I Believe in a Thing Called Love Guitar Tone Settings
The Darkness · 2000s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Studio recording, 2003. Most sources confirm Justin Hawkins used a Gibson Les Paul Custom into a Marshall Plexi 1959SLP for the Permission to Land album. Some sources mention Friedman and Wizard amps for later or live use, but Plexi is most cited for the album. No evidence of pedals for the solo except possible delay; Pro Co RAT is owned but not confirmed for this track. Delay is clearly audible in the solo, likely from a Boss DM-2 or similar analog delay pedal. No chorus, flanger, or wah audible in the solo. Pickup selector likely on bridge for the solo.
Amp Settings
Effects Chain
- Boss DM-2 Delay (black painted, as shown in rig rundown) · delay
Gibson Les Paul Custom → Boss DM-2 Delay → Marshall Plexi 1959SLP → Marshall 4x12 cab
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Tone Character
- singing sustain
- tight, articulate lead lines
- harmonic-rich, saturated tone
- aggressive pick attack
- clear note separation
- classic British crunch
- cutting upper mids
- slight analog delay repeats
- punchy bridge pickup
- loud, in-your-face solo presence
Notes & Caveats
- No direct numeric amp settings found; values estimated based on typical Marshall Plexi usage for classic rock/2000s and tone in the solo.
- Pro Co RAT distortion pedal is owned by Justin Hawkins but not confirmed for this specific solo; most evidence points to amp-only distortion.
- Delay is clearly audible in the solo but no explicit source for pedal model; Boss DM-2 is shown in rig rundowns and is likely.
- Some sources mention Friedman and Wizard amps for later or live use, but Plexi is most cited for the album recording.
- Pickup selector not explicitly stated, but bridge pickup is standard for this type of solo and matches the tone.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. The Darkness's solo tone is a classic British high-gain sound with strong mids and a bright, cutting edge, likely from a cranked Marshall (e.g., Plexi or JCM800). The solo is saturated but not overly compressed, with forward mids, tight low end, and minimal reverb, matching early 2000s hard rock production.