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Cooking Up Something Good Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Mac DeMarco
Mac DeMarco · 2010s+ · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Fender Squier Stratocaster (likely Japanese-made, early 2000s, as used by Mac DeMarco on '2')
Pickups
Stock Squier Stratocaster single-coil pickups
Amp
Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus
Pickup Position
Neck pickup
Studio recording, 2012. Gear confirmed for '2' era by multiple sources. Chorus effect is a hallmark of the JC-120 and/or pedal. No evidence of alternate guitars or amps for this riff section.
Amp Settings
Mids6
Bass6
Gain0
Reverb2.5
Treble6.5
Presence5
Effects Chain
- Boss CE-2 Chorus (or Ibanez SC-10 Super Stereo Chorus) · chorus
Fender Squier Stratocaster → Boss CE-2 Chorus (or Ibanez SC-10) → Roland JC-120 (chorus and spring reverb on)
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Tone Character
- clean and shimmering
- wobbly chorus modulation
- bright and glassy highs
- rounded, warm lows
- articulate single notes
- slightly compressed attack
- subtle tape saturation
- no audible distortion
- tight, percussive rhythm
- dreamy, lo-fi texture
Notes & Caveats
- Gain adjusted to 0 for clean tone
- No official studio session notes with exact amp knob settings; amp and pedal choices inferred from multiple gear rundowns and interviews.
- Chorus effect is confirmed as central to the riff, but sources differ on whether it is from the Roland JC-120's built-in chorus or a pedal (Boss CE-2 or Ibanez SC-10); both are plausible for this era.
- Exact pickup position not explicitly stated, but neck pickup is most consistent with the tone and Mac's typical usage.
- Settings are estimated based on typical JC-120 clean/chorus tones and genre/era conventions.
- No evidence of additional pedals (delay, reverb, drive) in the riff section; chorus is the only audible effect.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Mac DeMarco's 'Cooking Up Something Good' riff features a clean, slightly gritty tone typical of his early 2010s indie sound, likely using a solid-state amp (e.g., Roland JC-120) or a Fender with mild breakup. The tone is warm and mid-forward with moderate bass, balanced treble, and subtle spring reverb, matching his known amp settings and production style.