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Cinnamon Girl Guitar Tone Settings — Neil Young & Crazy Horse
Neil Young & Crazy Horse · 1970s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
1953 Gibson Les Paul 'Old Black' (modded with mini-humbucker in neck, Firebird pickup in bridge, Bigsby vibrato)
Pickups
Firebird mini-humbucker (bridge position, original DeArmond neck pickup replaced with mini-humbucker)
Amp
Fender Tweed Deluxe 5E3 (late 1950s model)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1969 (released 1970). Neil Young's 'Old Black' Les Paul into a cranked Fender Tweed Deluxe 5E3. No evidence of pedals or outboard effects on the original studio riff section. All overdrive/distortion comes from amp. Pickup selection is bridge. No effects loop. No pedalboard in studio for this track. All sources confirm this setup for the original recording, not live or later versions.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass6.5
Gain7
Reverb0
Treble6.5
Presence5.5
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Tone Character
- raw and saturated
- thick, fuzzy edge-of-breakup
- aggressive, biting attack
- loose, compressed low end
- mid-forward, honky
- dynamic and touch-sensitive
- no reverb or delay
- distinct Tweed Deluxe breakup
- classic Neil Young 'Old Black' snarl
Notes & Caveats
- No numeric amp settings found in sources; settings estimated based on typical Fender Tweed Deluxe 5E3 usage for classic rock and Neil Young's known approach (cranked amp, tone controls at 6-7).
- No evidence of pedals or effects used on the original studio riff section; all distortion is amp-based.
- Pickup choice confirmed as bridge by multiple sources and audio analysis.
- No reverb or time-based effects audible or cited for the studio riff section.
- If referencing live or later versions, gear and effects may differ.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Neil Young's 'Cinnamon Girl' riff uses his vintage tweed Fender Deluxe cranked to edge-of-breakup/crunch, with strong mids and a thick, slightly woolly tone. The recording is dry with no audible reverb, and the amp's natural breakup and mid-forward voice define the raw, classic rock sound.