GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence
Radar Love Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Golden Earring
Golden Earring · 1970s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Gibson Les Paul Custom (black, 3-pickup, pickup covers removed)
Pickups
Gibson humbuckers (likely original late-60s/early-70s spec, covers removed for brighter tone)
Amp
Vox AC30
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1973 (album released 1973/1974). Guitar confirmed by Equipboard and Dutch sources as the black Les Paul Custom with covers removed for a brighter sound. Amp confirmed as Vox AC30, Kooymans' preferred studio amp of the era. No evidence of pedals or additional effects used on the riff section; focus is on amp and guitar only.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass6
Gain5.5
Reverb2
Treble7
Presence6
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Tone Character
- bright and biting
- classic British crunch
- tight and punchy rhythm
- articulate note separation
- mid-forward presence
- slightly compressed
- open and dynamic
- percussive attack
- amp-driven overdrive
- no pedal coloration
Notes & Caveats
- No direct amp knob settings found; values estimated based on typical Vox AC30 settings for classic rock in the 1970s and the tone on the original recording.
- No evidence of pedals or additional effects used on the riff section; all sources and audio point to guitar straight into amp.
- Pickup choice inferred from tone and typical Les Paul usage for riff; sources confirm bridge pickup covers were removed for a brighter sound.
- Reverb setting is estimated low, as the AC30 of the era had minimal/no built-in reverb and the track is dry.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Radar Love's riff is classic early '70s British-influenced hard rock with a crunchy, mid-forward tone typical of cranked Marshall amps of the era. The guitar is punchy and present but not overly distorted, with moderate bass, strong mids, and enough treble/presence for clarity, while reverb is minimal, reflecting the dry production style of the time.