GuitarDistortedRiff68% confidence
Peace of Mind Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Boston
Boston · 1970s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
1970s Gibson Les Paul Goldtop
Pickups
Gibson P90 single-coil pickups
Amp
Marshall Super Lead (Plexi) with custom Scholz modifications and Power Soak
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1975-1976. Tom Scholz recorded the riff section using his Les Paul Goldtop with P90s into a Marshall Super Lead, heavily modified and attenuated with a Power Soak. Effects were added via custom-built rack units, not pedals. No Rockman was used on the debut album.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass6.5
Gain6.5
Reverb2.5
Treble7
Presence6
Effects Chain
- Chorus effect (custom rack unit, model unknown) · chorus
- Analog delay (custom rack unit, model unknown) · delay
Guitar → Custom Chorus (rack) → Analog Delay (rack) → Marshall Super Lead (with Power Soak, plate reverb in studio mix)
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Tone Character
- tight and harmonically rich
- lush stereo double-tracked sound
- distinct chorused shimmer
- clear and articulate attack
- singing sustain on chords
- slightly compressed and polished
- midrange-forward classic rock presence
- not overly saturated, retains note definition
- subtle analog delay for depth
- modulation gives signature Boston swirl
Notes & Caveats
- No official amp knob settings for 'Peace of Mind' studio riff found; settings estimated based on era, amp model, and genre.
- No direct pedal models confirmed for the original recording; chorus and delay effects are clearly audible and widely discussed as part of Scholz's custom rack system.
- Rockman was NOT used on the debut album; all effects were custom rack units or studio processing.
- Pickup choice inferred from tone and known Scholz preferences for riff sections.
- Presence and reverb settings are estimated based on typical Marshall Plexi usage and the album's mix.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Tom Scholz achieved the iconic Boston sound with moderate gain (classic rock crunch), strong mids for note clarity, and slightly boosted bass for warmth. The tone is full and articulate, with moderate treble and presence for definition, and subtle reverb reflecting 70s production. Scholz's Rockman and Marshall Super Lead setups typically favored these settings.