What guitar did Scotty Moore use on That's All Right?

Scotty Moore played a Gibson ES-300 hollow-body electric guitar on 'That's All Right.' The ES-300 was a popular archtop guitar in the early 1950s that provided the warm, woody tone characteristic of early rock and roll recordings.

What amp did Scotty Moore use for That's All Right?

Moore used a Fender Tweed Deluxe amplifier for the recording. The Tweed Deluxe was known for its warm, compressed tone and natural tube breakup that helped define the sound of 1950s rock and roll.

How to get Scotty Moore's tone on That's All Right?

Use a hollow-body or semi-hollow guitar with single-coil or P90 pickups through a low-wattage tube amp set to clean with slight breakup. Focus on a strong picking attack and record with a ribbon microphone for the authentic vintage character.

Where was That's All Right by Elvis recorded?

The song was recorded at Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, with producer Sam Phillips. The recording was done live in the studio with minimal overdubs, capturing the raw energy of the performance directly to tape.

What microphone was used to record Scotty Moore's guitar?

An RCA 44 ribbon microphone was used to capture Moore's guitar amp. The RCA 44 was a classic studio ribbon mic that provided a warm, smooth tone without harsh high frequencies, contributing to the vintage character of the recording.

rhythm guitar from "that's all right" by elvis presley

that's all right

elvis presley

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Tone Profile

A raw, early rock and roll sound with a clear, bright tone that cuts through the mix. It has a slight twang and a direct, unpolished feel.

Shop This Rig

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Gibson ES-300(instrument)
Fender Tweed Deluxe(amp)
RCA 44(microphone)

The Story

Elvis Presley's 'That's All Right' was recorded at Sun Studio in Memphis with producer Sam Phillips, featuring Scotty Moore on rhythm guitar. Moore played a Gibson ES-300 hollow-body guitar through a Fender Tweed Deluxe amplifier, with the guitar captured by an RCA 44 ribbon microphone. The recording was done live in the studio with minimal processing, creating the raw, immediate sound that became a cornerstone of early rock and roll.

Production Credits

Producer: Sam Phillips

Engineer: Unknown

Recorded at: Sun Studio, Memphis

Signal Chain

Instrument: Gibson ES-300Shop on Reverb

Amp: Fender Tweed DeluxeShop on Reverb

Microphone: RCA 44Shop on Reverb

Recreation Tips

Use a vintage-style hollow-body guitar with single-coil pickups.
Set the amp to a clean but slightly overdriven tone.
Use a ribbon microphone to capture the warmth and fullness of the guitar amp.
Focus on playing with a strong attack and a natural, slightly twangy vibrato.

Original Gear

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Substitutions & Recommendations

Epiphone ES-335Shop on Reverb$400-$600

Alternative to: Gibson ES-300

Provides the hollow-body warmth and natural resonance of Moore's ES-300 with P90-style pickups that deliver similar brightness and twang

Gibson ES-335Shop on Reverb$2500-$4000

Alternative to: Gibson ES-300

Offers authentic hollow-body construction and vintage-style humbuckers that can approximate the ES-300's warm, woody tone with proper pickup selection

Fender '57 Custom DeluxeShop on Reverb$1800-$2200

Alternative to: Fender Tweed Deluxe

Hand-wired reissue of the original tweed circuit that provides the same warm breakup and compression as Moore's amp

Supro Delta King 10Shop on Reverb$300-$400

Alternative to: Fender Tweed Deluxe

Small tube combo that delivers similar clean-to-breakup tones with the compressed, punchy character of 1950s recording amps

Royer R-121Shop on Reverb$1300-$1500

Alternative to: RCA 44 ribbon microphone

Modern ribbon mic that captures the smooth, natural tone of vintage ribbons without the harsh high frequencies of condenser mics

Universal Audio Sun Studios Plug-in CollectionPlugin Boutique$200-$300

Alternative to: Complete signal chain

Includes authentic Sun Studio reverb and tape effects that recreate the specific room sound and recording characteristics of the original session

Sources

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