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Hey Bulldog Riff Guitar Tone Settings — The Beatles
The Beatles · 1960s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
1964 Gibson SG Standard
Pickups
Gibson PAF-style humbuckers
Amp
Vox Conqueror (solid-state, 2x12 cabinet with Celestion G12 Alnico silver speakers)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1968. George Harrison was the sole guitarist on the track. The amp's built-in fuzz circuit (germanium transistor, Tone Bender style) was used for the riff. No external pedals; all effects from amp. Settings are for the riff section, not the solo. MRB (Mid Range Boost) effect was engaged. Reverb channel was off.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass4.5
Gain5
Reverb0
Treble6
Presence5.5
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Tone Character
- aggressive and biting
- fuzzy and saturated
- mid-forward punch
- tight and percussive attack
- raw and gritty texture
- articulate note separation
- slightly compressed
- vintage solid-state edge
- distinctive transistor fuzz character
- no ambient effects or reverb
Notes & Caveats
- All settings and gear are directly cited from Guitar World, which references video/photo evidence and studio documentation.
- No external pedals were used; all effects are from the Vox Conqueror amp's built-in fuzz and MRB circuit.
- No reverb or time-based/modulation effects are present in the riff section.
- Presence setting is estimated based on typical Vox Conqueror voicing and era, as not all sources specify this knob.
- Mid control is inferred from MRB (Mid Range Boost) being ON and set to 3; Vox Conqueror does not have a traditional mid knob but MRB boosts mids.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. The 'Hey Bulldog' riff features a biting, mid-forward British crunch typical of late-60s Lennon/Harrison tones, likely using a Vox or Fender amp cranked to edge-of-breakup/crunch with little to no reverb (as was standard for Abbey Road rock tracks of the era). The tone is punchy, raw, and present, with strong mids and moderate treble, matching Beatles' amp settings for aggressive rock material.