GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence
What's Up? Riff Guitar Tone Settings — 4 Non Blondes
4 Non Blondes · 1990s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Fender Telecaster
Pickups
Single-coil (Fender Telecaster stock pickups, likely 1990s production)
Amp
Unknown (no direct source; likely a tube combo amp, possibly Fender or Marshall, typical for early 1990s pop/rock studio recordings)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1992. No direct evidence of amp model or pedals for the riff section. Guitar confirmed as Fender Telecaster via Equipboard. No pedalboard or amp photos from the session. Settings estimated based on era, genre, and typical gear for the sound.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass6
Gain5
Reverb3
Treble7
Presence5.5
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Tone Character
- crunchy and dynamic
- bright and biting
- slightly gritty
- open and resonant
- punchy attack
- articulate chord definition
- mildly compressed
- present midrange
- layered with acoustic texture
- anthemic and energetic
Notes & Caveats
- No direct source confirms the amp model or pedal use for the riff section of 'What's Up?'.
- No numeric amp settings found; all settings estimated based on typical 1990s rock Telecaster tones.
- No evidence of specific pedals used on the studio recording; no pedalboard photos or interviews detail effects for this song.
- No evidence of chorus, delay, or modulation effects in the riff section; only mild amp reverb is likely.
- Pickup choice inferred from typical Telecaster use for crunchy rhythm and the song's tone.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. The riff in 'What's Up?' features a slightly gritty, edge-of-breakup tone with strong midrange presence typical of early 90s alternative rock. The amp is set for a warm, punchy sound with moderate bass and treble, forward mids, and subtle reverb for space, matching both the era's production and Linda Perry's known tone preferences.