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Immigrant Song Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin · 1970s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Gibson Les Paul Standard (1959, Burst finish)
Pickups
Gibson PAF humbuckers
Amp
Marshall JMP Super Lead (Plexi, ca. 1970)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1970. Jimmy Page used his 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard into a Marshall Super Lead for the main riff of 'Immigrant Song'. No evidence of pedals or effects other than amp reverb for the studio riff section. Live performances sometimes differed, but this is for the original studio recording.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass5.5
Gain5
Reverb1.5
Treble7.5
Presence6
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Tone Character
- British crunch
- tight and percussive
- aggressive bridge pickup
- focused midrange punch
- articulate pick attack
- medium gain saturation
- slightly compressed dynamics
- classic rock riff clarity
- high-output humbucker tone
- no audible modulation or delay
Notes & Caveats
- No explicit confirmation of pedal or modulation effects for the studio riff section; settings are based on cited Guitar World article and typical Marshall JMP usage for this era.
- Presence setting estimated based on typical Marshall Plexi usage; not directly cited.
- No evidence of fuzz, phaser, or other effects on the studio riff; live versions may differ.
- Guitar knob settings inferred from typical Page practice and era, not directly cited for this song.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Jimmy Page used a cranked Marshall (likely a Super Bass) with moderate gain for classic British crunch, strong mids, and a tight, punchy sound. The tone is dry (no reverb), with forward mids and enough treble/presence to cut through, matching the raw, aggressive riff of 'Immigrant Song.'