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Jessie's Girl Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Rick Springfield
Rick Springfield · 1980s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
1969 Gibson SG Special
Pickups
P-90 single-coil pickups
Amp
Marshall JMP 100-watt 2x12 combo (1979)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1980/1981. Neil Giraldo played all guitars on the original recording. The SG Special with P-90s was used for the riff section, plugged into a Marshall JMP combo. An Eventide H949 Harmonizer was used in the signal chain for the signature doubled sound. No evidence of other pedals or effects used for the riff. All information pertains to the original studio recording, not live or later performances.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass6
Gain6
Reverb2
Treble7
Presence6
Effects Chain
- Eventide H949 Harmonizer · modulation
Guitar → Eventide H949 Harmonizer (studio rack) → Marshall JMP 2x12 combo (with light spring reverb)
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Tone Character
- tight and punchy
- bright and articulate
- crisp, percussive attack
- slightly gritty edge-of-breakup
- clear note separation
- dynamic and responsive
- 80s pop-rock clarity
- harmonized/doubled sound
- minimal sustain, fast decay
- no audible modulation or delay in riff
Notes & Caveats
- No direct amp knob settings found; settings estimated based on typical Marshall JMP usage for 80s pop-rock and the described tone.
- All sources confirm the use of the 1969 Gibson SG Special and Marshall JMP combo for the studio recording, with Neil Giraldo playing all guitars.
- Eventide H949 Harmonizer was used for the doubled effect, but not as a traditional pedal; it was used in the studio rack.
- No evidence of additional pedals (overdrive, chorus, delay, etc.) used for the riff section; the harmonizer is the only effect.
- No explicit pickup selector position stated, but bridge pickup is strongly indicated by the tone and era.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Rick Springfield's 'Jessie's Girl' riff uses a classic early-80s hard rock crunch with a Marshall-style amp, moderate gain, forward mids, and a balanced EQ for clarity and punch. The production is fairly dry with just a touch of reverb, matching the era's pop-rock conventions and Springfield's typical tones.