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Photograph Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Def Leppard
Def Leppard · 1980s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Fender Stratocaster (exact model unspecified, but confirmed as Stratocaster for riff section)
Pickups
Single-coil pickups (stock Fender Stratocaster configuration)
Amp
Marshall amplifier (exact model not specified; likely Marshall JCM800 or similar, as used during Pyromania sessions)
Pickup Position
Neck pickup (for clean arpeggios); Bridge pickup (for overdubbed root notes)
Studio recording, 1982-1983 for Pyromania album. The riff section was tracked with a Stratocaster for the clean, jangly arpeggios. Root notes were overdubbed with a fuzz/distorted tone, likely using a Boss pedal. Multiple amps and cabs were auditioned in the studio, but Marshall is most likely for the main riff. No evidence of live rig or later digital units for this recording.
Amp Settings
Mids6
Bass6
Gain0
Reverb3
Treble7.5
Presence6
Effects Chain
- Fuzz/Distortion pedal (model unknown, likely Boss) · distortion
Fender Stratocaster → (optional: Boss distortion/fuzz for root note overdubs) → Marshall amplifier (with plate reverb)
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Tone Character
- bright and jangly
- country clean
- articulate and clear
- slightly compressed
- polished
- layered
- dynamic
- clean with subtle grit on root notes
- harmonically rich
- tight and precise
Notes & Caveats
- Gain adjusted to 0 for clean tone
- Exact amp model for the riff section is not specified in sources; Marshall is inferred based on era and studio practices.
- No numeric amp settings found in sources; settings estimated based on typical 1980s Marshall clean/crunch tones for classic rock.
- Pedal model for fuzz/distorted root note overdubs is not specified; Boss pedal is mentioned but model unknown.
- No evidence of chorus, delay, or other modulation effects on the main riff section; chorus is not audible in the riff, only clean and fuzzed layers.
- If more than one amp was used, settings may vary slightly between layers.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Def Leppard's 'Photograph' riff features a classic 80s hard rock tone: saturated but not extreme gain, tight low end, balanced mids (not scooped), and bright, cutting treble. The Mutt Lange production and Hysteria-era Marshalls favored clarity and punch, with subtle reverb for space.