GuitarCleanSolo80% confidence
Alive Solo Guitar Tone Settings — Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam · 1990s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Fender American 1959 Stratocaster Sunburst
Pickups
Fender single-coil pickups (original 1959 spec)
Amp
Marshall JCM800 head into Marshall 1960A 4x12 cabinet (studio, 1991 era)
Pickup Position
Position 4 (neck + middle)
Studio recording, 1991, 'Ten' album. Mike McCready primarily used his '59 Strat for the clean and solo sections. Amp was a Marshall JCM800 head into a Marshall 4x12 cab. No evidence of Fender amps on the solo section. Settings and effects are for the studio version, not live.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass5.5
Gain0
Reverb3
Treble6.5
Presence6
Effects Chain
- Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer · overdrive
Fender Stratocaster → Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer (low gain, if used) → Marshall JCM800 head → Marshall 1960A 4x12 cabinet (with spring reverb)
Tone Matcher
Match This Tone to Your Gear
Tell us your guitar and amp — we’ll calculate the exact settings translated to your specific rig.
Adapt to MY Gear →7-day free trial · Cancel anytime.
Tone Character
- bright and articulate
- glassy highs
- clear note separation
- slightly compressed
- dynamic picking response
- warm low end
- minimal breakup
- studio clarity
- notable reverb ambience
- classic rock clean
Notes & Caveats
- Gain adjusted to 0 for clean tone
- No direct source confirms exact amp knob settings for the clean solo section; settings are estimated based on typical Marshall JCM800 clean settings and cited forum/UG averages.
- No direct evidence of pedal use for the clean solo section; effects inferred from audio and period-correct gear.
- Pickup position inferred from typical Strat clean tones and live footage; not explicitly stated in sources.
- Presence and reverb settings estimated based on common Marshall/Fender clean tones from the era.
- If alternate amp (Fender Bassman or Bassman 4x10) was used for clean, settings would be similar but with slightly more bass and less mid.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Mike McCready's 'Alive' solo tone is a classic early-90s Marshall crunch with prominent mids and moderate gain, reflecting his use of a 60s Strat into a Marshall JCM800. The tone is thick, vocal, and sustaining, with enough treble and presence to cut, but not overly bright, and a touch of reverb for space typical of the era's production.