GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence
Little Bones Riff Guitar Tone Settings — The Tragically Hip
The Tragically Hip · 1990s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
1973 Fender Stratocaster (mocha brown, maple neck)
Pickups
Fender single-coil (stock 1973 Strat pickups)
Amp
Mesa/Boogie Mark III head into 2x12 cab, possibly blended with 1959 Fender Bassman (studio, Road Apples era)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1990-1991 (Road Apples sessions). Rob Baker states he used his brown '73 Strat, Mesa/Boogie Mark III, and a Tube Screamer for the album. Lanois' '59 Bassman was also used on every track, possibly blended. No evidence of additional pedals or effects for the riff section. Wah pedal was present on his board but not audibly used in the riff.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass6
Gain6
Reverb2.5
Treble7
Presence6
Effects Chain
- Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer · overdrive
Fender Stratocaster → Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer → Mesa/Boogie Mark III head (spring reverb on) → 2x12 cab (possibly blended with '59 Fender Bassman in studio)
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Tone Character
- tight and punchy
- classic rock crunch
- bright and articulate attack
- dynamic pick response
- slight edge of breakup
- clear note separation
- full-bodied midrange
- percussive strumming
- minimal compression
- no audible modulation or delay
Notes & Caveats
- No direct numeric amp settings found; values estimated based on Mesa/Boogie Mark III typical classic rock usage and era.
- Rob Baker confirms only a Tube Screamer and wah pedal were used, but wah is not audible in the riff section.
- Amp blend with '59 Bassman is possible but not confirmed for the riff specifically.
- No evidence of delay, chorus, flanger, or other modulation/time-based effects in the riff section.
- Pickup position inferred from typical Strat bridge tone and attack in the riff.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. The 'Little Bones' riff has a classic rock crunch with strong midrange presence, tight but not boomy bass, and clear but not overly bright treble—typical of early 90s Canadian rock tones using Marshall-style amps. The reverb is subtle, just enough for space, and the gain sits at a crunchy, dynamic level without entering high-gain territory.