GuitarDistortedRiff
Here Is No Why (Remastered 2012) Guitar Tone Settings
The Smashing Pumpkins · 1990s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Fender Stratocaster (likely 1970s or early 80s, stock or Lace Sensor pickups, as used by Billy Corgan in Mellon Collie era studio sessions)
Pickups
Single-coil (likely stock Fender or Lace Sensor Red in bridge position)
Amp
Marshall JMP-1 Tube MIDI Preamp → Mesa/Boogie Strategy 500 Poweramp (studio setup for Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1995 (Remastered 2012 is a remaster of the original 1995 recording). Gear confirmed for studio use on Mellon Collie sessions, not live. No evidence of alternate guitars or amps for this riff section.
Amp Settings
Mids5.5
Bass6
Gain7
Reverb2
Treble7
Presence6
Effects Chain
- Electro-Harmonix Op-Amp Big Muff Pi · fuzz
Fender Stratocaster → Electro-Harmonix Op-Amp Big Muff Pi → Marshall JMP-1 Preamp → Mesa/Boogie Strategy 500 Poweramp
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Tone Character
- thick and saturated
- mid-scooped
- aggressive and punchy
- tight low end
- pronounced upper mids
- sustained power chords
- crisp pick attack
- classic Pumpkins fuzz wall
- articulate despite heavy gain
- layered, compressed rhythm