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Riff Tone

Rockin' In the Free World

Neil Young

Guitarrock1980s

Original Gear

Guitar1953 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop 'Old Black' (heavily modified, mini-humbucker in neck, Firebird pickup in bridge, Bigsby vibrato)
Amp1959 Fender Tweed Deluxe 5E3

Amp Settings

gain8
bass6

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Effects & Signal Chain

Notes

Studio recording, 1989. The core of Neil Young's distorted tone on 'Rockin' In the Free World' is Old Black into a cranked 1959 Fender Tweed Deluxe. No evidence of gain/distortion pedals; amp is run at extreme volume for natural overdrive. Additional amps (Magnatone 280, Mesa/Boogie Bass 400) are blended live, but the Deluxe is the main source on the studio track. Reverb is from a plate unit in the studio, not a pedal.

Tone Character(10)
explosive and rawsaturated and compressedraspy, biting top endloose, fuzzy low enddynamic and touch-sensitiveuncompressed and openaggressive pick attackthick, mid-forward presenceclassic rock overdriveorganic amp breakup

Difficulty

The riff is based on straightforward power chords and strumming, but requires control of a loud, cranked amp and dynamic pick attack for the signature sound.

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