Texas Flood

The recording

Recorded at Austin’s Arlyn Studios in early 1983, the title track was captured almost entirely live with Stevie playing his battered 1963 “Number One” Strat tuned down a half‑step. He ran the guitar through an Ibanez Tube Screamer into a Howard Dumble Steel‑String Special for the soaring solo, while the clean rhythm parts were taken straight from a Fender Vibroverb, its built‑in spring reverb adding depth. Engineer Richard Mullen used minimal mic placement to preserve the raw dynamics, resulting in a raw, dynamic blues performance.

Tuning E♭ Standard (E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ B♭ E♭)·Strings .012-.054

Reported gear

1963 Fender Stratocaster ('Number One')

Guitar

Stevie's primary instrument on Texas Flood, a 1963 Fender Stratocaster with a 1962 neck, heavily worn and nicknamed "Number One", delivering his signature biting tone.

Ibanez Tube Screamer TS-808

Overdrive Pedal

A classic overdrive boost that SRV employed to drive his Dumble amp into saturated sustain for the Texas Flood solo, shaping the mid‑range bite.

Howard Dumble Steel String Special (custom)

Amplifier

SRV used a Howard Dumble Steel String Special in the Texas Flood sessions; its high‑gain channel, combined with the Tube Screamer, produced the thick, singing sustain heard on the title track.

Fender Vibroverb (1965)

Combo Amp

A Fender Vibroverb provided the clean, slightly reverberant rhythm tone on Texas Flood, with the amp’s built‑in spring reverb adding depth to SRV’s chordal work.

Alternatives

Squier Classic Vibe Stratocaster

Budget alternative · for the 1963 Fender Stratocaster ('Number One')

$300 to $400

Fender Blues Junior

Budget alternative · for the Howard Dumble Steel String Special (custom)

$400 to $500

Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer

Modern equivalent · for the Ibanez Tube Screamer TS-808

$80 to $120

Fender '65 Twin Reverb Reissue

Reissue · for the Fender Vibroverb (1965)

$1,500 to $2,800

Practical playing approach

Recreation guidance, not a claim about undocumented studio control positions.

1. 1.Tune the guitar to E♭ Standard (E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ B♭ E♭).
2. 2.Select the bridge pickup and roll the tone knob back slightly for a tighter bite.
3. 3.Engage an Ibanez Tube Screamer at medium drive and set the tone to the midpoint.
4. 4.Attack the strings with a strong pick attack and use wide, slow bends to let the amp’s natural compression sing.
5. 5.Let notes ring and decay naturally; avoid excessive compression or over‑editing.