Skinny Love — Bon Iver1 / 2
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Skinny Love Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Bon Iver

Bon Iver · 2000s · indie folk

studio

Original Recording

Guitar
National Duolian steel-bodied resonator, tuned open-C (C-G-C-G-C-C low to high)
Pickups
None on the studio recording (mic'd). Live versions sometimes use piezo or magnetic acoustic pickups.
Amp
None — direct mic, no amplifier in the chain
Pickup Position
N/A — mic'd resonator (no electric pickup in the original recording)

Recorded by Justin Vernon alone in a remote Wisconsin cabin during the For Emma, Forever Ago sessions (winter 2006-2007). The resonator's metallic, slightly compressed character — combined with the open-C drone tuning — produces the song's signature shimmering, harmonic-rich quality. No effects beyond natural cabin room reverb and incidental microphone bleed.

Amp Settings

Mids
5
Bass
5
Gain
1
Reverb
4
Treble
6
Presence
5

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Tone Character

  • metallic resonator shimmer
  • completely clean signal
  • open-string drone from open-C tuning
  • percussive fingerstyle attack
  • natural cabin room reverb
  • intimate close-mic'd presence
  • sympathetic harmonic resonance
  • soft dynamics throughout
  • no electric instrument character
  • minimalist folk recording aesthetic

Sources