Today’s video is another along the classic lines of the Muddy Waters classic, “Mannish Boy.”

As we’ve seen in other videos, there are a lot of options and a lot of “right” ways to play this… so try them all and pick your favorite.

Downloads


    36 replies to "Mannish Boy"

    • Lance Ryan

      Lindy Fralin Blues Specials I have those on my Strat and love them.. Lindy shows us lefties some love by making a lefty set too. Great lesson Griff, thanks..

    • middo

      Hi Griff I know is not the correct place to put this but I can’t down the MP4 file from this location eg from the blog all other downloads no problems.

      • middo

        Got it finally

    • Rob Barnaba

      In A, I like using the open D string …

    • Bob K

      Fun song Griff, thanks for the lesson. Love the simplicity of it and how you can dress it up.

      Now you just have to walk us through the Bo Diddley riff!!!

    • Dick

      Good lesson and thoroughly explained. Thanks Griff.

    • Bill C.

      Good deal on this one Griff. Apart from the song Gloria (which I “found another version of with Van Morrison and John Lee Hooker, great one also imo), it’s one of the first songs I learned on guitar. Unfortunately , I picked it up from the Yardbirds version and that version has been stuck solidly in my head from then on. Thank you for giving me a different and desired perspective on how Muddy did it.

    • Mike

      You really got me… with this one Griff. Kinky. 😉

    • Bob E.

      Can you explain in more detail how to achieve “overdrive”? I have a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe III amp and an Epiphone Sheraton II. Thank you.

      • Eddie Lee

        “Overdrive” is just pushing the signal into the amp… get yourself a Tube Screamer, or one of its many clones, and experiment with it… a little can go a long way, so start with the amp setup to play pretty clean, then set the pedal’s gain control pretty low & use the volume control on the pedal to boost the signal into the amp. I have an earlier version of the HRD and don’t care for the ‘drive’ characteristics of it, even after installing the Fromel mods… so I find the tone much more useable, and listenable, using a pedal to provide the drive! Remember: a little boost goes a long way!

      • Heavy Mellow

        Get an overdrive pedal. To overdrive an amp requires pushing volume beyond loud.

    • steven siegel

      It is amazing what the true old blues players did and how it truly was as simple as it can get with the riffs and what the achieved in the world of music and entertainment. Nice presentation on a good old Muddy Style.

      • Lefty Byrd

        Check out Muddys version of this on the Band dvd of the last Waltz ! Great cut, followed by Robbie Robertson saying Ain’t that a Man! Muddy Waters!

    • Cranky Kev Kanten

      Where my obsession with blues began! Thanks.

    • ChrisGSP

      WAHOOOO! I was COMPELLED to get out the “Hard Again” album and listen to Muddy and Johnny Winter whoop it up hard and heavy. If that ain’t sanctified blues, I’m dead and gone. One of my desert island albums for sure. When Griff spelled the riff – ADACA – I just mentally added an AC to the start and got ACADACA … guess who? Malcolm (RIP) and Angus Young are right at home in this sound. And when Griff played it in B, then again in G, I just heard Jimmy Page and Zep’s “Nobody’s Fault But Mine”. Muddy is the source of so much of what we do it’s almost impossible to pick up the guitar without playing something he started. Thanks for posting this again Griff, keep up the great work please.
      ChrisG

    • bogie

      I am enjoying the new unreleased Version of Mannish Boy By Hendrix
      it is very different arrangement from the original
      but once again Hendrix makes it all his own.

      • PAUL

        THE OLD MY BABY DONE LEFT ME! I USE TO USE THE POWER CORD AND THEN GO TO THE A. I ALSO USED MY STRAT. KIETH ANDERSON PICKUPS. EVER HEARED OF HIM. HE HAS HELPED DESIGN A LOT OF PICKUPS AND HE HAS HIS OWN LINE OF THEM. SOUNDS GREAT. I LIKE YOU TELE SOUND ALSO.
        THANKS GRIFF.

    • Pat

      I’m guessing this starts on the and of 3, a triplet at 4 and uh, and lands on the 1.

    • Michael Chappell

      Hi Griff,

      Great lesson and a great groove..I have saved it for later to learn. I just watched Muddy Waters play this on Youtube back in 1971 and he has a Capo on 5th Fret of his Tele but hardly plays the guitar and just sings.. Great song.

      Thanks

      Michael -Sydney-Australia 20 May 2017.

    • Rich

      LIKED your explanation of how you get the different sounds. Pickup type etc. We all want to get “the sound”.

    • Tom

      Nice Griff. Can you give some assistance on the timing of the riff and vocals as this song has a 12 8 signature and I would love some tips in dealing with this … Thanks

    • Jim

      Excellent! Can’t tell you how many little riffs like this I just don’t hear right! Or I hear a bunch of different ways and never “get.”
      1-4-1-b3-1 is exactly what I was looking for. Cool variations, too! I also enjoyed your tone information…”Flubby” and “Squishy” low end! Thanks!

      • BurgundyMistStrat

        Very tasty brother. Thanks for making it simple. Great to meet you at the air show! F-35 Guardian

    • Chaplain Ed

      Great teaching as usual. You make us feel like pros!

    • David MacDonald

      Love your videos and lessons .. You always simplify ! Have a great day Griff !

    • Jack

      Hi Griff,
      Most importantly, happy Mother’s Day to Laura! Great nuggets in this video from variations thru equip. set up. Thanks, as always, for sharing tips that encourage us to keep playing.
      Boston Jack.

    • Cliff

      Thank you. Jorma, Jerry, David G. Carlos, Jimmy, and Griff my guitar heroes.

    • Tim Frisch

      Griff as always, you break things down to be very understandable and doable. Thanks!

    • Mark Wales uk

      Cheers Griff
      For the lesson love that telecaster saving up for one 😎🎶

    • Scott R

      Griff, solid lessons, i love the emphasis on variations, and THANK YOU for adding the commentary on your tone!

    • Sloppy John Weaver

      I met Muddy back in the 60’s at a club I worked at in Philly. He was quite a character and sported a great band.

    • Jack

      Koop beans bro. Tks

    • Andrew Sutton

      Cool haven’t been here for a while but I’m back cheers mate

    • Bob L

      Another Great email!

      Thank You!

    • Tom T

      Thanks Griff.
      Another very useful video. I really like the demonstration of all the variations on the basic lick. That opens up even more possibilities for us.
      I’ve also seen it played using open tuning (G or D I don’t remember).

      Thanks again. Always useful stuff……….

    • DaveyJoe

      Thanks, Griff. Very helpful. I just heard this song on the radio the other day and was wondering about the best way to duplicate it.

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