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Keep Me — The Black Keys1 / 2
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Keep Me Riff Guitar Tone Settings — The Black Keys

The Black Keys · 2000s · blues

studio

Original Recording

Guitar
Harmony H78 (vintage, semi-hollow, 3 gold foil pickups, 1960s)
Pickups
DeArmond Gold Foil single coils (original, 1960s, wired in series/parallel options)
Amp
Fender Silverface Twin Reverb (early 1970s, studio recording)
Pickup Position
Neck pickup (DeArmond Gold Foil, Harmony H78)

Studio recording for 'Keep Me' (2003, Thickfreakness album). Dan Auerbach was known to use a Harmony H78 into a cranked Fender Twin Reverb for early Black Keys recordings. No evidence of live/touring rig for this song. Gear confirmed by multiple rig rundowns and interviews for this era.

Amp Settings

Mids
6
Bass
6.5
Gain
6.5
Reverb
2
Treble
6.5
Presence
5

Effects Chain

  • Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi (likely Russian or NYC reissue, era-correct) · fuzz

Harmony H78 (neck pickup) → Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi → Fender Twin Reverb (spring reverb low)

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Tone Character

  • fat and saturated
  • lo-fi and gritty
  • thick, woolly midrange
  • raw garage rock edge
  • slightly compressed attack
  • harmonically rich fuzz
  • pushed tube amp breakup
  • touch-sensitive dynamics
  • loose, saggy low end
  • aggressive, biting top end

Notes & Caveats

  • ⚠️No direct source lists exact amp knob settings for 'Keep Me'; settings estimated based on typical Fender Twin Reverb use for early Black Keys studio recordings and genre/era conventions.
  • ⚠️Pedal model inferred from era and audio; no direct photo or studio log for this specific song.
  • ⚠️Some sources mention Big Muff fuzz for early material, but not all confirm exact pedal model for 'Keep Me' riff.
  • ⚠️No evidence of time-based or modulation effects (delay, chorus, flanger, etc.) on the riff section; only fuzz/distortion is clearly audible.
  • ⚠️Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. The Black Keys' 'Keep Me' riff has a thick, crunchy, mid-forward tone typical of Dan Auerbach's vintage amp preferences (often old Fender or Marshall combos), set for classic rock/blues rock breakup. The bass is slightly boosted for warmth, mids are pushed for punch, treble is moderate to avoid harshness, and reverb is minimal, matching the dry, raw production style.

Sources