TonesMatch
Love Gun — Kiss1 / 2
Original RigYour Adaptation
GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence

Love Gun Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Kiss

Kiss · 1970s · rock

studio

Original Recording

Guitar
1973 Gibson Les Paul Deluxe (modded with DiMarzio Super Distortion bridge pickup)
Pickups
DiMarzio Super Distortion (bridge humbucker)
Amp
Marshall Super Lead 100W (model 1959, late-60s/early-70s, non-master volume)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup

Studio recording, 1977. Ace Frehley played the main riff on a Les Paul Deluxe with a DiMarzio Super Distortion in the bridge, through a cranked Marshall Super Lead. No confirmed pedals or effects for the riff section; distortion comes from amp overdrive. No evidence of effects loop or additional pedals for the riff. Settings estimated based on era, genre, and amp model.

Amp Settings

Mids
7
Bass
6
Gain
6.5
Reverb
1
Treble
7
Presence
6

Tone Matcher

Match This Tone to Your Gear

Tell us your guitar and amp — we’ll calculate the exact settings translated to your specific rig.

Adapt to MY Gear →

7-day free trial · Cancel anytime.

Tone Character

  • aggressive British crunch
  • tight palm-muted power chords
  • thick, saturated midrange
  • punchy attack
  • classic hard rock drive
  • high-output humbucker bite
  • articulate note separation
  • slight natural compression from amp overdrive
  • raw, in-your-face rhythm tone
  • no audible modulation or time-based effects

Notes & Caveats

  • ⚠️No direct source lists exact amp knob settings for the 'Love Gun' riff; settings estimated based on typical Marshall Super Lead usage in 1970s hard rock.
  • ⚠️No evidence of pedals or effects used for the riff section; distortion is from amp overdrive.
  • ⚠️No evidence of amp reverb or other built-in effects; Marshall Super Lead does not have built-in reverb.
  • ⚠️Pickup and amp confirmed by multiple sources for this era and song, but not all sources are primary documentation.
  • ⚠️If new evidence of pedals or effects emerges, update accordingly.
  • ⚠️Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Paul Stanley and Ace Frehley in 'Love Gun' used classic Marshall amps with moderate crunch, forward mids, and balanced bass/treble for that punchy, in-your-face 70s hard rock sound. The tone is dry with just a touch of room reverb, and the presence is set to add clarity without harshness.

Sources