TonesMatch
Elephant Talk — King Crimson1 / 2
Original RigYour Adaptation
GuitarDistortedSolo80% confidence

Elephant Talk Solo Guitar Tone Settings — King Crimson

King Crimson · 1980s · rock

studio

Original Recording

Guitar
Custom Fender Stratocaster (Adrian Belew, early 1980s, likely with DiMarzio pickups)
Pickups
DiMarzio single-coil (exact model unknown, likely FS-1 or SDS-1 based on era and interviews)
Amp
Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup (likely, for brightness and cut)

Studio recording, 1981 (Discipline album). Gear confirmed for this era and song by multiple interviews and rig rundowns. The solo features heavy use of effects pedals for the 'elephant' sound.

Amp Settings

Mids
6.5
Bass
5
Gain
3.5
Reverb
1
Treble
7.5
Presence
5.5

Effects Chain

  • Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi V5 (Op-Amp) · fuzz
  • Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Electric Mistress Flanger · flanger

Guitar → Big Muff Pi V5 → Deluxe Electric Mistress Flanger → Roland JC-120 (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

  • fuzzy and trumpet-like
  • modulated, wavering pitch
  • bright and cutting
  • compressed and percussive
  • synth-like, animalistic timbre
  • pronounced flanger sweep
  • octave-up harmonics
  • artificial, vocal-like phrasing
  • staccato attack
  • sustain with pitch bends

Notes & Caveats

  • ⚠️No exact amp knob settings found; values estimated based on typical JC-120 usage for this genre/era.
  • ⚠️Pickup position inferred from tone and era; not explicitly confirmed in sources.
  • ⚠️Guitar model is confirmed as a Strat-style with DiMarzio pickups, but exact pickup model and wiring not specified.
  • ⚠️Octaver/synth effect is indicated in the official transcription but not confirmed as a pedal; likely achieved via playing technique and pedal stacking.
  • ⚠️No evidence of delay or reverb beyond subtle amp reverb; main effects are fuzz and flanger.
  • ⚠️Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Adrian Belew’s 'Elephant Talk' solo tone is bright, percussive, and clean with a touch of edge, reflecting his use of a Roland JC-120 or similar solid-state amp with high mids and treble, low bass, and no reverb (typical of early 80s Crimson). The gain is just above clean for slight breakup, and presence is boosted for clarity.

Sources