[burschl]

I've wondered for a long time how Lee acheived the incredible fuzz tone that kicks in at about 1:35 on the album version of Burning Spear. On the live recording of this that's on the CD it just sounds like a windstorm and is totally amazing. I've done a bit of research trying to figure out what pedal may have produced this sound, but have heard nothing like this on Youtube pedal demos, which I guess isn't surprising. Does anyone have any insight or experience with fuzz pedals, or perhaps other methods that the early Youth used to get that tone? The use of drumsticks and the rest are well documented (and clearly important), but it would be cool if this aspect of their work could be illuminated as well.
Thanks!

[Chris Lawrence]

It's a power drill with a contact mic run through a wah pedal. Not joking.

[burschl]

Thanks! I'm a dummy, it says that right on the site. Guess I didn't pick up on it, cause it says it was used in the intro to the original version (is that available?). But I can definitely see that that's the same as the sound I was asking about before. Do you have any ideas about the relation of the contact mic and the drill? on the housing of the drill, maybe? Or the chuck of the drill was spinning on a contact mic? I'll have to get one and try it out.

[Chris Lawrence]

I think the site just means "LP version" by original version (as opposed to all subsequent live versions except perhaps the one that's on the reissue).

Not sure where the contact mic would go...to be honest, I never knew a contact mic was used so for years I thought he had somehow rigged a power drill with a patchcord, haha...

[scott v]

probably just the contact mic attached to the housing of the power drill via two-sided tape.