GuitarCleanRiff80% confidence
Zombie Riff Guitar Tone Settings — The Cranberries
The Cranberries · 1990s · rock
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Fender Telecaster (likely 1960s or 1970s, used by Noel Hogan in studio)
Pickups
Single-coil (Fender Telecaster stock pickups)
Amp
Vox AC30 Guitar Combo Amp
Pickup Position
Neck pickup
Studio recording, 1993-1994. Noel Hogan is confirmed to have used a Telecaster and Vox AC30 for early Cranberries recordings. Chorus pedal is a key part of the clean tone. No evidence of additional pedals or amp distortion for the clean riff section.
Amp Settings
Mids7
Bass6
Gain0
Reverb3
Treble4.5
Presence4
Effects Chain
- DOD FX68 Super Stereo Chorus · chorus
Fender Telecaster → DOD FX68 Super Stereo Chorus → Vox AC30 (with spring reverb)
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Tone Character
- warm and rounded
- full-bodied mids
- soft attack
- subdued treble
- shimmering chorus effect
- melodic and atmospheric
- jangly but not harsh
- lush and enveloping
- slightly compressed
- clean and articulate
Notes & Caveats
- Gain adjusted to 0 for clean tone
- No direct studio amp knob settings found; amp EQ estimated based on Vox AC30 typical clean settings and forum advice for 'Zombie' clean tone.
- Pedal model (DOD FX68 Super Stereo Chorus) is confirmed for Noel Hogan, but exact knob settings not found.
- Presence and reverb values are estimated based on typical Vox AC30 clean usage and forum recommendations.
- Guitar model is confirmed as Telecaster for studio, but pickup selector position inferred from tone descriptors and forum advice.
- No evidence of delay, flanger, or other modulation/time-based effects in the clean riff section; chorus is clearly audible and cited.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. The 'Zombie' riff tone is classic 90s alternative rock: crunchy but not high-gain, with forward mids and a balanced EQ. Noel Hogan used Marshall amps (often JCM900) with moderate gain, pronounced mids, and subtle reverb, matching the genre and era's production style.