GuitarDistortedRiff
Start Me Up Riff Guitar Tone Settings — The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones · 1980s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
1953 Fender Telecaster 'Micawber' (5-string, open G tuning)
Pickups
Seymour Duncan Antiquity humbucker (neck), Fender single-coil (bridge)
Amp
Fender Tweed Champ (studio recording, 8" speaker, sometimes blended with tweed Harvard 'One Love')
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup (Fender single-coil)
Studio recording, 1981 (Tattoo You sessions). Keith Richards used his iconic 'Micawber' Telecaster in open G tuning, with the low E string removed. Amp was a small tweed Fender Champ, possibly blended with a tweed Harvard. No evidence of pedals or effects used on the riff section; tone is achieved via guitar and amp only.
Amp Settings
Mids6.5
Bass5.5
Gain4.5
Reverb2
Treble7
Presence6
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Tone Character
- bright and percussive
- open and jangly
- midrange-forward
- tight, punchy rhythm
- slightly gritty edge-of-breakup
- articulate chord voicings
- minimal sustain, fast decay
- raw, uncompressed amp tone
- classic Telecaster twang
- dynamic, responsive to picking attack