GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence
Little Wing Guitar Tone Settings
Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble · 1980s · blues
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
1962 Fender Stratocaster 'Number One'
Pickups
Fender single-coil (vintage spec, overwound, stock for 'Number One')
Amp
1964 Fender Vibroverb (blackface, 2x15" speakers, often paired with other Fenders or Dumble in studio)
Pickup Position
Neck pickup (occasionally neck + middle)
Studio recording, 1989 (from 'In Step' sessions). SRV used his main Stratocaster ('Number One') and typically ran into a Fender Vibroverb, sometimes blended with other Fender amps. For 'Little Wing', the driven riff tone is achieved by cranking the amp and stacking a Tube Screamer for additional gain. No evidence of Marshall or Dumble for this specific track. Pickup selector in neck or neck+middle position. Studio, not live.
Amp Settings
Mids6
Bass7
Gain3.5
Reverb3
Treble6.5
Presence5.5
Effects Chain
- Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer · overdrive
Guitar → Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer → Fender Vibroverb (with light spring reverb)
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Tone Character
- warm and glassy
- touch-sensitive and dynamic
- edge-of-breakup crunch
- percussive attack
- singing sustain
- articulate chord voicings
- slightly compressed
- midrange boost
- thick, full-bodied rhythm
- Texas shuffle feel
Notes & Caveats
- No source specifies exact pedal settings or confirms every effect for 'Little Wing' studio riff section; Tube Screamer is confirmed as always-on for SRV's driven tones.
- Amp settings are averaged from Guitar World and Reddit sources; presence is estimated based on typical Vibroverb usage.
- No evidence of modulation (chorus, flanger, phaser) or delay on the riff section; only light amp reverb is present.
- Pickup selector is inferred from audio and typical SRV practice; most sources agree on neck or neck+middle for rhythm.
- Some sources mention Dumble and Marshall amps in SRV's arsenal, but no evidence for their use on this specific track.
- 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, achieved with his Strat into a Fender or Dumble-style amp set for strong lows, prominent mids, and moderate treble. The reverb is present but not overwhelming, and presence is kept neutral to avoid harshness while preserving clarity.