lead guitar from “for what it's worth” by buffalo springfield | ToneDB
for what it's worth
buffalo springfield
lead guitar
AI generatedv1.0
Tone Profile
A clean, slightly overdriven guitar tone with a touch of tremolo, providing a subtle, shimmering quality. The sound is warm and present, with a clear mid-range focus.
Gear
- Gretsch Chet Atkinsinstrument
- Reverb$2599Sweetwater
- Fender Tweed Deluxeamp
- ReverbSweetwater
- Fender Tremoloprocessing
- Reverb$69Sweetwater
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The Story
Stephen Stills recorded the lead guitar for "For What It's Worth" using a Gretsch Chet Atkins guitar through a Fender Tweed Deluxe amplifier with subtle tremolo. The guitar was recorded at moderate volume to achieve a slightly overdriven tube sound while maintaining clarity and warmth. The tremolo effect adds the characteristic shimmering quality that complements the song's contemplative nature.
Production Credits
Producer: Ahmet Ertegun
Engineer: Tom Dowd
Recorded at: Atlantic Studios (New York, NY)
Signal Chain
Instrument: Gretsch Chet Atkins
Amp: Fender Tweed Deluxe
Processing: Fender Tremolo
Recreation Tips
- Start with a clean amp setting and gradually increase the gain until you achieve a slight overdrive.
- Use a tremolo pedal or the amp's built-in tremolo effect to add a subtle, shimmering quality.
- Experiment with different microphone placements to find the sweet spot for your amplifier.
- Use your guitar's tone knob to dial in a warm, present sound with a clear mid-range focus.
Original Gear
- Gretsch Chet Atkins(guitar)
- Fender Tweed Deluxe(amp)
- Fender Tremolo(pedal)
Substitutions & Recommendations
Alternative to: Gretsch Chet Atkins
Modern reissue with authentic Filter'Tron pickups and Bigsby vibrato delivering the same hollow body tone and sustain characteristics
ReverbSweetwaterAlternative to: Gretsch Chet Atkins
Budget hollow body option with P90 pickups that captures the warm, slightly compressed tone of vintage Gretsch guitars
ReverbSweetwaterAlternative to: Fender Tweed Deluxe
Hand-wired reissue that recreates the original tweed Deluxe's natural tube compression and tremolo circuit
ReverbSweetwaterAlternative to: Fender Tweed Deluxe
Lower-wattage tube amp that breaks up naturally at bedroom volumes while maintaining clean headroom and built-in tremolo
ReverbSweetwaterAlternative to: Fender Tremolo
Premium tremolo pedal that accurately models vintage Fender amp tremolo circuits with multiple waveform options
ReverbSweetwaterAlternative to: Fender Tremolo
Reliable budget tremolo that provides the subtle amplitude modulation needed for this gentle, shimmering effect
ReverbSweetwaterSources
Frequently Asked Questions
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