(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay Guitar Tone Settings
Otis Redding · 1960s · soul
studio
Original Recording
A reconstruction of the riff tone. Gear attributions and estimated settings are explained in the research notes below.
Studio recording, 1967. Steve Cropper confirmed use of his 1961 Fender Esquire for the riff on the original studio recording. Amp is not explicitly confirmed for this song, but Cropper has stated in interviews that the Harvard was used on several Otis Redding tracks at Stax during this era. No evidence of pedals or effects other than amp reverb.
Amp Settings
Suggested starting points on a 0–10 scale, not documented studio knob positions. Match to your gear for controls specific to your setup.
Effects Chain
1961 Fender Esquire → Fender Harvard (tweed, with light spring reverb)
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Tone Character
- bright and snappy
- clean and percussive
- warm and soulful
- articulate and dynamic
- slightly compressed
- classic Stax clean sound
- tight and focused low end
- chimey highs
- responsive to picking dynamics
- no audible distortion
Sources
- Steve Cropper on recording classic Stax cuts and Peavey vs Telecasters | Guitar World
- Steve Cropper‘s 5 tips for guitar players: “I always look at my guitar before playing and say, ‘If you don’t play good tonight, you’re firewood in the morning!’“ | MusicRadar
- Steve Cropper: “I say to my guitars, ‘If you don’t perform tonight, you’re going to be firewood in the morning.’ And it always works!” | Guitar World