GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence
This Love Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Maroon 5
Maroon 5 · 2000s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Ernie Ball Music Man Valentine (likely prototype or early production, as used by James Valentine on 'This Love' recording)
Pickups
Custom Music Man humbucker (bridge), Music Man single-coil (neck), with coil-split option
Amp
Fender Hot Rod Deluxe (studio recording, as used on 'Songs About Jane' era)
Pickup Position
Middle position with coil tap engaged (neck single-coil + bridge humbucker, out-of-phase)
Studio recording, 2002-2003. James Valentine has stated the Music Man Valentine was used on classic tracks including 'This Love'; amp confirmed as Fender Hot Rod Deluxe for this era. Pedalboard included Menatone Blue Collar Overdrive for rhythm crunch. Effects chain and settings are based on Premier Guitar interviews and pedalboard rundowns for the album era.
Amp Settings
Mids6.5
Bass5.5
Gain4
Reverb3.5
Treble7
Presence5.5
Effects Chain
- Menatone Blue Collar Overdrive · overdrive
Guitar → Menatone Blue Collar Overdrive → Fender Hot Rod Deluxe (spring reverb on)
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Tone Character
- tight and percussive
- bright and articulate
- midrange-forward
- snappy attack
- slightly gritty edge
- dynamic and responsive
- minimal sustain
- not overly compressed
- clean with a hint of crunch
Notes & Caveats
- No explicit numeric amp settings for 'This Love' studio recording found; settings estimated based on typical Fender Hot Rod Deluxe usage for clean/crunch funk rhythm in early 2000s.
- Pedalboard details are from Premier Guitar interviews and rig rundowns for 'Songs About Jane' era; exact pedal settings not specified.
- Pickup position inferred from James Valentine's own description of using the middle position with coil tap for 'This Love' and similar tracks.
- No direct evidence of chorus, delay, or reverb pedals on the riff section; reverb assumed from amp.
- If alternate guitars/amps are found in future sources, update accordingly.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. The riff in 'This Love' features a clean-to-slightly gritty funk tone with pronounced mids and treble for clarity and rhythmic punch, typical of early 2000s pop-rock production. James Valentine often used Fender amps and single-coil guitars, favoring edge-of-breakup settings with balanced EQ and subtle reverb for tight, articulate funk rhythms.