Only Shallow — my bloody valentine1 / 2
Original RigYour Adaptation
GuitarDistortedRiff

Only Shallow Riff Guitar Tone Settings — my bloody valentine

my bloody valentine · 1990s · rock

studio

Original Recording

Guitar
Fender Jazzmaster (likely late 1980s Japanese or vintage model)
Pickups
Fender Jazzmaster single-coil pickups
Amp
Marshall amplifier (exact model not specified, likely JCM800 or similar era Marshall head/cabinet)
Pickup Position
Neck pickup (likely, based on typical MBV tone and Jazzmaster usage)

Studio recording for 'Loveless' (1991). Kevin Shields is known to use alternate tunings and extensive pedal chains. The main riff was reportedly recorded with a microphone placed between two amps. Gear is specific to the studio recording, not live setups.

Amp Settings

Mids
7
Bass
5.5
Gain
7.5
Reverb
2
Treble
6
Presence
5.5

Effects Chain

  • DigiTech Whammy · modulation
  • Boss PN-2 Tremolo/Pan · tremolo
  • Distortion/Fuzz pedal (model unknown, likely multiple stacked) · fuzz

Fender Jazzmaster → Distortion/Fuzz → DigiTech Whammy → Boss PN-2 Tremolo/Pan → Marshall amp (room reverb, mic'd between two amps)

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Tone Character

  • screaming oscillation
  • creamy, soft, textured fuzz
  • gauzy, woozy thickness
  • stuttering, screaming lead part
  • ethereal, effects-laden soundscape
  • heavy, aggressive noise
  • raw energy
  • extreme overdubbing
  • thick, layered distortion
  • modulated pitch-shifting

Sources