Potent Pairings: How to Sound Like Tom Petty

Photo by Michael Ochs Archives / Stringer / Getty Images

Disclaimer: Our Potent Pairing series aims to get you in the ballpark of the sounds on your favorite recordings using pedals we had laying around at the time. The pedals featured are not the exact pieces of gear used on the recordings.

For our latest installment of Potent Pedal Pairings, we took on Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Tom Petty. Having sold more than 80 million records worldwide over his 40+ year career, Petty has solidified his spot on the list of the best–selling musicians of all time.

Joe gives his best approximation for how to nail signature Tom Petty and Mike Campbell tones heard on Heartbreakers classics like "You Don't Know How It Feels," as well as Petty's own solo hits like "I Won't Back Down."

And as with previous installments, it's not just about these exact pedals. Joe shows you the broad strokes of how to get close to the sound using what's available. Try it with your own pedals, or pick up a few affordable role players to fill in the gaps.

Check out the graphics below for a closer look at each pedal's settings for every song, and click on any of the pedals to be taken to live listings on Reverb.

"American Girl"

Wampler Tweed '57 MXR Reverb MXR Reverb Way Huge Camel Toe Image Map

"Listen to Her Heart"

Wampler Tweed '57 Wampler Tweed '57 Boss CS-3 MXR Reverb Image Map

"Nightwatchman"

Boss CH-1 Boss CS-3 MXR Reverb Image Map

"The Waiting"

Boss CS-3 Wampler Tweed '57 MXR Reverb MXR Reverb Wampler Tweed '57 Image Map

"I Won't Back Down"

Wampler Tweed '57 Way Huge Camel Toe Boss CS-3 Boss CS-1 Alexander Sky Fi Image Map

"You Don't Know How it Feels"

Wampler Tweed '57 Boss CS-3 Boss CH-1 Image Map

"Learning to Fly"

Wampler Tweed '57 Boss CS-3 Boss CH-1 MXR Reverb MXR Dyna Comp Image Map

"Don't Come Around Here No More"

MXR Reverb Boss CS-3 Image Map
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