GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence
The Spirit of Radio Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Rush
Rush · 1980s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Gibson ES-355
Pickups
Gibson humbuckers (stock ES-355, likely Patent Number or T-Top humbuckers)
Amp
Marshall 100-watt head (likely JMP or Super Lead, used in studio for Permanent Waves)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1979/1980 for Permanent Waves. Lifeson confirms ES-355 and Marshall as primary studio rig for this era and song. Chorus effect likely from Roland JC-120 blended in, but main drive tone is Marshall. Not live/touring rig.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass6
Gain6
Reverb2
Treble7
Presence6
Effects Chain
- Electro-Harmonix Electric Mistress · flanger
- Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble · chorus
Gibson ES-355 → Electric Mistress Flanger → Boss CE-1 Chorus → Marshall 100-watt head → Marshall 4x12 cab (studio room reverb)
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Tone Character
- crunchy and harmonically rich
- bright and articulate
- tight, percussive attack
- modulated shimmer (flanger/chorus)
- clear note separation under gain
- dynamic, responsive to picking
- British amp drive character
- not overly saturated
- slight room ambience
- cutting upper mids
Notes & Caveats
- No direct numeric amp settings found; values estimated based on typical Marshall JMP/Super Lead settings for classic rock and era, and confirmed use of ES-355 and Marshall in studio.
- Chorus effect is likely from Roland JC-120 blended in, but main distortion tone is Marshall.
- Flanger and chorus are both clearly audible in the riff, but no direct pedal settings found; pedal models inferred from multiple forum and interview sources.
- No evidence of overdrive/distortion pedals in studio chain; distortion is from amp.
- Pickup position inferred from typical classic rock rhythm tone and Lifeson's known preferences.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Alex Lifeson's 'The Spirit of Radio' riff tone is classic late-70s/early-80s British crunch—Marshall-style amp, moderate gain for clarity, prominent mids for punch, slightly boosted treble and presence for articulation, and minimal reverb as was typical of the era and genre.