GuitarDistortedSolo80% confidence
The Sky Is Crying (1984 Version) Guitar Tone Settings
Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble · 1980s · blues
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
1959 Fender Stratocaster 'Number One'
Pickups
Fender single-coil pickups (original vintage 1959 spec, overwound, staggered pole pieces)
Amp
Dumble Steel String Singer (custom 150W, 6550 tubes) into custom 4x12 cabinet with Electro-Voice speakers
Pickup Position
Neck pickup
Studio recording, 1984. Dumble SSS was main clean/edge amp for this era; TS9 Tube Screamer used for solo drive. Vibroverbs and other amps may have been blended, but Dumble is primary for this tone. TS9 settings are for clean boost, not heavy distortion.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass7
Gain4.5
Reverb3.5
Treble6.5
Presence5.5
Effects Chain
- Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer · overdrive
Guitar → Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer → Dumble Steel String Singer (with spring reverb) → 4x12 cab
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Tone Character
- singing sustain
- warm and smooth neck pickup
- touch-sensitive breakup
- fat, vocal midrange
- dynamic response to picking
- slightly compressed attack
- clear note separation
- edge-of-breakup crunch
- Texas blues solo character
Notes & Caveats
- No direct amp knob settings for 'The Sky Is Crying' solo found; amp settings estimated based on Dumble SSS typical use and era.
- TS9 Tube Screamer confirmed as main drive pedal for this era; settings inferred from multiple sources stating 'level up, drive down' for clean boost.
- No evidence of delay, chorus, flanger, or phaser on this solo; only reverb (amp or studio) is present.
- Pickup choice inferred from tone and SRV's known soloing habits; neck pickup is standard for his singing solo tone.
- Amp blend possible (Vibroverb, Bassman), but Dumble SSS is primary for 1984 studio solos.
- Presence and reverb values estimated based on typical Dumble/TS9 blues solo tones.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. SRV's 1984 'The Sky Is Crying' solo tone is classic edge-of-breakup with a fat, warm low end, strong mids, and smooth highs, typical of his Vibroverb/Blackface amps set loud. The reverb is moderate for blues ambience, and presence is kept in check to avoid harshness, matching the era's production and his signature Texas blues sound.