GuitarDistortedRiff
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
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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