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lead guitar from “peace of mind” by boston | ToneDB

peace of mind

boston

lead guitar

85% ai confidence

Tone Profile

The lead guitar tone is characterized by its sustain, soaring quality, and harmonic richness, achieved through a combination of humbucker pickups, powerful amplification, and layered overdubs. It's a classic rock sound with a smooth, almost vocal-like quality.

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The Story

Tom Scholz recorded the lead guitar parts for 'Peace of Mind' using a Gibson Les Paul through his own invention, the Scholz Rockman, at his home studio. The signature sound comes from the Rockman's built-in compression, distortion, and EQ circuitry, combined with Scholz's technique of layering multiple guitar overdubs with slight variations in tone and performance. This meticulous approach to overdubbing created the thick, harmonically rich lead guitar sound that became a hallmark of Boston's recordings.

Production Credits

Producer: Tom Scholz

Engineer: Tom Scholz

Recorded at: Tom Scholz Hideaway Studio

Recreation Tips

  • Start with a Les Paul-style guitar equipped with humbucker pickups for a thick and sustaining base tone.
  • The Scholz Rockman is crucial for emulating the core sound. If unavailable, use an amp simulator or distortion pedal that can produce a similar compressed and harmonically rich tone.
  • Experiment with EQ to shape the tone, focusing on boosting the upper midrange for clarity and presence.
  • Layer multiple guitar tracks, each with slightly different EQ and gain settings, to create a dense and harmonically complex soundscape.
  • Apply light compression to individual tracks and the overall mix to enhance sustain and even out dynamics.

Original Gear

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Substitutions & Recommendations

Dunlop Tom Scholz RockmanShop on Reverb$150-$200

Alternative to: Scholz Rockman

Official reissue of the original Rockman with the same compression and distortion circuits that created the Boston tone

Epiphone Les Paul Standard 50sShop on Reverb$500-$600

Alternative to: Gibson Les Paul

Budget-friendly option with humbucker pickups that provides the thick sustain needed for this tone

IK Multimedia AmpliTube Tom Scholz CollectionPlugin Boutique$80-$100

Alternative to: Scholz Rockman

Digital recreation of the Rockman's circuitry with the ability to easily layer multiple guitar tracks like Scholz did

Gibson Les Paul StudioShop on Reverb$1300-$1500

Alternative to: Gibson Les Paul

Authentic Gibson with humbuckers that matches the original guitar's tone and sustain characteristics

Boss MT-2 Metal ZoneShop on Reverb$80-$120

Alternative to: Scholz Rockman

While not exact, its midrange focus and compression can approximate the Rockman's compressed distortion when dialed in carefully

Sources

Frequently Asked Questions

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