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Testify (Live at Ripley's Music Hall, Philadelphia, PA, Oct. 20, 1983) Guitar Tone Settings

Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble · 1980s · blues

live

Original Recording

Guitar

1962 Fender Stratocaster 'Number One'

Pickups

Fender single-coil pickups (original vintage spec, likely 1959-1962 era)

Amp

Fender Vibroverb (Blackface, 2x15" speakers, 1964) x2 (for distortion/drive) + Marshall 4140 Club & Country (for clean, not primary for riff)

Pickup Position

Neck pickup

Live performance, October 20, 1983, Ripley's Music Hall, Philadelphia. SRV's main distorted tone at this time was Stratocaster into Tube Screamer into cranked Fender Vibroverbs. Marshall used for clean, not main riff. No evidence of other pedals or effects for riff.

Amp Settings

Mids

Bass

6.5

Gain

Reverb

3.5

Treble

6.5

Presence

5.5

Effects Chain

Ibanez TS808 Tube Screamer · overdrive

Fender Stratocaster → Ibanez TS808 Tube Screamer → Fender Vibroverb (with spring reverb)

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Tone Character

fat, mid-forward crunch
touch-sensitive and dynamic
warm low end with crisp, biting highs
singing sustain on single notes
percussive attack on rhythm
natural amp compression
edge-of-breakup drive
articulate and clear note separation
Texas blues shuffle feel
slight amp reverb for space

Notes & Caveats

⚠️No direct photo or interview confirming exact pedal settings for this specific live performance; settings estimated based on multiple sources describing SRV's typical live rig and amp settings for this era.
⚠️No evidence of modulation, delay, or wah effects in the riff section; only overdrive and amp reverb are used.
⚠️Marshall amp was present but used for clean tones, not the main distorted riff section.
⚠️Pickup position inferred from typical SRV usage and tone characteristics in this song.
⚠️Amp settings averaged from cited sources and adjusted for live context.
⚠️Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. SRV's 'Testify' live tone at this era is classic edge-of-breakup with thick lows, strong mids, and moderate treble, achieved with a cranked Fender or Dumble-style amp and heavy strings. The reverb is present but not overwhelming, matching his typical blues settings from the early 80s.