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Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) [2024 Remaster] Guitar Tone Settings
Journey · 1980s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
1981 Gibson Les Paul Custom (Black Beauty, stock humbuckers)
Pickups
Gibson humbuckers (likely T-Top or Dirty Fingers, era-correct)
Amp
Marshall JMP 2203 (100-watt head, late 1970s/early 1980s, likely with Marshall 4x12 cabinet, Celestion speakers)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1982 (Escape/Frontiers era, applies to 2024 Remaster as it is a remaster of the original studio track). No evidence of live rig or modern digital gear for this recording. All gear listed is era- and session-correct for Neal Schon and this song's riff section.
Amp Settings
Mids6.5
Bass6
Gain7
Reverb2
Treble7
Presence6
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Tone Character
- tight, chunky rhythm attack
- classic British crunch
- articulate palm-muted riffing
- clear note separation
- punchy midrange presence
- slightly saturated, not high-gain
- bright top end with controlled sizzle
- focused low end, not boomy
- dynamic response to picking
- minimal ambience, dry studio sound
Notes & Caveats
- No explicit studio session photos or official documentation for the exact amp/pedal settings for the original 'Separate Ways' studio riff; settings estimated based on era, genre, and Neal Schon's known gear from the period.
- No direct evidence of pedal use for the riff section; effects inferred from audio and typical practices.
- No numeric amp knob settings found in sources; values estimated based on Marshall JMP usage in early 1980s rock.
- No evidence of chorus, flanger, or other modulation on the riff section; only mild reverb is audible, likely from the amp or studio room.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Neal Schon’s tone on 'Separate Ways' is classic early-80s hard rock: saturated but articulate, with a strong midrange and tight low end. He likely used a Marshall or Mesa/Boogie with moderate-high gain, boosted mids for cut, and subtle reverb, matching the genre and production style of the era.