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Start Me Up — The Rolling Stones1 / 2
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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

Mids
6.5
Bass
5.5
Gain
4.5
Reverb
2
Treble
7
Presence
6

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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

Notes & Caveats

  • ⚠️No direct numeric amp settings found for 'Start Me Up'; settings estimated based on typical Fender Champ/Harvard usage for Stones studio tones in early 1980s.
  • ⚠️No evidence of pedals or effects used on the riff section; all sources and isolated tracks confirm dry, amp-only tone.
  • ⚠️Pickup choice inferred from known 'Micawber' setup and typical Stones bridge pickup sound for this riff.
  • ⚠️If alternate amp or pedal info emerges, update accordingly.
  • ⚠️Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Keith Richards used a Telecaster into an Ampeg VT-22 for 'Start Me Up,' with a bright, punchy, edge-of-breakup tone typical of early '80s Stones. The sound is mid-forward, not overly distorted, with moderate bass and treble, and just a touch of amp reverb for space.

Sources