Revolution Riff Guitar Tone Settings — The Beatles
The Beatles · 1960s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Studio recording, 1968. Both John Lennon and George Harrison played through the REDD.47 mic preamp for the signature distorted riff. No traditional guitar amp was used for the main riff; distortion was achieved by overdriving the REDD.47. Some sources mention fuzz pedals (Sola Sound Tone Bender Mk 1.5 or Dallas-Arbiter Fuzz Face) possibly used for additional grit, but the main riff tone is widely attributed to the REDD.47. No evidence of live performance with this setup.
Amp Settings
Effects Chain
- Sola Sound Tone Bender Mk 1.5 (possible, not confirmed for riff) · fuzz
Epiphone Casino (bridge pickup, volume 8-9, tone 6-7) → (possible Sola Sound Tone Bender Mk 1.5) → REDD.47 line amplifier (preamp, direct to console)
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Tone Character
- violent and extreme distortion
- gritty and saturated fuzz
- fast, percussive attack
- scratchy treble
- nasal midrange
- raw and compressed
- abrasive and biting
- direct-in, unfiltered sound
- unique, singing sustain
- mid-forward, aggressive presence