GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence
Tennessee Whiskey Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Chris Stapleton
Chris Stapleton · 2010s+ · country
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Fender Telecaster (likely American Vintage or Custom Shop, single-coil pickups)
Pickups
Fender single-coil (Telecaster bridge position)
Amp
Fender '62 Princeton Chris Stapleton Edition
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 2015. Gear inferred from Equipboard and typical Stapleton studio setups. No direct evidence of pedals for the riff section; amp overdrive and reverb likely. No evidence of additional effects in the riff section.
Amp Settings
Mids6.5
Bass6.5
Gain5
Reverb5.5
Treble6.5
Presence5.5
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Tone Character
- warm and round
- slightly gritty breakup
- touch-sensitive
- clear note definition
- dynamic and responsive
- amp-driven overdrive
- spring reverb ambience
- medium sustain
- no modulation effects
- articulate attack
Notes & Caveats
- No direct source confirms exact amp or pedal settings for the studio riff section; settings estimated based on typical Fender Princeton/Telecaster usage in modern country/blues context.
- No evidence of drive/boost/overdrive pedals in the riff section; overdrive is likely from amp pushed to breakup.
- No evidence of delay, chorus, flanger, or other modulation/time-based effects in the riff section; only spring reverb is audible.
- Guitar and amp model inferred from Equipboard and Stapleton's known studio gear for this era; not explicitly confirmed for this exact recording.
- Pickup position inferred from typical Telecaster usage for this tone and the audible sound in the riff.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Chris Stapleton's 'Tennessee Whiskey' riff uses a warm, bluesy edge-of-breakup tone with rich mids and bass, moderate treble for smoothness, and subtle reverb for space. These settings reflect his typical use of a Fender amp (like a Princeton or Vibrolux), P-90 or humbucker-equipped guitar, and classic blues/soul production.