GuitarDistortedSolo80% confidence
Gimme Shelter (Remastered 2019) Guitar Tone Settings
The Rolling Stones · 1960s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Maton EG240 Supreme
Pickups
Maton single coil pickups (stock 1960s Maton EG240 Supreme)
Amp
Unknown British tube amp (likely Vox or Ampeg, exact model not confirmed for studio recording)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1969. Keith Richards used a Maton EG240 Supreme for the solo on the original studio version. Live versions sometimes use Les Paul Junior or Telecaster, but not on the original recording.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass6
Gain4.5
Reverb3.5
Treble7
Presence5.5
Effects Chain
- Tremolo pedal (model unknown) · tremolo
Maton EG240 Supreme → Tremolo pedal (or amp tremolo) → British tube amp (likely Vox or Ampeg, with room reverb)
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Tone Character
- edge-of-breakup crunch
- treble-y and cold
- dynamic and expressive
- slightly saturated
- subtle tremolo modulation
- bright and biting attack
- open and airy
- raw classic rock solo tone
- articulate single coil clarity
- roomy studio ambience
Notes & Caveats
- No official amp model or exact settings for the studio solo are confirmed in sources; amp and settings estimated based on era, genre, and typical British tube amps used by the Stones in 1969.
- Pedal use on the original studio solo is not documented; overdrive and tremolo are inferred from tone and period-typical gear.
- Some sources mention live use of Les Paul Junior or Telecaster, but studio solo was recorded with Maton EG240 Supreme.
- Tremolo effect is clearly audible in the solo, but the exact device (amp or pedal) is not specified in sources.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Keith Richards' solo tone on 'Gimme Shelter' is edge-of-breakup with a British mid-forward character, likely from a cranked late-60s tube amp (Vox or Ampeg), with warm lows, strong mids, and slightly bright but not harsh highs. The reverb is subtle, mostly room or plate, and the presence is neutral, matching the era's production and his typical amp settings.