GuitarDistortedRiff
Gates of Babylon Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Rainbow
Rainbow · 1970s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
1971 Fender Stratocaster (scalloped fretboard, maple neck, stock single coils)
Pickups
Fender single-coil (stock 1970s Strat pickups)
Amp
Marshall Major 200W head (model 1967), likely with modified preamp for extra gain, into Marshall 4x12 cabinet
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1977; no evidence of live rig or alternate guitars for this section. Blackmore was known for using his scalloped Strat and Marshall Major for Rainbow's 'Long Live Rock 'n' Roll' album, including 'Gates of Babylon'. No evidence of additional preamp or distortion pedals for the riff section; Blackmore's distortion was typically from the amp at high volume.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass6
Gain6.5
Reverb2
Treble7
Presence6.5
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Tone Character
- tight, focused midrange punch
- classic British crunch
- slightly compressed attack
- articulate pick response
- rich harmonic overtones
- clear note separation in chords
- moderate sustain (not high-gain)
- percussive, palm-muted chugs
- slight natural amp compression
- no fuzz or extreme saturation