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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 JTM45/100 (Super 100) head with Marshall 4x12 cabinet
Pickup Position
Neck pickup
Studio recording, 1967. No evidence of pedals used for the riff section; amp set clean to edge-of-breakup. Some sources speculate about Uni-Vibe or Fuzz Face, but these are not supported for the riff section of this track. Recorded at Olympic Studios, London.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass6.5
Gain3
Reverb2.5
Treble6.5
Presence5.5
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Tone Character
- warm and round
- clear note separation
- slightly compressed
- touch-sensitive
- edge-of-breakup crunch
- smooth and dynamic
- subtle reverb ambience
- not harsh or brittle
- classic Strat neck pickup fullness
- articulate chord voicings
Notes & Caveats
- No direct studio documentation of exact amp knob settings; values estimated based on typical Marshall JTM45/100 settings for 1960s Hendrix recordings and forum consensus.
- No evidence of Fuzz Face, Uni-Vibe, or other pedals used on the riff section; some sources mention these for other Hendrix songs or solos, but not for this part.
- Pickup position inferred from typical Hendrix approach and forum discussion; some players use bridge or middle, but neck pickup is most consistent with the original recording's tone.
- Amp reverb is subtle; may be from room or mixing, but a small amount of amp spring reverb is included for accuracy.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Hendrix's tone on 'The Wind Cries Mary' is clean with a touch of breakup, full and warm with pronounced mids (typical of his Marshall amps), moderate bass, and restrained treble for smoothness. The reverb is subtle, likely from the studio, and presence is neutral as the tone is neither overly bright nor dark.