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Pretty Girls Make Graves Solo Guitar Tone Settings — The Smiths
The Smiths · 1980s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
1983 Rickenbacker 330
Pickups
Rickenbacker Hi-Gain single coils
Amp
Fender Twin Reverb (Blackface, 1965 reissue or original)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1984. Johnny Marr used his black Rickenbacker 330 for most of The Smiths' debut album sessions. The amp was almost certainly a Fender Twin Reverb, as used throughout the era. No evidence of Jaguar or Gibson 355 on this track. No evidence of live rig for this solo section.
Amp Settings
Mids6.5
Bass5
Gain3.5
Reverb4.5
Treble7
Presence5
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Tone Character
- bright and jangly
- glassy top end
- articulate and clear
- lush ambient reverb
- dynamic and touch-sensitive
- slightly compressed
- percussive attack
- modest sustain
- warm midrange
- no audible overdrive
Notes & Caveats
- No direct source lists exact amp knob settings for this song; settings estimated based on typical Fender Twin Reverb use in 1980s indie rock.
- No explicit confirmation of pedal use for this solo section; pedalboard sources are general for The Smiths era.
- No evidence of Jaguar, Gibson 355, or other guitars for this solo; Rickenbacker 330 is most documented for this album.
- No evidence of chorus, delay, flanger, or phaser in the solo section; only amp reverb is clearly audible.
- No evidence of effects loop use; assumed direct into amp.
- No explicit pickup position stated; bridge pickup inferred from tone and typical Marr usage.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Johnny Marr's solo tone on 'Pretty Girls Make Graves' is bright, jangly, and articulate, with minimal breakup—typical of his Fender Twin Reverb/Vox AC30 setups in the early Smiths era. The tone is mid-forward and cutting, with restrained bass and subtle amp reverb, matching both his style and the production of the period.