GuitarCleanRiff80% confidence
(Nice Dream) Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Radiohead
Radiohead · 1990s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Fender Telecaster (likely 1980s-90s, Ed O'Brien's main guitar for The Bends era)
Pickups
Single-coil (Fender Telecaster stock pickups)
Amp
Mesa/Boogie DC-5 Combo
Pickup Position
Neck pickup
Studio recording, 1994-1995. Ed O'Brien used two Mesa/Boogie combos for The Bends sessions, one set clean and one set for heavier tones. For the riff section of '(Nice Dream)', the clean amp was likely used. No evidence of Jonny Greenwood's gear being the primary guitar for the riff; Ed's Telecaster and Mesa/Boogie are most cited for rhythm/riff sections on The Bends. No explicit pedalboard evidence for this section.
Amp Settings
Mids6.5
Bass6
Gain0
Reverb4
Treble6.5
Presence5.5
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Tone Character
- lush and ambient
- clean and shimmering
- slightly compressed
- open and airy
- clear note separation
- subtle warmth
- gentle attack
- not saturated
- studio clean
- subtle amp reverb
Notes & Caveats
- Gain adjusted to 0 for clean tone
- No direct source confirms exact amp/pedal settings for '(Nice Dream)' riff; settings estimated based on typical Mesa/Boogie clean tones for The Bends era.
- No explicit evidence of pedals used for the riff section; chorus, delay, or other modulation not audibly present in the studio recording.
- Guitar model inferred from Ed O'Brien's known use on The Bends; Jonny Greenwood's gear is not confirmed for the main riff.
- Pickup choice (neck) inferred from tone characteristics and typical Telecaster clean usage.
- If future evidence surfaces of Jonny Greenwood playing the riff section in studio, gear may differ.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Jonny Greenwood's tone on '(Nice Dream)' is clean with a hint of breakup, warm and lush with prominent mids and moderate bass, typical of his Fender amp settings in the '90s. The reverb is notable but not overwhelming, matching the song's dreamy, atmospheric vibe.