TONEDB

lead guitar from “crossroads” by cream | ToneDB

crossroads

cream

lead guitar

90% ai confidence

Tone Profile

A thick, searing, and vocal lead tone achieved by driving a Marshall stack hard with humbuckers and rolling off the guitar's tone control. Often referred to as Eric Clapton's "Woman Tone".

Signal Chain

Instrument: Gibson ES-335

Amp: Marshall JTM45/100 (Super Lead)

Microphone: Shure SM57

Other: Guitar volume knob on 10, neck pickup tone knob rolled nearly off (around 0-2). Amp volume set very high (likely 10).

Recording Notes

  • Recorded live at the Winterland Ballroom, San Francisco.
  • Captures the raw energy of the band's live performance.
  • Likely significant amplifier volume and stage bleed into microphones.
  • Minimal studio processing applied post-recording, focusing on the live sound.

Recreation Tips

  • Use a guitar with humbucking pickups (ES-335, Les Paul, SG).
  • Select the neck pickup.
  • Turn the guitar's volume knob all the way up.
  • Roll the neck pickup's tone control almost completely off (experiment between 0 and 2).
  • Use a British-style tube amp (Marshall Plexi or JTM45 style) and turn the volume up until significant power tube distortion is achieved.
  • Use a pick and attack the strings assertively.

Sources