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Little Wing Guitar Tone Settings
Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble · 1980s · blues
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
1963 Fender Stratocaster 'Number One'
Pickups
Fender single-coil pickups (stock 1960s Strat type)
Amp
1964 Fender Vibroverb (Blackface, 2x15" speakers, often paired with other Fender amps in studio)
Pickup Position
Neck pickup
Studio recording, 1989 (In Step sessions). SRV used his main 'Number One' Strat and typically ran into a Fender Vibroverb for clean tones. Multiple sources confirm this setup for clean rhythm sections, with a Tube Screamer for edge-of-breakup if needed. Settings below are for studio clean tone, not live.
Amp Settings
Mids6.5
Bass7
Gain3.5
Reverb3
Treble6.5
Presence5.5
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Tone Character
- warm and smooth
- glassy and articulate
- touch-sensitive
- dynamic response to picking
- percussive muted rhythms
- slight edge-of-breakup at high picking intensity
- spring reverb ambience
- rich chord voicings
- clear note separation
- classic Fender clean
Notes & Caveats
- No source gives explicit confirmation of the exact amp and pedal settings for the 'Little Wing' studio riff section, but multiple reputable sources confirm SRV's use of a Fender Stratocaster into a Fender Vibroverb for clean tones in this era.
- Amp settings are taken from Guitar World SRV tone guide and are typical for his clean sound; presence is estimated based on era-typical Vibroverb use.
- No explicit mention of pedal use for the clean riff section; Tube Screamer may be present at low drive for edge-of-breakup, but for the cleanest sections it is likely bypassed.
- No chorus, delay, or modulation effects are audible or cited for the clean riff section; only amp spring reverb is used.
- If more detailed studio notes become available, settings may need revision.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. SRV's 'Little Wing' tone is warm, dynamic, and just at the edge of breakup, with pronounced lows and mids for body and vocal quality, moderate treble to avoid harshness, and subtle spring reverb for space. These settings reflect his typical Fender amp setup (Vibroverb/Super Reverb), heavy strings, and aggressive picking.