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Going to Hell Riff Guitar Tone Settings — The Pretty Reckless
The Pretty Reckless · 2010s+ · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Fender Telecaster 'The Punisher'
Pickups
Single-coil (Fender Telecaster stock pickups, likely bridge position for riff)
Amp
Wizard Modern Classic (custom boutique amp, studio DI recording with amp simulation)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 2013-2014. Guitar is Taylor Momsen's main Telecaster with only a volume knob ('The Punisher'). Album was recorded direct input (DI) with amp simulation, not a miked amp. Wizard amps are the band's preferred live amps, but DI was used for the album. No explicit mention of pedals or effects for the riff section.
Amp Settings
Mids6.5
Bass6
Gain7
Reverb2
Treble7
Presence6.5
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Tone Character
- thick and saturated
- aggressive and melodic
- raw and powerful
- heavy, distorted riffing
- tight, rhythmic drive
- deeper, grittier resonance
- punchy attack
- slightly scooped mids but not extreme
- modern hard rock crunch
- minimal ambience or modulation
Notes & Caveats
- No explicit amp knob settings found for the DI studio recording; settings estimated based on Wizard Modern Classic amp typical usage for modern hard rock and the band's described tone.
- No evidence of pedals or effects used on the riff section; Equipboard and interviews only mention amp and guitar.
- Album was recorded DI (no real amp), so amp settings are based on typical Wizard Modern Classic profiles and genre conventions.
- No tone knob on the main Telecaster used ('The Punisher'), only volume control.
- If a different guitar or amp was used for the solo or other sections, this does not apply to the riff.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. The riff tone on 'Going to Hell' is a modern hard rock crunch with tight, punchy mids and a slightly aggressive top end, typical of Taylor Momsen and Ben Phillips' Marshall-style amp setups. The gain is set for a saturated but not overly compressed crunch, with balanced bass and forward mids for clarity, and minimal reverb for a dry, in-your-face sound.