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When the Levee Breaks Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin · 1970s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Fender Electric XII (12-string, used as 6-string for riff, tuned to Open G and slowed to Open F via varispeed)
Pickups
Fender split single-coil (Electric XII stock pickups)
Amp
Supro 1690T Coronado (vintage combo, likely 2x10 or 2x12, cranked for overdrive)
Pickup Position
Neck pickup (Electric XII, likely for warmth and thickness)
Studio recording, 1971. Jimmy Page used a Fender Electric XII for the main riff, running into a vintage Supro Coronado amp. The track was slowed down with varispeed, giving a thicker, heavier sound. No evidence of pedals for distortion; all overdrive from amp. Effects include heavy tape flanging (applied in mixdown, not pedal), and minimal reverb. The guitar is panned hard left/right and is relatively dry except for flanger. No evidence of live performance gear for this tone.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass7
Gain6
Reverb1
Treble6.5
Presence5.5
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Tone Character
- thick and saturated
- heavy, droning slide riff
- deep, swirling flange
- dry and upfront in the mix
- minimal reverb
- British crunch overdrive
- open-tuned resonance
- slow, massive feel due to varispeed
- panned hard left/right
- rich midrange with smooth highs
Notes & Caveats
- No direct numeric amp settings found; settings estimated based on typical Supro amp use in classic rock and era.
- Flanger effect was applied in the studio mix, not via pedal or amp; included as essential to the riff sound.
- No evidence of distortion/overdrive pedals; all gain from cranked amp.
- Guitar is a Fender Electric XII, not a Les Paul or Telecaster as sometimes used by Page elsewhere.
- Minimal reverb; most ambience is from room mics on drums, not guitar.
- Pickup position inferred from tone and typical Page practice; not directly cited.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Page's tone on 'When the Levee Breaks' is thick, warm, and just at the edge of breakup, typical of a cranked British amp (likely a Supro or similar) with strong mids and bass, restrained treble, and no amp reverb (the ambience is from room mics and production effects, not the amp).