GuitarDistortedSolo80% confidence
Maggot Brain (Live) Solo Guitar Tone Settings — Funkadelic
Funkadelic · 1970s · rock
live
Original Recording
Guitar
Gibson Les Paul Custom (likely 1970s, as used by Eddie Hazel and Michael Hampton live)
Pickups
Humbucker (Gibson stock, likely T-Top or PAF-style)
Amp
Music Man HD-130 4x10 Combo (used by Funkadelic live in the late 1970s/early 1980s)
Pickup Position
Neck pickup
Live performance, late 1970s-early 1980s era. Michael Hampton (Kidd Funkadelic) played the solo live after Eddie Hazel's departure. Gear is based on live photos, interviews, and period-correct Funkadelic live setups. Studio version used different gear (Hazel, Marshall stack), but live versions are typically Les Paul or ES-335 into Music Man HD-130 with pedalboard. No evidence of Strat or Firebird for this era's live solos.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass6.5
Gain5.5
Reverb4
Treble6.5
Presence6
Effects Chain
- Dunlop Cry Baby Wah · wah
- Fuzz pedal (model unknown, likely Maestro FZ-1A or similar vintage fuzz) · fuzz
- Delay pedal (model unknown, likely analog or tape-style) · delay
Guitar → Wah → Fuzz → Delay → Music Man HD-130 (with spring reverb)
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Tone Character
- singing sustain
- liquid, vocal-like phrasing
- expressive wah sweeps
- smooth fuzz saturation
- rich midrange presence
- warm, rounded highs
- dynamic touch response
- long, ambient delay trails
- open, airy reverb
- soulful bends and vibrato
Notes & Caveats
- No direct amp knob settings for live Maggot Brain found; settings estimated based on typical Music Man HD-130 usage for classic rock/funk in the 1970s.
- Guitar model inferred from live photos and interviews; Michael Hampton is seen with Les Paul and ES-335 live, but Les Paul is most common for Maggot Brain solos.
- Pedal models for fuzz and delay are not confirmed for live versions; Cry Baby wah is highly likely, fuzz and delay are inferred from audio and period-correct gear.
- Exact pickup selector position not documented, but neck pickup is strongly supported by tone and live footage.
- If researching a specific live year, check for lineup changes; this profile is for typical late 1970s/early 1980s Funkadelic live performances.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Eddie Hazel’s 'Maggot Brain' live tone is warm, mid-forward, and expressive with edge-of-breakup to mild crunch, likely from a cranked Fender Twin or Marshall Plexi. The bass and mids are pushed for fullness and sustain, treble is moderate to avoid harshness, and reverb is prominent for that haunting, spacious vibe.