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Riff Tone
Fake Plastic Trees
Radiohead
Guitarrock1990s
Original Gear
GuitarFender Telecaster (likely 1980s/early 90s, standard single coil configuration)
AmpVox AC30 (studio recording, The Bends era, 1994-95)
Amp Settings
gain4.5
bass6
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Notes
Studio recording (The Bends, 1994-95). Jonny Greenwood is known to have used a Fender Telecaster and Vox AC30 for the distorted sections of 'Fake Plastic Trees' in the studio. No evidence of alternate guitars or amps for this section. No evidence of alternate pickup types or humbuckers.
Tone Character(10)
dynamic and touch-sensitivecrunchy and openmid-forward with British characterslightly compressedclear note separationorganic breakupwarm but with top-end bitenot overly saturatedresponsive to picking dynamicsamp-like overdrive
Difficulty
The riff requires good dynamic control to balance the crunchy breakup with chord clarity, but the chord shapes and rhythm are straightforward. The main challenge is maintaining articulation and feel in a slow, loud context.
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Create Free AccountGuitarrock1990s
Original Gear
GuitarFender Telecaster (likely 1980s/early 90s, standard single coil configuration)
AmpVox AC30 (studio recording, The Bends era, 1994-95)
Amp Settings
gain4.5
bass6
Create an account to see all tone details
Create Free AccountEffects & Signal Chain
Notes
Studio recording (The Bends, 1994-95). Jonny Greenwood is known to have used a Fender Telecaster and Vox AC30 for the distorted sections of 'Fake Plastic Trees' in the studio. No evidence of alternate guitars or amps for this section. No evidence of alternate pickup types or humbuckers.
Tone Character(10)
dynamic and touch-sensitivecrunchy and openmid-forward with British characterslightly compressedclear note separationorganic breakupwarm but with top-end bitenot overly saturatedresponsive to picking dynamicsamp-like overdrive
Difficulty
The riff requires good dynamic control to balance the crunchy breakup with chord clarity, but the chord shapes and rhythm are straightforward. The main challenge is maintaining articulation and feel in a slow, loud context.