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Cliffs of Dover (Live) Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Eric Johnson
Eric Johnson · 1980s · rock
live
Original Recording
Guitar
1954 Fender Stratocaster (modified wiring, DiMarzio HS-2 bridge pickup)
Pickups
DiMarzio HS-2 single coil (bridge position, Strat wiring mod: tone control on bridge/middle)
Amp
1969 Marshall Model 1959 Super Lead 100-watt head
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Live performance, late 1980s (not studio version). Clean intro/riff section. Volume and tone settings from Guitar World; amp settings from same source. Effects chain includes Maestro Echoplex EP-3 and Chandler Tube Driver, but Tube Driver is likely bypassed for clean intro. Delay is always on, but gain is set low for clean tone.
Amp Settings
Mids5
Bass5.5
Gain3
Reverb2
Treble3.5
Presence3
Effects Chain
- Maestro Echoplex EP-3 · delay
Fender Stratocaster (bridge pickup, volume 10, tone 7) → Maestro Echoplex EP-3 → Marshall Super Lead 100 head → Marshall 4x12 cab
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Tone Character
- glassy and articulate
- warm and smooth
- sweet, violin-like clean
- non-percussive attack
- bright but not harsh
- touch-sensitive
- dynamic response
- clear note separation
- slight tape delay ambience
- no reverb
Notes & Caveats
- Amp settings are from Guitar World for the 'Cliffs of Dover' lead setup, but gain is estimated lower for the clean intro/riff section based on typical Marshall Super Lead behavior and the clearly clean tone in the live performance.
- No explicit mention of reverb being used; Marshall Super Lead has no built-in reverb and sources confirm no pedal or rack reverb for this section.
- Delay (Echoplex EP-3) is always on, but settings are from Guitar World and may be dialed lower for clean intro.
- Chandler Tube Driver is part of the main rig but likely bypassed for the clean intro/riff; not included in effects_used for this section.
- Exact pickup model confirmed, but some sources reference both Strat and ES-335 for live versions; overwhelming evidence points to the Strat for the clean intro/riff.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Eric Johnson's 'Cliffs of Dover' live tone is edge-of-breakup to light crunch, with prominent mids and smooth highs for clarity and articulation. He typically uses a Fender Strat into a Marshall or Dumble-style amp with moderate gain, boosted mids, and a touch of reverb for space, matching the singing, violin-like lead sound and genre conventions.