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Synchronicity II (Remastered 2003) — The Police1 / 2
Original RigYour Adaptation
GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence

Synchronicity II (Remastered 2003) Guitar Tone Settings

The Police · 1980s · rock

studio

Original Recording

Guitar
Fender Telecaster (custom, 1961, with humbucker in neck position)
Pickups
Bridge single-coil (Fender Telecaster bridge pickup), Neck humbucker (Gibson-style, installed by Andy Summers)
Amp
Marshall amp (likely JMP or JCM800, used for dirty/crunch tones in studio)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup

Studio recording, 1983. Andy Summers used his main Telecaster with a bridge single-coil and neck humbucker. For Synchronicity II riff, sources indicate Marshall amp for crunch tones. Effects chain included chorus and flanger pedals. No evidence of Roland JC-120 for this specific riff section.

Amp Settings

Mids
7
Bass
6
Gain
5
Reverb
2.5
Treble
7.5
Presence
6

Effects Chain

  • Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble · chorus
  • Electro-Harmonix Electric Mistress Flanger/Filter Matrix · flanger

Fender Telecaster → Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble → Electro-Harmonix Electric Mistress Flanger → Marshall amp (with light spring reverb)

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Tone Character

  • bright and cutting
  • modulation-rich
  • swirling chorus and flanger textures
  • tight and percussive
  • articulate chord voicings
  • medium gain crunch
  • harmonically complex
  • shimmering, metallic edge
  • slightly compressed
  • rhythmic clarity

Notes & Caveats

  • ⚠️No direct numeric amp knob settings found for Synchronicity II studio recording; settings estimated based on typical Marshall usage for Andy Summers in this era and genre.
  • ⚠️Pedal models confirmed for Andy Summers' Police era, but not always tied to specific song sections; chorus and flanger are clearly audible and cited as signature to this riff.
  • ⚠️Pickup choice inferred from tone and multiple sources describing Summers' use of bridge pickup for bright, cutting riff tones.
  • ⚠️No evidence of delay or reverb pedals in the riff section; amp reverb set low for ambience.
  • ⚠️No evidence of Roland JC-120 or clean amp for this riff; Marshall amp cited for dirty/crunch tones.
  • ⚠️Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Andy Summers' riff tone on 'Synchronicity II' is bright, cutting, and mid-forward, typical of his Hiwatt/Marshall amps with a Telecaster and chorus. The gain is at a crunchy edge-of-breakup, with strong mids and treble for clarity, moderate bass, and subtle studio reverb for ambience.

Sources