GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence
Fly Away Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Lenny Kravitz
Lenny Kravitz · 1990s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Gibson Les Paul Standard (likely late 50s reissue or vintage, humbuckers)
Pickups
PAF-style humbuckers
Amp
Fender Tweed Deluxe (5E3, vintage or reissue, cranked)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1998. Lenny Kravitz has stated in interviews that he plugged a Les Paul into a Tweed Deluxe cranked to 10 for the 'Fly Away' riff. No pedals were used for the main riff tone; the saturated, compressed sound is from the amp itself. No evidence of live rig or alternate gear for the studio recording.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass6
Gain8
Reverb1
Treble7
Presence6
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Tone Character
- saturated and compressed
- crunchy and dynamic
- open and punchy
- aggressive midrange
- tight, percussive attack
- singing sustain
- articulate pick response
- full-bodied chord voicings
- classic rock crunch
- not overly distorted, retains clarity
Notes & Caveats
- No specific numeric amp knob settings found for 'Fly Away' recording; settings estimated based on artist interviews describing Tweed Deluxe cranked to 10 and typical 5E3 voicing.
- No evidence of pedals or effects used on the main riff in the studio recording; all sources and interviews state amp-only tone.
- Pickup selection inferred from typical Les Paul bridge pickup use for riff tones and the bright, biting character of the recording.
- No evidence of amp reverb or time-based/modulation effects in the riff section; Tweed Deluxe does not have built-in reverb.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. The 'Fly Away' riff features a thick, crunchy, mid-forward tone typical of late-90s rock, likely using a Marshall-style amp with moderate gain, strong mids, and balanced bass/treble. Kravitz favors classic British rock voicings with minimal reverb and a slightly pushed presence for clarity.