GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence
Stranger in a Strange Land (2015 Remaster) Guitar Tone Settings
Iron Maiden · 1980s · metal
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Ibanez RS315
Pickups
Ibanez V7/V8 humbuckers (stock on RS315, likely bridge position for riff)
Amp
Gallien-Krueger 250ML
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1986 (album: Somewhere in Time, 2015 Remaster). Both Adrian Smith and Dave Murray used the Gallien-Krueger 250ML for the album's distinctive tones. No evidence of live rig or alternate guitars for the riff section.
Amp Settings
Mids5.5
Bass5.5
Gain7
Reverb2
Treble7
Presence6
Effects Chain
- Chorus pedal (model unknown) · chorus
Ibanez RS315 → Chorus pedal (model unknown) → Gallien-Krueger 250ML (with digital reverb and chorus)
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Tone Character
- tight and percussive
- scooped mids
- bright and articulate
- processed chorus shimmer
- clear note separation
- metallic edge
- sustained power chords
- crisp attack
- modern 80s metal
- articulate palm muting
Notes & Caveats
- No specific amp knob settings found for the riff section; values estimated based on typical Gallien-Krueger 250ML usage in 1980s metal and Adrian Smith's known tone.
- No explicit pickup selector position confirmed, but bridge pickup is standard for Iron Maiden rhythm riffs.
- No pedal models confirmed for the riff section; chorus effect is clearly audible but source does not specify pedal or amp origin.
- No evidence of delay, wah, or other effects in the riff section; chorus is the only modulation effect present.
- Settings are for studio recording, not live.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Adrian Smith and Dave Murray in the 'Somewhere in Time' era used mid-gain Marshall amps (often JCM800s) with strong mids and moderate bass for clarity, matching the British metal sound. The tone is punchy, not scooped, with enough gain for sustain but not modern saturation, and the production is fairly dry with minimal reverb.