TonesMatch
No Surprises — Radiohead1 / 2
Original RigYour Adaptation
GuitarCleanSolo80% confidence

No Surprises Solo Guitar Tone Settings — Radiohead

Radiohead · 1990s · rock

studio

Original Recording

Guitar
Fender Telecaster (likely 1960s, as used by Ed O'Brien on OK Computer era studio recordings)
Pickups
Single-coil (Fender Telecaster stock pickups)
Amp
Vox AC30 (studio, 1996-1997 OK Computer sessions; Ed O'Brien and Jonny Greenwood both used AC30s extensively on this album)
Pickup Position
Neck pickup

Studio recording, 1996-1997. Ed O'Brien played the solo on 'No Surprises' using a Telecaster through a Vox AC30. No evidence of live rig or alternate guitars for the studio solo. No pedalboard photos from the session, but Ed's known OK Computer-era board included Boss DD-5, EHX Deluxe Memory Man, Boss TR-2 Tremolo, and Holy Grail Reverb. No evidence of overdrive/distortion for this solo.

Amp Settings

Mids
6.5
Bass
6
Gain
0
Reverb
5
Treble
6.5
Presence
5.5

Effects Chain

  • Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man · delay
  • Boss TR-2 Tremolo · tremolo
  • Electro-Harmonix Holy Grail Reverb · reverb

Fender Telecaster → Deluxe Memory Man → Boss TR-2 Tremolo → Holy Grail Reverb → Vox AC30 (with spring reverb)

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Tone Character

  • chiming and bell-like
  • lush and ambient
  • clear and articulate
  • soft attack
  • gentle sustain
  • slightly compressed
  • ethereal and floating
  • subtle modulation shimmer
  • warm neck pickup tone
  • no audible distortion

Notes & Caveats

  • ⚠️Gain adjusted to 0 for clean tone
  • ⚠️No direct studio photo or interview confirms the exact pedal chain for the 'No Surprises' solo, but Ed O'Brien's Telecaster and Vox AC30 are well-documented for OK Computer sessions.
  • ⚠️Pedal models are inferred from Ed's known OK Computer-era board and the audible effects on the solo.
  • ⚠️Amp EQ and reverb settings are estimated based on typical Vox AC30 clean tones for this genre/era and the solo's sound.
  • ⚠️No evidence of overdrive/distortion/fuzz for the solo; tone is clean and ambient.
  • ⚠️If new evidence emerges of alternate guitar or amp for this solo, settings may need revision.
  • ⚠️Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. The solo in 'No Surprises' features a clean, slightly warm tone with forward mids and moderate bass, typical of Jonny Greenwood's late-90s Fender amp settings. The sound is clear but not overly bright, with subtle reverb for space, matching the gentle, melodic character of the song.

Sources