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Since You Been Gone Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Rainbow
Rainbow · 1970s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Fender Stratocaster (1970s, likely late-70s, maple neck, stock single-coil pickups, as used by Ritchie Blackmore on the Down to Earth album)
Pickups
Fender single-coil (stock 1970s Stratocaster pickups, likely with treble-bleed mod as per Blackmore's known mods of the era)
Amp
Marshall Major 200W head (model 1967, as used by Blackmore in late 1970s Rainbow studio sessions)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1979, Down to Earth album. Blackmore was known for using a late-70s Stratocaster with stock single-coils and a Marshall Major head in the studio for Rainbow's 'Since You Been Gone'. No evidence of pedals or effects other than possible amp reverb. No evidence of live rig or later Engl amps for this recording.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass6
Gain6
Reverb2
Treble7
Presence6
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Tone Character
- classic British crunch
- bright and articulate
- tight and percussive
- punchy midrange
- clear note separation
- slightly compressed
- minimal reverb
- cutting single-coil attack
- medium gain saturation
- no audible modulation or delay
Notes & Caveats
- No direct source lists exact amp knob settings for the studio recording; settings estimated based on typical Marshall Major usage for late-70s classic rock and Blackmore's known preferences.
- No evidence of any pedals or effects used on the riff section; no delay, chorus, flanger, or phaser audible in the recording.
- Blackmore's live rigs in later Rainbow tours used Engl amps, but the studio recording for 'Since You Been Gone' (1979) was with Marshall Major.
- Pickup choice inferred from tone and Blackmore's typical usage for rhythm sections.
- No evidence of effects loop or outboard studio effects on the guitar track for the riff.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Ritchie Blackmore used a crunchy, mid-forward British tone typical of late '70s hard rock, likely from a Marshall Major or similar amp with moderate gain, strong mids, and balanced bass/treble. The riff is punchy and clear with minimal reverb, matching the production style and his known amp settings.