GuitarDistortedRiff
Hey Jude Riff Guitar Tone Settings — The Beatles
The Beatles · 1960s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
1962 Gibson J-160E
Pickups
Gibson P-90 single-coil (neck position, under top)
Amp
Direct Input (EMI REDD.47 mic preamp, overdriven)
Pickup Position
Neck pickup (P-90 under top, only pickup on J-160E)
Studio recording, 1968. The main riff section features John Lennon's Gibson J-160E acoustic-electric plugged directly into the EMI REDD.47 preamp for a unique, slightly overdriven, organ-like tone. No traditional guitar amp was used for the main riff; the overdrive comes from the preamp. Flatwound Pyramid Gold strings (.012-.052) likely used.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass6
Gain5
Reverb2.5
Treble6.5
Presence5
Tone Matcher
Match This Tone to Your Gear
Tell us your guitar and amp — we’ll calculate the exact settings translated to your specific rig.
7-day free trial · Cancel anytime.
Tone Character
- organ-like timbre
- percussive attack
- slightly overdriven
- nasal midrange
- scratchy treble
- smooth and focused
- warm but with edge
- compressed
- not sparkling like Fender amps
- unique direct-in sound