Tone Profile

A clean, articulate, and slightly melancholic arpeggiated electric guitar tone with a glassy Fender-esque chime and subtle warmth. The sound is defined by its clarity and the distinct ring of each note in the chord progression.

Production Credits

Signal Chain

Recording Notes

• Recorded in 1992 at Chipping Norton Recording Studios and Courtyard Studio, Oxfordshire.
• The clean arpeggio forms the song's iconic introduction and verse accompaniment.
• Producers Paul Q. Kolderie and Sean Slade aimed for a dynamic contrast between the clean verses and distorted choruses.
• The clean tone is relatively dry, with minimal effects to preserve clarity and the natural sound of the guitar and amp.

Recreation Tips

• Use a Telecaster-style guitar, ideally with Lace Sensor pickups if aiming for exact replication, or bright single-coils.
• Select the neck or middle pickup position for a warmer, rounder tone suitable for arpeggios.
• Dial in a classic clean Fender amp sound: keep gain low, bass around 4-5, mids 5-6, treble 6-7, presence to taste.
• Apply a very subtle chorus effect; it should add shimmer, not overwhelm the core tone.
• Use a light touch of spring reverb, just enough to give the sound some space.
• Focus on precise, even picking so each note in the arpeggio rings out clearly and sustains naturally.
• The chord progression is G major, B major, C major, C minor, arpeggiated.

Original Gear

• Fender Telecaster Plus (vintage) or Fender Player Telecaster(guitar)
• Fender Twin Reverb(amp)
• Fender Eighty-Five(amp)
• Lace Sensor Blue Pickup (for neck)(guitar pickup)
• Boss CE-2W Waza Craft Chorus(pedal)
• Electro-Harmonix Small Clone(pedal)
• Shure SM57(mic)