting to songs with minimal effects.” This perfectly fits the rawness and explosive beauty of Motörhead, which is why his playing leaves a simple yet intense impact.

For players aspiring to emulate Phil Campbell’s sound, the key is to have “the courage to play boldly” and “sound design that dominates the midrange.” While gear selection is important, ultimately, what supported his sound was the play style itself and the cohesion of the entire band. Understanding this and reflecting it in your own performance is the key to truly recreating his sound.