Dick Dale: how the ‘King of Surf’ changed music amplification forever
Dick Dale, a musical pioneer who has played a significant role in shaping the realm of contemporary rock guitar and even heavy metal music, receives minimal recognition in the contemporary musical landscape. However, his contributions live on in the works and sounds of others, including ‘Misirlou’ and ‘Pipeline’. Known for his powerful and aggressive style of playing the electric guitar, Dale pushed the boundaries of guitar amplification and helped to develop the first 100-watt amplifier.
Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Dale is best known for pioneering the surf rock genre in the early 1960s, characterised by its reverb-soaked guitar sound, energetic rhythms, and a distinctive surf culture vibe. His music perfectly captured the spirit of the Southern California surf scene at the time, and his high-energy performances and innovative guitar techniques, including his signature “wet” reverb sound, had a profound influence on later guitarists, particularly in the realm of heavy metal and instrumental rock music.
Dale’s most famous song, ‘Misirlou’, became instantly popular due to its frenetic, Middle Eastern-inspired guitar riff, combined with Dale’s unique picking technique, making it an iconic pop culture hit. ‘Misirlou’ also gained renewed popularity in the 1990s when it was featured on the soundtrack of the film Pulp Fiction, introducing a new generation to Dale’s music.
When he initially gained a following, Dale had built a reputation as yet another impressive guitarist in the Californian surf scene. However, he was actually embarking on a relentless pursuit of a superior, more extensive, and louder guitar sound that would ultimately establish the industry norm, revolutionising live guitar music and concert experiences.
Dale’s heritage is a blend of Lebanese and Polish ancestry: his Lebanese roots sparked his fascination with Arabic music, which you can hear in ‘Miserlou’ and its use of a single string. During his early years, Dale learned to play the tarabaki from his uncle, who accompanied him on the oud. This experience played a pivotal role in developing his rapid and alternate picking technique, which Dale is often associated with.
When the era of guitar-based surf music first emerged in the early 1960s, Dale faced the need to do something revolutionary. Leo Fender, known for his generosity, supplied amplifiers and guitars to California musicians not only for promotional purposes but also to gain insights into what performed effectively and what required enhancements.
When Dale first met Fender, he mentioned that he was a surfer and guitarist but lacked funds for a quality instrument. Fender recognised his determination, offered him a Stratocaster, and asked for his opinion. As a left-handed player, Dale turned the right-handed guitar upside-down, which caught Fender off-guard and made him laugh. Instead of patronising Dale and telling him the correct way to use it, he created an entirely new Stratocaster that was left-handed.
Dale’s intense playing style caused numerous amplifier burnouts, estimated at nearly 50 amplifiers and speakers. After Fender and Freddie Tavares saw him play, Fender developed an improved, larger output transformer to address this issue. Fender ultimately made a transformer capable of 100-watt output, but they didn’t have a speaker that could handle so much power. Therefore, they approached another company, JBL Lansing, which manufactured the Lansing D130F.
Ultimately, it got to a point where Fender saw Dale as the ultimate testing machine. Fender adopted a strategy of providing Dale with equipment to test in his concerts, using his feedback to assess its quality and suitability. The Fender Rhodes Piano, for instance, was one such instrument that passed this test. While it didn’t replace acoustic pianos, it found its place as a staple in both studio recordings and live performances.
Dale was significantly instrumental in testing Fender’s amplifiers and providing feedback on what worked well and what needed improvement. This collaboration between musician and manufacturer led to many innovations in amplifier technology, including the development of amplifiers capable of delivering high volume, clean tone, and a surf rock sound that became synonymous with Dale’s music.
