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Riff Tone
Green-Tinted Sixties Mind
Mr. Big
Guitarrock1990s
Original Gear
GuitarIbanez PGM100 (Paul Gilbert Signature, early 1990s, likely PGM100 or PGM300)
AmpMarshall JCM800 head (likely 2203 or 2204, classic 1980s/90s studio setup)
Amp Settings
gain6
bass6
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Notes
Studio recording, 1991 (Lean Into It album). Paul Gilbert is widely documented using his Ibanez PGM100/PGM300 with DiMarzio PAF Pro pickups into a Marshall JCM800 for Mr. Big's early 90s recordings. No evidence of live rig or alternate amp for this specific song's riff section.
Tone Character(10)
crunchy and articulatetight, percussive attackclear note separationbright upper midsslightly compresseddynamic and responsiveharmonic clarityclassic Marshall crunchnot overly saturatedretains clarity under gain
Difficulty
The riff requires advanced alternate picking technique, wide chord stretches, and precise muting for clarity, making it challenging for most intermediate players.
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Create Free AccountGuitarrock1990s
Original Gear
GuitarIbanez PGM100 (Paul Gilbert Signature, early 1990s, likely PGM100 or PGM300)
AmpMarshall JCM800 head (likely 2203 or 2204, classic 1980s/90s studio setup)
Amp Settings
gain6
bass6
Create an account to see all tone details
Create Free AccountEffects & Signal Chain
Notes
Studio recording, 1991 (Lean Into It album). Paul Gilbert is widely documented using his Ibanez PGM100/PGM300 with DiMarzio PAF Pro pickups into a Marshall JCM800 for Mr. Big's early 90s recordings. No evidence of live rig or alternate amp for this specific song's riff section.
Tone Character(10)
crunchy and articulatetight, percussive attackclear note separationbright upper midsslightly compresseddynamic and responsiveharmonic clarityclassic Marshall crunchnot overly saturatedretains clarity under gain
Difficulty
The riff requires advanced alternate picking technique, wide chord stretches, and precise muting for clarity, making it challenging for most intermediate players.