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Five Colours in Her Hair (Live at the O2) Guitar Tone Settings
McFly · 2010s+ · rock
live
Original Recording
Guitar
Fender Telecaster Cabronita (Black, likely with Fidelitron pickups)
Pickups
Fender Fidelitron (Filter'Tron-style humbuckers)
Amp
Victory Sheriff 22 head into Ampeg R212R Reverberocket 2x12 combo (used as cab/power amp)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Live at the O2, 2019; settings and pedal usage based on pedalboard photos and live rig documentation for this specific show. This is the live version, not the studio recording.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass6
Gain6
Reverb3
Treble7
Presence6
Effects Chain
- Pro Co RAT · distortion
- Roger Mayer Voodoo-1 · overdrive
Fender Telecaster Cabronita → Pro Co RAT → Roger Mayer Voodoo-1 → Victory Sheriff 22 head → Ampeg R212R Reverberocket (cab/power amp, spring reverb on low)
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Tone Character
- punchy and crunchy
- bright and articulate
- tight attack
- full-bodied midrange
- slightly compressed
- dynamic and responsive
- clear note separation
- moderate sustain
- no excessive saturation
- classic British crunch
Notes & Caveats
- No direct numeric amp settings found; settings estimated based on Victory Sheriff 22 typical use for British crunch in modern pop-rock live context.
- Pedalboard photos confirm Pro Co RAT and Roger Mayer Voodoo-1 were present, but exact pedal settings are not documented.
- No evidence of time-based or modulation effects (delay, chorus, flanger, phaser) in the riff section; only overdrive/distortion pedals are confirmed.
- Pickup choice inferred from typical Telecaster usage for bright, crunchy rhythm and live video footage.
- Amp reverb is available on Ampeg R212R, but likely set low for clarity in a large arena mix.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. McFly's 'Five Colours in Her Hair' live tone is classic British crunch with punchy mids, moderate gain, and a bright but not harsh top end. Tom Fletcher typically used Marshall amps set for crunchy, forward mids and tight, energetic rock tones; the O2 live mix adds a touch of reverb for space but keeps things punchy and articulate.