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Crying Lightning — Arctic Monkeys1 / 2
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Crying Lightning Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Arctic Monkeys

Arctic Monkeys · 2000s · rock

studio

Original Recording

Guitar
Fender Starcaster Semi-Hollowbody Electric Guitar
Pickups
Fender Wide Range Humbuckers
Amp
Vox AC30 Guitar Combo Amp
Pickup Position
Neck pickup

Studio recording, 2009 (Humbug era). Jamie Cook is seen playing a Fender Starcaster in the official video for 'Crying Lightning.' Vox AC30 is confirmed as a primary amp for clean tones in this era. No evidence of pedal use for clean riff section; distortion pedals are used for heavier parts only.

Amp Settings

Mids
7
Bass
5.5
Gain
0
Reverb
2.5
Treble
6.5
Presence
5.5

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Tone Character

  • warm and rounded highs
  • articulate and clear
  • tight, percussive attack
  • slightly compressed
  • semi-hollowbody resonance
  • minimal breakup
  • subtle amp reverb
  • distinct note separation
  • clean, unmodulated signal
  • dynamic response to picking

Notes & Caveats

  • ⚠️Gain adjusted to 0 for clean tone
  • ⚠️No direct numeric amp settings for the clean riff section found; settings estimated based on typical Vox AC30 clean tone for this genre/era.
  • ⚠️Pedal use (distortion, boost) is confirmed for heavier sections but not for the clean riff; no evidence of modulation or time-based pedals in the clean section.
  • ⚠️Pickup position inferred from typical clean tone approach and video evidence of neck pickup use.
  • ⚠️Presence setting is estimated as Vox AC30 does not have a dedicated presence knob; value given for completeness.
  • ⚠️Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. The 'Crying Lightning' riff has a distinctly British, mid-forward crunch typical of Alex Turner's Vox/Marshall-style setups from the 'Humbug' era, with moderate gain, tight bass, and pronounced mids for bite. The tone is dry and direct with only subtle reverb, matching the dark, punchy production style of Josh Homme.

Sources