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Tears In Heaven Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton · 1990s · other
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
1977 Juan Alvarez Classical Guitar
Pickups
Nylon-string classical (no magnetic pickups, piezo or mic for amplification)
Amp
1958 Fender Twin 5F8-4 (Tweed Twin, modified by Cesar Diaz)
Pickup Position
N/A (classical guitar, no pickup selector)
Studio recording, 1991. Used for the original 'Tears In Heaven' studio and MTV Unplugged performances. No evidence of electric guitar or magnetic pickups for the riff section; strictly classical guitar into a clean Fender Tweed Twin amp, likely mic'd or with piezo pickup. No pedalboard or effects chain confirmed for the studio version.
Amp Settings
Mids6
Bass6
Gain0
Reverb3.5
Treble6
Presence5
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Tone Character
- warm and natural
- mellow and rounded highs
- clear and articulate
- soft and intimate
- acoustic resonance
- gentle, transparent reverb
- no electric guitar artifacts
- rich midrange
- dynamic fingerstyle response
- close-mic'd presence
Notes & Caveats
- Gain adjusted to 0 for clean tone
- No numeric amp settings found in sources; values estimated based on typical Fender Tweed Twin clean settings for acoustic/classical guitar.
- No evidence of pedals or effects used on the studio riff section; all effects inferred from the recording and amp capabilities.
- Classical guitar has no pickup selector or tone/volume knobs; guitar knob settings are notional for completeness.
- If referencing MTV Unplugged, the setup is nearly identical: Alvarez classical into clean Fender amp, no pedals.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Clapton's 'Tears In Heaven' riff features a very clean, warm, and intimate tone typical of his early 90s acoustic-electric work, likely using a low-gain setting with slightly boosted bass and mids for warmth, moderate treble for clarity, neutral presence, and moderate reverb for a natural room ambience.