GuitarCleanRiff
Material Girl Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Madonna
Madonna · 1980s · other
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Session musician's Fender Stratocaster (likely 1970s-early 1980s, maple neck, stock single-coil pickups)
Pickups
Fender single-coil (stock Stratocaster pickups, likely Alnico V)
Amp
Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus
Pickup Position
Position 4 (neck + middle)
Studio recording, 1984 (Like a Virgin album sessions). No direct evidence of live rig for this part; all details refer to the studio recording. Guitar part was played by session musician (likely Robben Ford or John Putnam, as per session credits for Madonna's early albums).
Amp Settings
Mids5.5
Bass5
Gain2
Reverb4
Treble7.5
Presence6
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Tone Character
- bright and glassy
- clean and chorus-heavy
- tight and percussive
- articulate attack
- snappy funk-inspired rhythm
- stereo chorus shimmer
- studio-polished clarity
- no breakup or overdrive
- sits behind synths in mix
- distinct 80s pop guitar
Sources
Tone Story / Why This Tone Works
studio