GuitarDistortedRiff
New Orleans Is Sinking Guitar Tone Settings — The Tragically Hip
The Tragically Hip · 1980s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
1973 Fender Stratocaster (mocha brown, maple neck, stock single-coil pickups)
Pickups
Fender single-coil (1970s Strat stock pickups)
Amp
Mesa/Boogie Mark III head into 2x12 cab
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1989 (Up to Here album). Rob Baker played his brown '73 Strat through a Mesa/Boogie Mark III head and 2x12 cab. Minimal pedal use: wah and Tube Screamer only. No evidence of additional effects or amp-based reverb/delay. All details confirmed by Rob Baker in Guitar World interview. No evidence of live/touring substitutions or additional pedals for the studio recording.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass6
Gain5.5
Reverb1.5
Treble7
Presence6
Effects Chain
- Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer · overdrive
1973 Fender Stratocaster → Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer → Mesa/Boogie Mark III head (no reverb) → 2x12 cab
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Tone Character
- brawny and blues-based
- edge-of-breakup crunch
- tight and percussive
- articulate attack
- slightly compressed
- dynamic and touch-sensitive
- classic Strat bridge bite
- clear note separation
- not overly saturated
- aggressive pick response