GuitarDistortedRiff
Carry On Wayward Son Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Kansas
Kansas · 1970s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Gibson ES-335 (natural finish, 1976 studio recording)
Pickups
Gibson ES-335 humbuckers (likely original 'Patent Number' or T-Top humbuckers)
Amp
Unknown tube amp (likely Marshall or Fender, exact model not confirmed for studio recording)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1976. Guitar confirmed as ES-335 for the riff section by Equipboard. No explicit amp model confirmed for the studio session; live, Livgren used various amps but studio details are scarce.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass6
Gain5.5
Reverb2.5
Treble7
Presence6
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.
7-day free trial · Cancel anytime.
Tone Character
- bright and articulate
- tight and punchy
- mid-forward presence
- clear note separation
- dynamic and responsive
- slight amp breakup
- not overly saturated
- classic rock crunch
- warm lower mids
- crisp attack