GuitarDistortedSolo80% confidence
Cliffs of Dover Solo Guitar Tone Settings — Eric Johnson
Eric Johnson · 1990s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
1954 Fender Stratocaster (with DiMarzio HS-2 bridge pickup, custom-wired tone control on bridge/middle)
Pickups
DiMarzio HS-2 single coil-sized humbucker (bridge position)
Amp
1969 Marshall Model 1959 Super Lead 100-watt head into Marshall 4x12 with Celestion G12-80 speakers
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1988-1990 (Ah Via Musicom sessions). All lead/solo tones used this Strat and Marshall setup. Effects include Maestro Echoplex EP-3 and Chandler Tube Driver. Pickup selector set to bridge. Volume and tone settings from Guitar World. No amp reverb; delay from Echoplex. All settings and pedals confirmed for studio recording, not live.
Amp Settings
Mids5
Bass5.5
Gain7.5
Reverb2
Treble3
Presence3.5
Effects Chain
- Chandler Tube Driver · overdrive
- Maestro Echoplex EP-3 · delay
Guitar → Chandler Tube Driver → Maestro Echoplex EP-3 → Marshall Super Lead 100 → Marshall 4x12 cab
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Tone Character
- sweet, sustaining lead tone
- smooth, violin-like attack
- singing sustain
- liquid legato runs
- crystal-clear articulation
- harmonic overtones
- touch-sensitive dynamics
- bridge pickup clarity
- fast, fluid phrasing
- warm yet articulate highs
Notes & Caveats
- All amp and pedal settings are directly from Guitar World (studio session breakdown).
- No amp reverb or built-in effects were used; all time-based effects are from pedals.
- Some forum and live sources mention other guitars/amps, but the studio solo is confirmed as 1954 Strat with DiMarzio HS-2 bridge pickup into Marshall Super Lead.
- Presence and treble set to 0 is unusual but confirmed by Guitar World for this specific recording.
- Pedal settings for Tube Driver and Echoplex are from Guitar World; no other effects are confirmed for the solo.
- No chorus, flanger, or phaser is audible or cited for the solo section.
- Estimated difficulty based on the technical requirements of the solo.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Eric Johnson's 'Cliffs of Dover' solo tone is famously articulate, mid-forward, and smooth, achieved with a Marshall amp set at edge-of-breakup to light crunch, boosted mids and presence for clarity, and moderate bass for warmth. Subtle reverb adds space without washing out the detail, matching Johnson's typical late-80s studio approach.