GuitarDistortedSolo80% confidence
Bad Penny (Live) Solo Guitar Tone Settings — Rory Gallagher
Rory Gallagher · 1980s · blues
live
Original Recording
Guitar
1961 Fender Stratocaster
Pickups
Fender single-coil pickups (original 1961 spec, likely all stock)
Amp
Marshall 1973 JMP 50 Watt Lead Tube Amp (Lead spec, into Marshall 4x12 cab, live at Montreux 1985)
Pickup Position
Neck pickup
Live performance, Montreux 1985. Rory Gallagher's main Strat, no evidence of alternate guitars for this solo. Amp is the Marshall JMP 50 Lead, not the Bassman or Vox for this era/song. No evidence of studio overdubs or alternate gear for this live solo.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass7
Gain6.5
Reverb3
Treble7
Presence6.5
Effects Chain
- Ibanez Tube Screamer (likely TS808 or TS9) · overdrive
Fender Stratocaster → Ibanez Tube Screamer → Marshall JMP 50 Lead (no effects loop, minimal/no amp reverb)
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Tone Character
- singing sustain
- warm and vocal-like
- touch-sensitive
- dynamic and expressive
- biting attack
- slightly compressed
- clear note separation
- British crunch
- open and airy highs
- responsive to picking dynamics
Notes & Caveats
- No direct numeric amp settings found for this specific live solo; settings estimated based on typical Marshall JMP Lead usage in 1980s blues/rock context and visual evidence of Gallagher's stage setup.
- No explicit pedalboard photo or interview for this exact performance; pedal/effect info inferred from era, genre, and audible clues.
- No evidence of chorus, flanger, or phaser in this solo; delay and wah not clearly audible in this specific live solo.
- Reverb is likely from the room/PA or minimal amp reverb, as Marshall JMPs do not have built-in reverb.
- Pickup choice inferred from tone and Gallagher's typical solo approach; neck pickup is most probable for the singing, vocal-like lead.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Rory Gallagher's 'Bad Penny (Live)' solo tone is classic blues-rock edge-of-breakup, using a cranked vintage Fender or Vox amp with his Strat. The tone is warm, mid-forward, and dynamic, with rich bass and moderate reverb for space, matching his typical live settings and era-appropriate production.