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Back to the Old House Riff Guitar Tone Settings — The Smiths
The Smiths · 1980s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Rickenbacker 330 6-string
Pickups
Rickenbacker single coil (Hi-Gain)
Amp
Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus
Pickup Position
Neck pickup
Studio recording, 1983-1984. Johnny Marr is confirmed to have used a Rickenbacker 330 and a Roland JC-120 for clean, chorus-rich tones on early Smiths recordings. No evidence of pedals for this track; chorus effect is from the amp. No evidence of acoustic guitar on the original studio version riff section.
Amp Settings
Mids6.5
Bass5
Gain0
Reverb3
Treble7
Presence5
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Tone Character
- chiming and clean
- lush chorus shimmer
- bright and articulate
- warm, ringing harmonics
- dynamic and expressive
- clear note separation
- slight amp reverb for depth
- no audible distortion
- sensitive to picking dynamics
Notes & Caveats
- Gain adjusted to 0 for clean tone
- No direct numeric amp settings found for this specific song; amp settings estimated based on typical Roland JC-120 usage for clean chorus tones in 1980s rock.
- No evidence of pedals used on the original studio riff section; chorus effect is from the amp.
- Some sources mention Rickenbacker 360/12 and Gretsch, but for this track, the 330 6-string is most likely based on interviews and gear lists for early Smiths recordings.
- No evidence of acoustic guitar on the original studio version riff section; live versions may differ.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Johnny Marr's tone on 'Back to the Old House' is extremely clean, bright, and articulate, reflecting his typical use of a Fender amp (likely a Twin Reverb or Deluxe Reverb) with single-coil pickups. The mids are pushed for British jangle, bass is kept tight for clarity, and subtle reverb adds space without washing out the fingerpicked details.