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California Über Alles Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys · 1980s · punk
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Japanese Telecaster-style guitar (pawn shop, 24.75" scale, brass Schecter bridge, Seymour Duncan PAF bridge pickup, single coil neck pickup)
Pickups
Seymour Duncan PAF (bridge), single coil (neck)
Amp
Modified Fender Super Reverb (1960s, modded to master-volume Marshall spec)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup (Seymour Duncan PAF humbucker)
Studio recording, 1979-1980. Amp was a Fender Super Reverb modified by East Bay Ray to have an extra tube channel and Marshall-style master volume. Used for the riff/rhythm section of the original studio recording of 'California Über Alles'.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass6
Gain6
Reverb1
Treble7.5
Presence6
Effects Chain
- Electro-Harmonix LPB-1 Linear Power Booster · boost
Guitar → Electro-Harmonix LPB-1 Linear Power Booster → Modified Fender Super Reverb (with spring reverb at low setting)
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Tone Character
- bright and biting attack
- tight and percussive rhythm
- mid-forward snarl
- slightly gritty edge
- articulate chord definition
- raw and energetic
- surf-inspired clarity
- dynamic response to picking
- not overly saturated
- classic punk crunch
Notes & Caveats
- No direct numeric amp knob settings found in sources; settings estimated based on typical punk tones with a modded Fender Super Reverb (Marshall-style), era, and genre.
- All sources agree on the guitar and amp model, but none provide exact pickup selector position; bridge humbucker inferred from tone and artist interviews.
- Effects chain is minimal; only a boost pedal (EHX LPB-1) is confirmed for this recording. No evidence of time-based or modulation effects on the riff section.
- Amp reverb is likely present at a low setting, as is typical for punk tones of this era, but not explicitly confirmed.
- If more detailed studio notes or isolated tracks become available, settings should be updated.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. East Bay Ray used a Fender Twin Reverb or Music Man HD130 with moderate preamp gain and a bright, cutting EQ for punk; the 'California Über Alles' riff is crunchy but not high gain, with pronounced mids and treble for clarity, little low end, and a very dry, in-your-face late 70s/early 80s punk production.