GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence
Don't You (Forget About Me) Guitar Tone Settings — Simple Minds
Simple Minds · 1980s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Gibson Les Paul Custom (likely 1970s/early 80s, as used by Charlie Burchill in this era)
Pickups
Humbucker (Gibson stock, likely T-Top or similar)
Amp
Carlsbro transistor amp (model unknown, as referenced by Charlie Burchill for early Simple Minds studio work)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1984-1985. Charlie Burchill stated his early Simple Minds rig was 'really simple' and used a transistor Carlsbro amp. Delay was always important to his sound. No evidence of live/touring gear for this specific recording. No evidence of alternate guitars or amps for the riff section.
Amp Settings
Mids6.5
Bass6
Gain4
Reverb3
Treble7
Presence5
Effects Chain
- Delay pedal (model unknown) · delay
Gibson Les Paul Custom → Delay pedal (model unknown) → Carlsbro transistor amp (with light spring reverb)
Tone Matcher
Match This Tone to Your Gear
Tell us your guitar and amp — we’ll calculate the exact settings translated to your specific rig.
Adapt to MY Gear →7-day free trial · Cancel anytime.
Tone Character
- bright and chimey
- modest breakup (edge-of-clean)
- clear and articulate
- subtle delay ambience
- tight and percussive attack
- 80s new wave shimmer
- not heavily compressed
- open and spacious
- distinct stereo image from delay
- no heavy distortion
Notes & Caveats
- No direct numeric amp settings found in sources; settings estimated based on typical Carlsbro transistor amp use for 80s new wave/rock.
- No explicit pedal models confirmed for the studio recording; delay is confirmed as always present by Charlie Burchill, but model is unknown.
- No evidence of chorus, flanger, or other modulation pedals used on the riff section; only delay is clearly audible.
- Guitar model inferred from era and artist interviews; no direct photo or session sheet for this specific recording.
- Pickup position inferred from typical Les Paul rhythm usage and tone analysis.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. The riff section features a bright, chiming, edge-of-breakup tone typical of mid-80s British pop/rock, likely using a Strat or similar through a clean/crunchy amp (often a Fender or Roland JC-120 for Simple Minds), with forward mids, moderate bass, and some reverb for space. The tone is articulate but not overly distorted, matching era and genre conventions.