GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence
The House Is Rockin' Guitar Tone Settings
Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble · 1980s · blues
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Fender Stratocaster (likely 'Number One' 1963/64 Stratocaster, as used on 'In Step' sessions)
Pickups
Fender single-coil pickups (vintage-style, stock or slightly overwound, as per SRV's main Strat)
Amp
Fender Vibroverb (Blackface, 1964, 2x10), possibly blended with Fender Bassman or Dumble Steel String Singer (per In Step session amp list)
Pickup Position
Neck pickup (or neck+middle, but neck is most likely for main riff)
Studio recording, 1988-1989 for 'In Step' album. SRV used multiple amps in the studio, but the Vibroverb is most commonly associated with his main rhythm tones. Tube Screamer likely used for added drive. No evidence of modulation or time-based pedals on the riff section. Settings are based on Guitar World SRV tone guide, which matches the Texas shuffle rhythm style of this track.
Amp Settings
Mids6.5
Bass7
Gain3.5
Reverb2.5
Treble6.5
Presence5
Effects Chain
- Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer · overdrive
Fender Stratocaster → Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer → Fender Vibroverb (with spring reverb)
Tone Matcher
Match This Tone to Your Gear
Tell us your guitar and amp — we’ll calculate the exact settings translated to your specific rig.
Adapt to MY Gear →7-day free trial · Cancel anytime.
Tone Character
- edge-of-breakup crunch
- Texas shuffle groove
- percussive and dynamic
- warm and mid-forward
- slightly gritty but clear
- articulate single-coil clarity
- touch-sensitive response
- tight low end
- snappy attack
- minimal effects coloration
Notes & Caveats
- No source explicitly lists the exact amp or pedal settings for 'The House Is Rockin'' riff section; settings are based on Guitar World SRV tone guides and typical In Step session gear.
- SRV used multiple amps in the studio; Vibroverb is most likely for rhythm, but Bassman or Dumble may have been blended.
- No evidence of modulation or time-based effects (chorus, delay, flanger, phaser) on the riff section; only mild amp reverb is used.
- Pickup position is inferred from typical SRV rhythm tone and genre conventions.
- Pedal settings are not specified; Tube Screamer is included based on overwhelming evidence of its use for SRV's rhythm tones.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. SRV's 'The House Is Rockin'' riff has a fat, punchy, edge-of-breakup Texas blues tone typical of his late-80s sound: moderate gain, strong lows, forward mids, and controlled treble. He used Fender amps (often Vibroverbs or Super Reverbs) set loud and cleanish, with reverb for space but not surfy levels.