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Tears Are Falling — Kiss1 / 2
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Tears Are Falling Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Kiss

Kiss · 1980s · rock

studio

Original Recording

Guitar
Kramer Baretta (1984-85, likely with custom finish)
Pickups
Seymour Duncan JB humbucker
Amp
Marshall JCM800 2203 head with 4x12 cabinet
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup

Studio recording, 1985. Bruce Kulick played the riff section. No evidence of live/tour gear or alternate guitars for the studio riff. No explicit pedalboard or amp settings found in sources.

Amp Settings

Mids
6
Bass
6
Gain
7
Reverb
3
Treble
7
Presence
6.5

Effects Chain

  • Chorus pedal (model unknown) · chorus

Kramer Baretta → Chorus pedal (model unknown) → Marshall JCM800 2203 (with spring reverb) → 4x12 cabinet

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Tone Character

  • bright and cutting
  • tight and percussive
  • crunchy rhythm
  • articulate palm muting
  • chorus shimmer
  • medium-high gain saturation
  • slight reverb for space
  • not overly scooped mids
  • focused low end
  • 80s hair metal clarity

Notes & Caveats

  • ⚠️No explicit amp or pedal settings found in sources; amp and settings estimated based on era, genre, and Bruce Kulick's known gear for the Asylum album.
  • ⚠️No direct evidence of pedal models for chorus or reverb; chorus effect is clearly audible in the riff, so included as 'Chorus pedal (model unknown)'.
  • ⚠️No evidence of delay, flanger, or other modulation in the riff section.
  • ⚠️Pickup and amp model inferred from Bruce Kulick interviews and typical 1985 KISS studio gear.
  • ⚠️Settings are estimated for Marshall JCM800 with a humbucker-equipped Kramer Baretta in a studio context.
  • ⚠️Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Bruce Kulick's riff tone on 'Tears Are Falling' is classic mid-80s hard rock: saturated but not ultra-high gain, with balanced mids (not scooped), tight but not boomy lows, and enough top-end for clarity. The reverb is subtle, matching the era's production style, and presence is boosted for air without harshness.

Sources