Well, I’m not sure if he still has them, or not…but around 1990 he released a song called “Still Got the Blues.” It has some great guitar work on it.
One thing I’ve noticed is that at around 4:18 into the song, the sound of the guitar changes. It’s almost as if the recording quality changed, going to a slightly brighter and dirtier sound.
Does anyone know why this is?
Sounds like either he or the studio sound staff cranked up the treble and perhaps added a touch of overdrive to provide more punch during his most complex solo passage. No big mystery.
It seems a little strange only because there is no abrupt voicing changeover that is more common when electric guitarists switch from rythym to a “lead” effects configuration.
For me, this one piece still remains an all time favorite of more recently composed “classic” rock.
I guess I was thinking more along the lines of some vast, classic rock conspiracy, like maybe Gary died in the middle of the solo and was replaced by Paul or a walrus or something. 
Garry Moore? From To Tell the Truth and I’ve Got a Secret? Could’ve sworn he was dead . . .
Ah, Eve, and here I bet you think Gene Simmons is the actress, not the fire-belching bass player.
Gary Moore (I “r” in Gary) is the former guitarist for Thin Lizzy who went on to his own solo blues guitar career. He is known for a firey heavy blues/rock style, and the fact that he owns and plays Peter Green’s 50’s Les Paul Standard Sunburst guitar - the Alpha and Omega of vintage guitars, worth a hundred thou at least - more because it was Green’s during his heyday with Fleetwood Mac (the FM before Buckingham and Nicks joined after Green went crazy - it’s a long story).
I would have to listen to Moore’s song before I comment specifically on what happened to change the tone, but the three most obvious options are:
He stepped on a boost pedal or changed to his over-ridden amp channel
He switched pickups - probably from neck to bridge, and might’ve had the volume higher on the pickup he switched to…
He switched guitars in the studio and spliced the tracks together in the final mix.
Any of these are very, very common and no big deal…
err, that’s “1” “r” in Gary - ooops.
I vote for number 3. The whole sound changes. In fact, after the change, it kinda sounds like a live performance, tacked on to the end of the tape.
My vote is for number two. There is an increase in signal amplitude and the treble harmonic content is suddenly boosted without a major change in timbre. All of this is consistent with switching from the neck to bridge position pickup. It is also an extremely simple operation for a guitarist to perform in the middle of playing a song. There is also no change in acoustic ambiance (at T = 4:18) to indicate a live venue nor any swell of applause at the song’s end that would confirm this.
You’re not alone, Eve. That’s who I thought of when I saw the thread title.
It’s hell growing old.
It happens right in the middle of a note. He switched pickups and the treble pickup has more gain. It could be a stomp box but doesn’t sound like it to me, and if it was a studio trick or a stomp box it would have happened at the beginning of the phrase. Instead, he does the triplet, hits the high note, then slaps the switch. Then he switches back at 5:36.
Sheesh, can you tell I’m waiting for my wife to get ready to go out? I need a hobby. Wait…this IS my hobby!