His core tone was simple and loud: a Strat into his fuzz, plugged into a Hiwatt run clean or nearly so1. The fuzz in question was a Sam Ash Fuzzz unit with a controllable, treble-boosty character, and he turned down most of the treble on his Hiwatts, letting the pedal supply the mids and treble23.
The Sam Ash Fuzz
"Mr. Bolin had a punchy and "in the face" sound which he created with a Sam Ash Fuzzz unit that had a controlable, treble-boosty character."
His early setup is variously given as an old Fuzz Face or a Sam Ash fuzz, and he modified his Hornby-Skewes booster4. For players tracing this sound today, the pedal sits in the fuzz family with a strong boost character rather than a smooth distortion voice.
Spectrum and Deep Purple
On Spectrum, Bolin played as a studio guitarist on Billy Cobham's 1973 jazz fusion album5. In Deep Purple Mk_IV he used Hiwatt amps5, and he played the band's material with his own interpretations of the Blackmore solos3. Later releases of his work include the Whips and Roses series and the collection The Ultimate Redux3.
The Echoplex
Bolin was a virtuoso of the Echoplex, using the effect like an instrument in itself6. His first exposure to it came in 1969 through Rick Derringer while he was with Zephyr2. The Echoplex belongs to the history covered on the delay page.
Recreations of his fuzz
Two makers have built pedals around Bolin's sound:
| Pedal | Maker | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Spectrum Fuzz-Booster | BSM | The modified Sam Ash Fuzz Bolin used in Deep Purple7 |
| Tommy Bolin Signature Fuzz | Hartman | An original model of Tommy's go-to fuzz, refined against isolated guitar tracks of Bolin master reels1 |
The BSM Spectrum Fuzz-Booster is BSM's tribute to Bolin2. Hartman's Tommy Bolin Signature Fuzz, released in 2008, was made with the assistance and cooperation of the Bolin family and estate1. Premier Guitar's announcement describes it:
"Beginning with an original model of Tommy's go-to fuzz and refined against the original, isolated guitar tracks of Bolin master reels, the result is a 3-knob box of dynamite featuring a definitive palette of tones from deep within the Bolin zone."
As with many early fuzz circuits, the Hartman pedal is highly responsive to the settings of the guitar's controls: the guitar's volume knob can control the amount of dirt the pedal delivers1.
Questions
What fuzz pedal did Tommy Bolin use?
Tommy Bolin used a Sam Ash Fuzzz unit with a controllable, treble-boosty character, obtained in 1969 while he was with Zephyr and modded for him. He kept it as his go-to fuzz through his Deep Purple years, often running a Strat into it and into a Hiwatt amp set clean or nearly so.
Did Tommy Bolin use an Echoplex?
Yes. Bolin was first exposed to the Echoplex in 1969 through Rick Derringer while with Zephyr, and he went on to be described as a virtuoso of the effect, using it like an instrument in itself rather than as a simple echo.
What guitar effects are on Billy Cobham's Spectrum?
Bolin played on Billy Cobham's 1973 jazz fusion album Spectrum as a studio guitarist. His punchy, in-your-face sound on the album came from a Sam Ash Fuzzz unit with a controllable, treble-boosty character, the same pedal family he carried into Deep Purple.
What gear did Tommy Bolin use in Deep Purple?
In Deep Purple Mk_IV, Bolin used Hiwatt amplifiers, turning down most of the treble on them, with his Sam Ash fuzz supplying the mids and treble. His core tone was often a Strat into the fuzz plugged into a Hiwatt run clean or nearly so.
Is there a recreation of Tommy Bolin's Sam Ash Fuzz?
Yes. BSM builds the Spectrum fuzz-booster, based on the modified Sam Ash Fuzz Bolin used in Deep Purple, and Hartman released a Tommy Bolin Signature Fuzz in 2008, developed with the Bolin family and estate from an original of his go-to fuzz and his master reels.
Sources (7)
- Hartman Releases Tommy Bolin Signature Fuzz, Premier Guitar, 2008-10-30
- SPECTRUM Fuzz-Booster, BSM (treblebooster.net), 2025
- Tommy Bolin, treblebooster.net (BSM - Finest Treble Booster), 2025
- review8.pdf, Premier Guitar, 2007-09
- SPECTRUM Fuzz-Booster, BSM (treblebooster.net), 2025
- Echoplex, Stompbox Book (stompboxbook.com), 2019-03-03
- bsm-treble-boosters-2019.pdf, treblebooster.net, 2019
