- Visit our Sponsors -
Zakk Wylde – Ozzy Osbourne – 1988
Artist/Tech Quote:
“My rig hasn’t changed that much over the years! If it ain’t broke don’t fix it eh?” – Zakk Wylde
GuitarGeek Notes:
Zakk was interviewed, via telephone, from his home in sunny California.
About the Illustrator
Adam Cooper's award winning GuitarGeek rig illustrations have appeared in GuitarPlayer, Total Guitar UK, Guitarist, Alternative Press, History of Marshall Amplifiers, Roland/Boss User Guides, Ibanez Steve Vai Jemini & Paul Gilbert Airplane Flanger Instruction Manuals, as well as the longest running monthly column in Guitar World Magazine's history: Vulgar Display of Power. Before launching GuitarGeek.Com, Adam published the highly respected music zine, Whirlpool, which was distributed worldwide via major record store chains. As a guitarist and songwriter, he formed the band Alison's Halo which released two critically acclaimed records and secured coveted slots with bands like The Verve, Ultra Vivid Scene, Curve, Jimmy Eat World, Of Montreal, Butterfly Child, The Apples In Stereo, The Boo Radleys, Stereophonics, Medicine, Lovesliescrushing, Bailter Space and many others.
This schematic is very useful to me. I was going crazy trying to get the same sound as Zakk. I bought the guitar a year ago, it’s beautiful and now I can start buying the rest. Can LINE6 HD500 can emulate these effects?
The HD500 is a great choice for nailing other guitarists tone. The stompbox models combined with the jcm800 sims should get you there…
Doesn’t Zakk also use a Gibson Buzz-saw?
Not in 1988.
I have a Marshall JCM 2000 Full Stack and I can get the “Zakk” sound with those. I also have a Line 6 Spider II 150-Watt 212 Combo Amp w/ the Line 6 FBV Shortboard (MK-1, NOT MK-II); I can get it close enough on that.
Weren’t the amps Lee Jackson-modified, or wasn’t that until 1989 or 1990?
I have a Line6 POD HD500….. Yes it will get this rig sound…. Just saw Zakk with Black Label –Judas Priest and Thin Lizzy…..Zakk ripped it up !!
I have always loved Zakk’s tone. It defined that era of Ozzy for sure.
During NRFTW he used a rack with Lee Jackson Perfect Connection pre-amps and Metaltronix Amps, A Wah, Boss SD-1, Boss Ph-2, Boss Ch-1.
For NMT he used this rig minus the Roto-Vibe, then used this rig with P&G. During the P&G tour while in Europe he switched to 200watt EV speakers, which he used up to designing his own gear with MXR and the new BLS 300 watt EV speakers.
His current rig is the 2 JCM 800 heads, 2 1960B cabs with 300 watt EV BLS speakers, Dunlop ZW Wah, Dunlop Roto-vibe, MXR ZW Overdrive, MXR EVH Phase, MXR Carbon Copy Delay, MXR EVH Flanger (only used on Crazy Horse), and the MXR BLS Chorus.
I’m guessing this rig listed here was only used in 1993-1994.
Lots of great info – although the “Ozzfest” rig info here was straight from Zakk.