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Intro Riff Guitar Tone Settings — The xx
The xx · 2000s · other
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Gibson ES-335
Pickups
Gibson humbuckers (stock ES-335 pickups, likely '57 Classics or similar)
Amp
Roland Micro Cube (JC Clean setting, digital reverb)
Pickup Position
Neck pickup
Studio recording, 2009. Romy Madley Croft used a Gibson ES-335 through a Roland Micro Cube on the JC Clean setting with onboard digital reverb for the clean riff in 'Intro'. No evidence of additional pedals for the studio recording; all effects are amp-based.
Amp Settings
Mids6
Bass5.5
Gain0
Reverb5.5
Treble7
Presence5
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Tone Character
- clean and spacious
- reverb-drenched
- minimalist and atmospheric
- bright and articulate
- lush and textured
- soft attack
- slightly percussive with palm muting
- warm neck pickup tone
- airy and open
- subtle fingerstyle dynamics
Notes & Caveats
- Gain adjusted to 0 for clean tone
- No direct numeric amp settings found; settings estimated based on typical Roland JC Clean/Micro Cube usage for this genre and era.
- No evidence of external pedals used on the studio recording; all effects appear to be from the amp.
- Pickup position inferred from typical ES-335 clean tones and the song's sound.
- Pedalboard and live gear may differ; this is for the studio recording of the riff section only.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Romy Madley Croft's tone on 'Intro' is very clean, glassy, and intimate, with just a hint of warmth and breakup. The xx favor minimal, spacious production; the amp is set clean with moderate mids, slightly reduced bass for clarity, and a touch of reverb for ambience. These settings reflect her typical Fender amp usage and the genre's indie pop conventions.