GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence
Rocket Queen Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses · 1980s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Kris Derrig Les Paul Standard replica (1959 Burst copy, used by Slash on Appetite for Destruction)
Pickups
Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro humbuckers
Amp
Marshall 1959T Super Tremolo 'S.I.R. #39' (modded by Tim Caswell, 100W head, used in Appetite for Destruction studio sessions)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1987. The S.I.R. #39 Marshall head was rented for the Appetite sessions and is widely accepted as the amp used for the main riff tones on 'Rocket Queen'. The guitar was a Kris Derrig Les Paul replica with Alnico II Pro pickups. No evidence of live/touring gear or other guitars/amps being used for the riff section. Effects are minimal; most of the tone is guitar and amp.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass6
Gain6.5
Reverb2
Treble7
Presence6
Tone Matcher
Match This Tone to Your Gear
Tell us your guitar and amp — we’ll calculate the exact settings translated to your specific rig.
Adapt to MY Gear →7-day free trial · Cancel anytime.
Tone Character
- classic British crunch
- tight, percussive rhythm
- warm, mid-focused drive
- articulate pick attack
- singing sustain on held notes
- slightly saturated but not high-gain
- open, dynamic response
- punchy low end
- present upper mids
- not overly compressed
Notes & Caveats
- No direct studio photo or interview confirms exact knob settings for 'Rocket Queen' riff, but Equipboard quotes Slash's tech: 'We usually start with all the settings around 6 and then dial in for the room.'
- Amp model (S.I.R. #39) is widely accepted for Appetite for Destruction, but some sources mention possible use of Jubilee or AFD100 clones in later years.
- Pedal use for the riff is minimal; most sources and isolated tracks indicate the core tone is guitar and amp only.
- Delay and talkbox are associated with other sections or live use, not the main riff.
- Settings are estimated based on typical Marshall Plexi modded usage and era, weighted by Equipboard and Guitar World sources.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Slash's 'Rocket Queen' riff tone is classic late-80s Marshall crunch: saturated but not overly high gain, with forward mids, balanced bass, and enough treble/presence for bite without harshness. Subtle studio reverb adds space but keeps the sound tight and punchy.