GuitarDistortedSolo80% confidence
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
1963 Fender Stratocaster 'Number One'
Pickups
Fender single-coil pickups (stock 1963 Stratocaster configuration)
Amp
1964 Fender Vibroverb (Blackface, 2x10, likely with JBL speakers)
Pickup Position
Neck pickup
Live performance, October 20, 1983, Ripley's Music Hall, Philadelphia. Guitar is SRV's main 'Number One' Strat. Amp is the Vibroverb, which was his primary live amp during this era. No evidence of studio effects or rack gear; pedal use confirmed for solo boost.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass7
Gain5
Reverb3.5
Treble6.5
Presence5.5
Effects Chain
- Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer · overdrive
Guitar → Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer → Fender Vibroverb (with spring reverb)
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Tone Character
- midrange bite
- gritty and dynamic
- boosted low midrange
- slightly rolled off bass
- singing sustain
- touch-sensitive response
- Texas blues edge
- fat, round solo tone
- articulate and expressive
- cutting through the mix
Notes & Caveats
- No direct numeric amp settings for this specific live performance found; settings estimated based on typical SRV Vibroverb/TS9 live setup from 1983 era.
- No evidence of additional effects (delay, chorus, flanger, etc.) used in this solo; only TS9 Tube Screamer confirmed for solo boost.
- Pickup choice inferred from SRV's typical solo tone and live footage; neck pickup is standard for his lead sound.
- No evidence of effects loop use; Vibroverb does not have an effects loop.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. SRV's live tone in 1983 was thick, dynamic, and just past the edge of breakup, using high bass and mids for warmth and punch, moderate treble to avoid harshness, and subtle spring reverb for space. These settings reflect his typical Fender amp setup (Vibroverb/Super Reverb), heavy strings, and aggressive attack, matching the soulful, sustaining solo tone heard on this recording.