Ritchie Blackmore
Deep Purple / Rainbow / Blackmore's Night
The Man in Black. A pivotal figure in the development of hard rock and heavy metal, combining blues phrasing with classical scales and aggressive Stratocaster abuse.
SIGNATURE TONE
Dynamic, articulate, and fiery. A Stratocaster played with a heavy hand and a scalloped fretboard, pushed into a high-powered amp by a treble booster for a sound that cuts like a knife.
SIGNAL CHAINS BY ERA
Explore how the rig evolved over time
Deep Purple Mark II (1970-1973)
The birth of metal. A Stratocaster with a scalloped fretboard into a treble-boosted Marshall Major created a ferocious, articulate roar.
Rainbow Era (1975-1984)
Neoclassical fantasy. Refining the Strat/Marshall tone with an Aiwa tape deck preamp for a thicker, warmer sustain.
Blackmore's Night / Modern (1997-Present)
Renaissance folk rock. Incorporating acoustic instruments and ENGL amps for a versatile, medieval-inspired sound.