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Here Comes Your Man Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Pixies
Pixies · 1980s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
1965 Gibson ES-345 with Bigsby
Pickups
Gibson humbuckers (likely original PAF-style, with Varitone circuit)
Amp
1964 Fender Vibrolux Reverb
Pickup Position
Middle position (Varitone position 3, both pickups, ES-345)
Studio recording, 1988-1989 (Doolittle sessions). Joey Santiago used the ES-345 with the Varitone switch on position 3 for a brighter, more cutting tone. Amp reverb likely used. Marshall JCM800 was also present in his rig, but for the clean, jangly riff section, the Vibrolux is most probable. No evidence of pedal overdrive or fuzz on the riff section; effects are minimal and clean.
Amp Settings
Mids6
Bass5.5
Gain0
Reverb4.5
Treble7
Presence5
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Tone Character
- bright and jangly
- articulate and open
- slightly compressed
- upper-midrange presence
- clean and dynamic
- spacious with subtle reverb
- percussive attack
- clear note separation
- no audible distortion
- classic alternative rock shimmer
Notes & Caveats
- Gain adjusted to 0 for clean tone
- No direct amp knob settings for 'Here Comes Your Man' riff found; settings estimated based on typical Fender Vibrolux Reverb use for clean tones in late 1980s alternative rock.
- Joey Santiago's rig included both Marshall JCM800 and Fender Vibrolux, but multiple sources confirm Vibrolux was used for clean, jangly tones like this riff.
- No evidence of pedal overdrive, fuzz, or modulation on the riff section; pedalboard included many effects, but not all were used on this song/section.
- Varitone position inferred from Santiago's typical use (position 3) for brighter tone.
- If alternate guitar/amp was used, it is not documented in available sources.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. The 'Here Comes Your Man' riff is bright, jangly, and clean with a hint of breakup, typical of Joey Santiago's use of Fender amps (likely a Twin Reverb or similar) and single-coil guitars. The tone is mid-forward and sparkly, with moderate bass and subtle spring reverb, matching late-80s alt-rock production and the Pixies' signature sound.