GuitarDistortedRiff
Planet Telex Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Radiohead
Radiohead · 1990s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Fender Telecaster (likely Johnny Greenwood's main Telecaster, mid-90s, maple neck, single coils)
Pickups
Fender single-coil (Telecaster stock pickups, likely bridge position for riff)
Amp
Fender Eighty Five (solid-state combo, studio recording, 1994-1995 era)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording for 'The Bends' (1994-1995). Johnny Greenwood is credited with the main riff, using his Telecaster into a Fender Eighty Five amp. Effects are a critical part of the tone, especially tremolo and tape echo/delay. No evidence of live rig or alternate guitars for this section.
Amp Settings
Mids6.5
Bass6
Gain5.5
Reverb3
Treble7
Presence5.5
Effects Chain
- Marshall Shredmaster · distortion
- Roland Space Echo (RE-201 or emulation) · delay
- Tremolo pedal (model unknown, possibly Boss TR-2 or amp tremolo) · tremolo
Fender Telecaster → Marshall Shredmaster → Tremolo pedal → Roland Space Echo (RE-201 or emulation) → Fender Eighty Five amp (spring reverb on)
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Tone Character
- swirling, modulated tremolo pulse
- bright and cutting attack
- ambient, spacey delay trails
- tight, focused low end
- chimey upper mids
- slightly gritty edge-of-breakup
- dynamic, touch-sensitive response
- percussive, rhythmic strumming
- modulated, wobbly clean tone
- distinct tape echo repeats