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Obstacle 1 — Interpol1 / 2
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Obstacle 1 Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Interpol

Interpol · 2000s · rock

studio

Original Recording

Guitar
Epiphone Casino (1967)
Pickups
Epiphone P-90 single coils
Amp
Fender Twin Reverb (likely Silverface or Blackface era)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup

Studio recording, 2001-2002, Turn On The Bright Lights sessions. Daniel Kessler used his 1967 Casino for most of the album. Producer Peter Katis confirms Fender amps and outboard reverb (Alesis Microverb) were used instead of amp reverb. No evidence of live/tour gear or alternate guitars for this section.

Amp Settings

Mids
7
Bass
5.5
Gain
4
Reverb
4.5
Treble
7
Presence
5.5

Effects Chain

  • Alesis Microverb · reverb
  • MXR M133 Micro Amp · boost

Epiphone Casino → MXR Micro Amp → Alesis Microverb → Fender Twin Reverb

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Tone Character

  • bright and jangly
  • articulate and percussive
  • slight edge-of-breakup crunch
  • open and airy
  • tight low end
  • clear note separation
  • modest sustain
  • reverberant ambience
  • single-coil clarity
  • no heavy saturation

Notes & Caveats

  • ⚠️No direct amp knob settings found; values estimated based on typical Fender Twin Reverb settings for early 2000s indie rock and the album's tone.
  • ⚠️Pedal models inferred from period-correct pedalboard photos and producer interviews; no direct studio session sheet available.
  • ⚠️Alesis Microverb confirmed as primary reverb source, not amp reverb.
  • ⚠️No evidence of chorus, flanger, phaser, or wah in the riff section.
  • ⚠️Delay is not clearly audible in the main riff; reverb is prominent.
  • ⚠️Pickup choice inferred from typical Casino bridge pickup use for bright, cutting rhythm.
  • ⚠️Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Daniel Kessler's 'Obstacle 1' tone is a punchy, mid-forward, slightly gritty post-punk sound typical of early 2000s indie rock, likely using a Vox or Fender amp with moderate gain, prominent mids and treble for clarity, and minimal reverb reflecting the dry, direct production style of the era.

Sources