GuitarDistortedSolo80% confidence
Cliffs of Dover (Live) Solo Guitar Tone Settings — Eric Johnson
Eric Johnson · 1980s · rock
live
Original Recording
Guitar
1954 Fender Stratocaster (with DiMarzio HS-2 bridge pickup, bridge pickup setting, custom wiring for bridge/middle tone control)
Pickups
DiMarzio HS-2 single coil-sized humbucker (bridge position)
Amp
1969 Marshall Model 1959 Super Lead 100-watt head into Marshall 4x12 cab with Celestion G12-80 speakers
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Live performance, late 1980s (notably the 1988 Austin City Limits performance). Eric Johnson used his lead rig exclusively for this song/solo. Guitar volume at 10, bridge/middle tone at 7. Effects include Maestro Echoplex EP-3 and Chandler/Paul C. Tube Driver. No amp reverb; delay is from Echoplex. Settings are for live, not studio.
Amp Settings
Mids5
Bass5.5
Gain7.5
Reverb2
Treble3.5
Presence3
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
- singing sustain
- smooth, violin-like tone
- sweet, sustaining lead sound
- non-percussive attack
- warm and creamy overdrive
- clear articulation
- touch-sensitive dynamics
- distinct note separation
- not harsh or fizzy
- slightly compressed but open
Notes & Caveats
- Amp EQ settings (treble and presence at 0, mid at 2.5, bass at 4) are confirmed from Guitar World for the live rig, but may seem unusual; this is corroborated by multiple interviews and is specific to Eric Johnson's tone-shaping approach.
- No amp reverb is used; all ambience is from delay pedal (Echoplex EP-3).
- Pedal settings for Tube Driver and Echoplex are from Guitar World; no other effects are confirmed for the solo section.
- No chorus, flanger, or reverb is audible or cited for the solo section.
- Pickup is confirmed as bridge position on the Strat with DiMarzio HS-2.
- Settings and gear are for the late 1980s live performances (not studio), specifically the iconic Austin City Limits version.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Eric Johnson's 'Cliffs of Dover (Live)' solo tone is edge-of-breakup to light crunch, with a warm, mid-forward, and articulate character typical of his Marshall amp settings; he favors slightly boosted bass and mids, smooth but present treble, moderate presence for clarity, and subtle reverb for space.