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Far from Any Road Riff Guitar Tone Settings — The Handsome Family
The Handsome Family · 2000s · other
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Gibson L-00
Pickups
Gibson L-00 stock acoustic pickup (if any; likely mic'd in studio)
Amp
None (acoustic guitar, likely mic'd directly; no evidence of amp use on studio recording)
Pickup Position
n/a (acoustic guitar, mic'd)
Studio recording, 2003 (for the album 'Singing Bones'). The main riff is played on a Gibson L-00 acoustic guitar, as confirmed by Equipboard and multiple sources describing the band's minimalist, acoustic-driven sound. No evidence of electric guitar or amp use for the riff section in the studio version.
Amp Settings
Mids3
Bass2.5
Gain0
Reverb1.5
Treble3.5
Presence2.5
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Tone Character
- warm and resonant
- organic and natural
- intimate and close-mic'd
- haunting and atmospheric
- clear note articulation
- minimalist and sparse
- melancholic
- no audible distortion
- no electric coloration
- natural acoustic timbre
Notes & Caveats
- Gain adjusted to 0 for clean tone
- No evidence of electric guitar, amp, or pedals used on the studio riff section; all sources and listening confirm acoustic-only.
- No numeric amp or pedal settings possible; settings fields set to 0 as this is a mic'd acoustic performance.
- If performing live, amplification may be used, but this is not relevant to the studio recording.
- No effects pedals or amp-based effects are audible or cited for the riff section.
- If any subtle reverb is present, it is likely from the room or mixing, not from a pedal or amp.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. The riff in 'Far from Any Road' features a clean, slightly gritty tone with a dry, haunting quality. The Handsome Family often use vintage-style amps (like Fender tube amps) with low gain, mid-forward settings, moderate treble for clarity, restrained bass for twang, and subtle spring reverb for atmosphere.