GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence
Joker and the Thief Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Wolfmother
Wolfmother · 2000s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
1973 Gibson SG Standard
Pickups
Stock Gibson humbuckers (1970s SG Standard)
Amp
Marshall Plexi (exact wattage/model unknown, likely 50w or 100w, possibly blended with Hiwatt or Orange per producer's choice)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 2005. Multiple vintage amps were patched in by producer Dave Sardy, but the main riff is most associated with a Marshall Plexi and the '73 SG. No evidence of live rig or alternate guitars for this section.
Amp Settings
Mids7.5
Bass6.5
Gain7
Reverb1.5
Treble6.5
Presence6
Effects Chain
- Distortion/Fuzz pedal (model unknown) · distortion
Guitar → Distortion/Fuzz pedal (if used) → Marshall Plexi (with light spring reverb)
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Tone Character
- fuzzy and saturated
- thick, mid-forward
- aggressive and punchy
- harmonic-rich overtones
- tight and percussive
- British crunch
- loud and in-your-face
- slightly scooped highs for clarity
- bridge pickup bite
- sustained power chords
Notes & Caveats
- No exact amp settings (knob positions) found in sources; values estimated based on typical Marshall Plexi settings for classic rock/modern fuzz tones.
- Multiple amps (Marshall, Hiwatt, Orange, Laney) were used during recording; main riff most likely Marshall Plexi but some blending possible.
- No pedal model is explicitly confirmed for the riff section; fuzz/distortion is likely amp-based or from a generic fuzz/distortion pedal.
- Phaser is mentioned for the intro, but not for the main riff; not included for riff section.
- No evidence of delay, chorus, flanger, or wah in the riff section; only distortion/fuzz is clearly audible.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Wolfmother's 'Joker and the Thief' riff uses a thick, saturated British-style crunch with prominent mids and a tight, punchy low end, typical of a cranked Marshall (likely a JCM800 or JMP). The tone is dry with minimal reverb, and the presence is boosted for clarity and bite, matching the hard rock/stoner revival sound of the mid-2000s.