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Heavy Metal (Takin' a Ride) — Don Felder1 / 2
Original RigYour Adaptation
GuitarDistortedSolo80% confidence

Heavy Metal (Takin' a Ride) Guitar Tone Settings — Don Felder

Don Felder · 1980s · rock

studio

Original Recording

Guitar
Fender Stratocaster (likely late-70s, possibly with aftermarket pickups)
Pickups
Single-coil (exact model unknown, possibly Fender or aftermarket Hot Noiseless as used by Felder in this era)
Amp
Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup

Studio recording, 1981. Gear inferred from era, Felder's known preferences, and Equipboard artist page. No direct source confirms exact pickup model for this solo, but Stratocaster with single-coils is highly likely. JC-120 is confirmed as a Felder amp of choice for this period, and its clean headroom and built-in chorus/flanger are consistent with the solo's tone.

Amp Settings

Mids
6
Bass
6
Gain
6
Reverb
3
Treble
7
Presence
6

Effects Chain

  • Flanger pedal (model unknown) · flanger
  • Distortion pedal (model unknown) · distortion

Fender Stratocaster → Distortion pedal → Flanger pedal → Roland JC-120 (with spring reverb)

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Tone Character

  • singing sustain
  • crunchy lead tone
  • bright and articulate
  • clear note separation
  • modulated sweep
  • liquid sustain
  • chorus-like shimmer
  • flanger swirl
  • medium output
  • dynamic pick attack

Notes & Caveats

  • ⚠️No direct source confirms the exact Stratocaster or pickup model used for the solo; inference based on Felder's known gear and period photos.
  • ⚠️Amp model (Roland JC-120) is confirmed as a Felder favorite for clean/modulated tones, but not explicitly tied to this recording in sources.
  • ⚠️No numeric amp settings found; estimated based on typical JC-120 usage for rock leads in the early 1980s.
  • ⚠️No pedalboard photo or direct interview confirms the exact flanger/chorus pedal model; effect is clearly audible in the solo.
  • ⚠️Pickup selector position inferred from tone and typical solo approach; not explicitly stated in sources.
  • ⚠️Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Don Felder's solo tone on 'Heavy Metal' is classic early-80s LA hard rock: crunchy, saturated but not overly high gain, with balanced mids and a slightly bright, cutting top end. Typical of Felder's Marshall/JMP-style setups, the amp is set for articulate sustain, with moderate reverb for space and a touch of presence for clarity.

Sources