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1979 (Remastered 2012) — The Smashing Pumpkins1 / 2
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1979 (Remastered 2012) Guitar Tone Settings

The Smashing Pumpkins · 1990s · rock

studio

Original Recording

Guitar
Fender Stratocaster (likely 1970s or early 80s, with Lace Sensor pickups, as used by Billy Corgan in the studio for '1979')
Pickups
Fender Lace Sensor single-coil (likely Blue or Silver, as per Corgan's typical studio Strat setup in the 1990s)
Amp
Marshall JCM800 (2203 preamp circuit, as cloned in Corgan's Salvation Mods rack for studio use on Mellon Collie era, with Mesa/Boogie Strategy 500 power amp and Marshall 1960 4x12 cab)
Pickup Position
Position 4 (neck + middle, Stratocaster in-between setting)

Studio recording, 1995-1996 (Mellon Collie era). Billy Corgan used a Stratocaster with Lace Sensor pickups into a Marshall JCM800-style preamp (Salvation Mods clone) and Mesa/Boogie Strategy 500 power amp, into a Marshall 1960 4x12 cab. No fuzz or Big Muff on '1979' riff; clean/compressed tone. No chorus, flanger, or phaser audible in riff. Compression pedal may have been used, but sources suggest clean Strat into amp is sufficient.

Amp Settings

Mids
6.5
Bass
6
Gain
0
Reverb
2.5
Treble
6.5
Presence
5.5

Effects Chain

  • Compression pedal (model unknown) · compression

Fender Stratocaster (Lace Sensor pickups, position 4) → Compression pedal (optional) → Marshall JCM800 preamp (Salvation Mods) → Mesa/Boogie Strategy 500 power amp → Marshall 1960 4x12 cab (with light spring reverb)

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Tone Character

  • clean and shimmering
  • glassy highs
  • slightly compressed attack
  • articulate and percussive
  • rounded lows
  • open and airy
  • minimal breakup
  • dynamic and touch-sensitive
  • subtle amp reverb
  • studio clarity

Notes & Caveats

  • ⚠️Gain adjusted to 0 for clean tone
  • ⚠️No direct numeric amp settings for '1979' found; settings estimated based on typical Marshall JCM800 clean/crunch settings for Strat, era, and genre.
  • ⚠️No explicit pedal model confirmed for compression; Reverb News suggests clean Strat into amp or simple compression pedal, but not confirmed for studio recording.
  • ⚠️No evidence of chorus, delay, flanger, or phaser in riff section; do not include modulation/time-based effects.
  • ⚠️Pickup position inferred from typical Corgan Strat use and the glassy, in-between sound of the riff.
  • ⚠️Amp model inferred from Premier Guitar rig rundown and Salvation Mods clone of JCM800 used for classic tones.
  • ⚠️Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. The '1979' riff tone is clean but slightly gritty, with Billy Corgan's preference for mid-forward, British-voiced amps (often Marshall or JC-120 for cleans). The tone is balanced, not scooped, with moderate bass and treble, and a touch of reverb for space, matching the alternative rock production style of the mid-90s.

Sources