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The Wind Cries Mary Guitar Tone Settings
The Jimi Hendrix Experience · 1960s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
1965 Fender Stratocaster
Pickups
Fender single-coil pickups (stock 1965 Stratocaster)
Amp
Marshall JTM45 (studio recording, 1967)
Pickup Position
Neck pickup (possibly neck + middle)
Studio recording, 1967. No pedals used for the riff section; clean amp tone. Confirmed by multiple sources that the riff was recorded with a Stratocaster into a Marshall JTM45, no fuzz or other pedals. Pickup position likely neck or neck+middle for warmth.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass6.5
Gain3
Reverb3
Treble6.5
Presence5.5
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Tone Character
- clean and bell-like
- warm and rounded
- touch-sensitive
- clear note separation
- slightly compressed
- mellow highs
- soft attack
- dynamic response
- subtle amp breakup at peaks
- articulate and expressive
Notes & Caveats
- No direct studio documentation of exact amp knob settings; values estimated based on typical Marshall JTM45 clean settings for 1960s rock and confirmed lack of pedals.
- Pickup position inferred from tone and community consensus; not confirmed by studio notes.
- No evidence of any pedals or effects used in the riff section; all sources and isolated tracks confirm clean amp tone.
- Reverb setting estimated as low, as the recording is dry with only subtle room ambience.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Hendrix's 'The Wind Cries Mary' riff uses a clean-to-edge-of-breakup tone typical of a cranked late-60s Marshall JTM45/100 with single-coil pickups. The tone is warm, mid-forward, and slightly compressed, with moderate bass, strong mids, restrained treble, neutral presence, and a touch of reverb from the studio or plate. These settings reflect both his gear and the song's smooth, bluesy character.