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Knockin' On Heaven's Door Guitar Tone Settings — Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses · 1990s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
1959 Gibson Korina Flying V
Pickups
Gibson PAF-style humbuckers
Amp
Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus
Pickup Position
Neck pickup
Studio recording for Use Your Illusion (1991). Clean intro/riff section tracked with the Roland JC-120 for its signature clean sound. The 1959 Gibson Korina Flying V was specifically used for the clean rhythm parts, as confirmed by Slash in interviews and Equipboard. No evidence of live rig or Les Paul for this section.
Amp Settings
Mids6
Bass6
Gain0
Reverb3.5
Treble6.5
Presence5.5
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Tone Character
- crystal-clear clean
- lush and ringing
- bright and articulate
- full-bodied
- slight natural compression
- warm but present highs
- no audible distortion
- studio-polished
- open and spacious
- dynamic response
Notes & Caveats
- Gain adjusted to 0 for clean tone
- No direct numeric amp settings found; values estimated based on typical Roland JC-120 clean settings for this genre/era.
- No evidence of pedals or additional effects used on the clean riff section; chorus effect is built-in to the JC-120 but not clearly audible in the studio recording.
- Some sources reference Les Pauls or other guitars, but the Flying V is confirmed for the studio clean section.
- Settings are for studio recording, not live performances.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Slash's riff tone on 'Knockin' On Heaven's Door' is classic hard rock crunch—mid-gain, warm but with enough bite and midrange to cut through, using his typical Marshall amp setup. The production is 90s rock: not overly scooped, with moderate reverb for space but not washed out.