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Plush Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Stone Temple Pilots
Stone Temple Pilots · 1990s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
1978 Gibson Les Paul Standard (sunburst, humbuckers)
Pickups
Gibson PAF-style humbuckers
Amp
VHT Classic (with Demeter TGP-3 preamp, stereo into two 4x12 cabs), Vox AC30 (set clean, blended in studio)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1992. Dean DeLeo used his '78 Les Paul as the main guitar for the 'Plush' riff, running into his VHT Classic head with a Demeter TGP-3 preamp, stereo into two 4x12 cabs. A Vox AC30 was also blended in for chime. No evidence of pedal use for the main riff section; effects are primarily from amp and studio blending. Pickup selector likely on bridge for main riff. All information is for the original studio recording, not live.
Amp Settings
Mids6.5
Bass6.5
Gain6
Reverb2.5
Treble6.5
Presence6
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Tone Character
- thick and powerful
- classic British crunch
- chimey high end
- tight and percussive attack
- warm, harmonically rich
- articulate chord definition
- dynamic response to picking
- slight breakup on hard strums
- robust and gritty
- midrange-forward
Notes & Caveats
- No specific numeric amp settings for 'Plush' studio recording found; settings estimated based on VHT/Marshall-style amp, genre, and era.
- No evidence of pedal use for the main riff section; all effects and gain are from amp and studio blending.
- Pickup selector inferred as bridge based on tone and typical Les Paul usage for riff.
- Vox AC30 was blended in studio for chime, but main crunch is from VHT/Marshall-type amp.
- If more specific pedal or amp settings are found in future interviews or session notes, update accordingly.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Dean DeLeo used a Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier for 'Plush,' but with a classic rock crunch, not full high-gain. The tone is thick, mid-forward, and warm, with moderate bass and treble, and just a touch of reverb for space—typical of early '90s alt-rock production.