GuitarCleanRiff
Purple Rain Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Prince & The Revolution
Prince & The Revolution · 1980s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Rickenbacker (hot-rodded with G&L pickups, sealed body, stolen after recording)
Pickups
G&L single-coil pickups (exact model unknown, retrofitted into Rickenbacker)
Amp
Mesa/Boogie Mark I
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1983-1984. Wendy Melvoin played the riff on the original recording with a sealed Rickenbacker with G&L pickups into a Boss CE-1 chorus and a Mesa/Boogie Mark I amp. Not the MadCat Tele used by Prince for the solo/live. No evidence of additional pedals or effects for the riff section beyond chorus.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass6
Gain4.5
Reverb3.5
Treble7
Presence6
Effects Chain
- Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble · chorus
Rickenbacker (G&L pickups) → Boss CE-1 Chorus → Mesa/Boogie Mark I (with spring reverb)
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Tone Character
- bright and articulate
- snappy attack
- lush chorus modulation
- clean and clear
- crisp top end
- percussive rhythm
- airy and open
- minimal breakup
- studio clarity
- distinct note separation