GuitarDistortedSolo80% confidence
Wuthering Heights Solo Guitar Tone Settings — Kate Bush
Kate Bush · 1970s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
1974 Gibson Les Paul Custom
Pickups
Gibson humbuckers (stock for 1974 Les Paul Custom)
Amp
Marshall 50-watt amplifier (likely JMP 50, no pedals or effects in chain)
Pickup Position
Neck pickup
Studio recording, 1977-1978. Ian Bairnson played the solo with his arm in a cast. He stated he used only his Les Paul and a Marshall 50-watt amp, with no pedals or effects between guitar and amp. Any effects were added in the studio post-amp, not as part of the guitar signal chain.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass6
Gain5
Reverb2
Treble7.5
Presence6
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Tone Character
- singing sustain
- smooth and lyrical
- warm and expressive
- clear note separation
- vocal-like bends
- classic British crunch
- not overly saturated
- touch-sensitive
- melodic and soaring
- slightly compressed
Notes & Caveats
- No specific amp knob settings found in sources; values estimated based on typical Marshall JMP 50 settings for classic rock lead tones of the era.
- Bairnson explicitly stated he used no pedals or effects between guitar and amp; any reverb or effects were added in the studio post-amp, not as part of the guitar signal chain.
- No evidence of delay, chorus, flanger, phaser, or other time/modulation effects in the solo section; solo is dry except for possible studio reverb/ambience.
- Pickup choice inferred from tone and typical Les Paul/Marshall lead tones; most likely neck pickup for smooth, singing sustain.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. The solo in 'Wuthering Heights' features a bright, articulate, and slightly overdriven lead tone typical of late-70s British rock, likely using a Strat-style guitar into a clean-to-edge-of-breakup amp (such as a Hiwatt or Vox). The mids are pushed for vocal presence, treble and presence are high for clarity and cut, and moderate reverb adds space without washing out the detail.