What guitar did David Bowie use on Golden Years?

David Bowie used a Fender Stratocaster for the rhythm guitar parts on "Golden Years." The bridge pickup position was likely used to achieve the bright, cutting tone that works well in the funk-rock arrangement.

How to get David Bowie's Golden Years guitar tone?

Start with a Fender Stratocaster through a clean Fender Twin Reverb amplifier setting. Use the bridge pickup for brightness and add just a touch of overdrive or amp breakup for subtle grit. The tone is predominantly clean but with enough edge to cut through the mix.

What amp was used on Golden Years by David Bowie?

The rhythm guitar on "Golden Years" was recorded through a Fender Twin Reverb amplifier. The amp was set for a clean tone with just enough gain to add some subtle harmonic complexity to the funk rhythm parts.

Where was Golden Years recorded?

"Golden Years" was recorded at Cherokee Studios in Los Angeles with producer Tony Visconti and engineer Harry Maslin. The guitar was likely recorded using close-microphone techniques to capture the direct amplifier sound.

What effects were used on Golden Years guitar?

The rhythm guitar tone on "Golden Years" is relatively dry, focusing on the natural sound of the Stratocaster and Twin Reverb combination. Any effects would have been subtle, possibly including slight chorus or reverb from the amplifier itself.

rhythm guitar from "golden years" by david bowie

golden years

david bowie

rhythm guitar

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Tone Profile

A clean but slightly gritty rhythm guitar tone that blends funk and rock elements, providing a solid rhythmic foundation with subtle harmonic complexity.

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Fender Stratocaster(instrument)
Fender Twin Reverb(amp)
Neumann U87(microphone)

The Story

"Golden Years" was recorded at Cherokee Studios in Los Angeles with producer Tony Visconti and engineer Harry Maslin. The rhythm guitar tone features a Fender Stratocaster played through a Fender Twin Reverb amplifier, recorded with a Neumann U87 microphone. The setup was configured for a predominantly clean sound with just enough edge to cut through the dense funk-rock arrangement.