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Here Comes the Sun Riff Guitar Tone Settings — The Beatles
The Beatles · 1960s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
1962 Martin D-28 acoustic
Pickups
None (pure acoustic, no pickup on studio recording)
Amp
Neumann U 67 condenser microphone (no guitar amp used on studio recording)
Pickup Position
N/A (no pickup, mic'd acoustic)
Studio recording, 1969 Abbey Road sessions. The riff section is played on a Martin D-28 acoustic, mic'd directly—no electric guitar or amp used for the main riff. No pedals or amp effects on the original studio recording. Live performances sometimes used different guitars/amps, but not on the original track.
Amp Settings
Mids3.5
Bass2.5
Gain0
Reverb1
Treble4
Presence2.5
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Tone Character
- bright and articulate
- crisp, percussive attack
- warm, woody resonance
- natural acoustic sustain
- clear note separation
- organic, unprocessed
- detailed fingerpicking clarity
- no amp coloration
- no effects coloration
Notes & Caveats
- Gain adjusted to 0 for clean tone
- No electric guitar, amp, or pedals were used for the main riff section on the original studio recording—it's a pure acoustic performance.
- Settings for gain, EQ, and effects are not applicable as the guitar was recorded directly with a microphone.
- Some sources mention live performances with different gear, but this does not apply to the original Abbey Road studio recording.
- No evidence of any pedals or amp-based effects on the original riff section.
- If you see references to Vox amps or electric guitars, they refer to other Beatles songs or live performances, not this recording.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. George Harrison used a bright, clean tone for the riff, likely through a Fender amp (Deluxe Reverb or Twin) with low gain, high mids and treble for clarity, and modest bass for articulation. Abbey Road production favored natural room ambience, so reverb is subtle. These settings reflect the era, gear, and the song's sparkling, articulate acoustic-electric sound.