GuitarDistortedRiff
Brown Sugar Riff Guitar Tone Settings — The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones · 1970s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
1953 Fender Telecaster 'Micawber' (5-string, open G tuning, humbucker in neck, single-coil in bridge)
Pickups
Neck: Gibson PAF humbucker, Bridge: Fender lap steel single-coil
Amp
Fender Bassman AB165
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup (Fender lap steel single-coil)
Studio recording, Muscle Shoals sessions, 1970. Keith Richards played the main riff on 'Micawber' Telecaster in open G tuning, plugged into a Fender Bassman AB165 amp. No evidence of pedals or outboard effects on the riff section. Settings estimated based on typical Bassman use for classic rock rhythm in studio context.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass6
Gain5
Reverb1
Treble7
Presence6
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Tone Character
- bright and biting
- chimey and percussive
- tight midrange focus
- slightly gritty edge-of-breakup
- articulate string separation
- dynamic and responsive
- minimal sustain
- open and clear
- classic Telecaster twang
- no audible effects coloration