Video: Authentic Beatles Tones in 3 Modern Pedals

From the overdriven jangle of a Vox amp to the electrified color of a guitar plugged directly into a Neve console, The Beatles gave the 20th century some its defining songs and sounds.

While the Fab Four never had much of a taste for pedals while they were recording, today’s effects aficionados are still trying to capture all the defining tones and textures the group managed to create in a studio setting.

Today, Andy’s breaking down three modern effects tailor-made to deliver some of those legendary sounds John, Paul, and George concocted all those years ago.

Aclam Dr. Robert

As you might be able to tell by the name, the Aclam Dr. Robert summons the lively, throaty tones of the song by the same name. What's more is the durable chassis has a fresh design from Klaus Voorman, the artist who created the Revolver album cover. Based on the rhythm channel of the Vox UL730, a hybrid amp used in recording both Revolver and Sgt. Pepper's, the Spanish-made Dr. Robert offers further tweakability via the versatile midrange control and “Mach Schau!” switch, a FET-based boost.

Of course, the Beatles are closely associated with the Vox AC30, and if you’re after those tones, you can never go wrong with the Wampler Ace Thirty.

JHS Crayon

"Revolution" was a sonic rallying point for getting the people on their feet and in the street, and it was fueled by the sound of a guitar played straight through a vintage British preamp. The JHS Crayon recreates the vibrant distortion and harmonic profile that characterized this technique in a streamlined unit with knobs for volume, pre-volume, and EQ as well as a Hi-Pass filter switch.

For the tone-shaping control in a different package, take a look at the Electro-Harmonix Crayon 69 Full-Range Overdrive.

Jext Telez White Pedal

For this last pick, we turn to the Vox Conqueror, one of George Harrison’s preferred amp odd birds, heard throughout the White Album, with the Jext Telez White Pedal. Gritty overdrive and fuzz tones are on tap in this deceptively plain-looking box with volume and gain knobs as well as treble and bass cut, plus a special "Yoko" knob on the side for carving midrange and pinning down fixed wah tones.

Bonus: Want to get add Beatles-style echo to these Beatles-style dirt boxes? The Keeley Abbey Chamber Verb is up your alley. Modeled after the echo chambers in Abbey Road, this model stands as a unique pick for its three-position switch that targets specific frequencies favored by sound engineers.