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Lenny Guitar Tone Settings — Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble
Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble · 1980s · blues
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
1963 Fender Stratocaster ('Lenny')
Pickups
Fender single-coil pickups (original 1963 spec)
Amp
1965 Fender Vibroverb (Blackface), possibly blended with 1964 Fender Super Reverb
Pickup Position
Neck pickup
Studio recording, 1982-83 for 'Texas Flood' album. The solo on 'Lenny' is widely documented as using Stevie's 'Lenny' Stratocaster into a Fender Vibroverb (and/or Super Reverb), with a Tube Screamer as a clean boost. No evidence of Marshall or wah on this track; those were used on other songs. No evidence of delay, chorus, or modulation effects in the solo. Spring reverb from the amp is present.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass6.5
Gain3
Reverb4.5
Treble6
Presence5
Effects Chain
- Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer · overdrive
Guitar → Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer → Fender Vibroverb (spring reverb on)
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Tone Character
- warm and smooth
- glassy highs
- touch-sensitive
- edge-of-breakup
- singing sustain
- mellow and rounded
- dynamic response
- lush and blooming notes
- slightly gritty
- subtle spring reverb
Notes & Caveats
- No direct numeric amp settings for 'Lenny' solo found; settings estimated based on typical Fender Vibroverb/Super Reverb usage for SRV in studio and genre/era norms.
- Some sources mention Marshall amps and wah pedals in SRV's rig, but there is no evidence or audible use of these on the 'Lenny' solo studio recording.
- Tube Screamer model is debated (TS9 vs TS808 vs TS10); for 'Texas Flood' era, TS9 is most likely per Guitar World.
- No evidence of delay, chorus, flanger, or other modulation/time-based effects on the solo; only amp spring reverb is present.
- Pickup choice (neck) is confirmed by multiple sources and audible tone.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. SRV's 'Lenny' solo tone is clean but warm, with just a hint of breakup from heavy picking; he favored high bass, strong mids, and rolled-back treble for smoothness, using moderate spring reverb for space. These settings reflect his typical Vibroverb/Vibrolux setup and the song's lush, expressive blues/jazz character.