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Riff Tone

Just What I Needed

The Cars

Guitarrock1970s

Original Gear

GuitarGibson 1960 Les Paul Standard (cherry red finish, likely reissue or vintage, as per Easton's interview)
AmpMarshall amp (exact model not specified, but era and genre strongly indicate Marshall, likely JMP or Plexi)

Amp Settings

gain5
bass6

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Effects & Signal Chain

Notes

Studio recording, 1977 (Cars debut album). Elliot Easton confirms only two pedals brought to the session: Morley EVO-1 Echo Volume (delay) and Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble, but chorus effect was NOT used on the riff—producer Roy Thomas Baker used double-tracking for chorus-like effect. No chorus pedal on the riff. No evidence of other pedals or amp effects used for the riff.

Tone Character(10)
bright and articulatetight and punchyslightly compressedclear note separationmodest sustainclassic Marshall crunchpercussive strummingstereo width from double-trackingno modulation swirlno audible delay repeats

Difficulty

The riff requires tight, punchy strumming and precise muting for clarity, but uses straightforward chord shapes and rhythm, making it accessible to intermediate players.

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