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lead guitar from “god save the queen” by sex pistols | ToneDB

god save the queen

sex pistols

lead guitar

AI generatedv1.0

Tone Profile

A raw, biting guitar tone with aggressive distortion and a slightly scooped midrange, capturing the rebellious energy of punk rock. It's gritty and in-your-face, with a chaotic yet defined sonic character.

Gear

Gibson Les Paulinstrument
ReverbSweetwater
Fender Twin Reverbamp
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Neumann U87microphone
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Pro Co RATprocessing
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MXR Phase 90processing
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The Story

"God Save the Queen" was recorded at Wessex Sound Studios in London with producer Chris Thomas and engineer Bill Price. The lead guitar tone was reportedly achieved using a Gibson Les Paul through a Fender Twin Reverb amplifier, with a Pro Co RAT distortion pedal providing the aggressive bite and an MXR Phase 90 adding subtle modulation. The recording captured both the direct amplifier sound and room ambience, fitting the band's raw DIY aesthetic.

Production Credits

Producer: Chris Thomas

Engineer: Bill Price

Recorded at: Wessex Sound Studios, London

Signal Chain

Instrument: Gibson Les Paul

Amp: Fender Twin Reverb

Microphone: Neumann U87

Processing: Pro Co RAT, MXR Phase 90

Recreation Tips

  • Start with a Les Paul style guitar into a clean Fender-style amp as a base.
  • Use a RAT distortion pedal for the core aggressive tone, adjusting the gain for a balance between saturation and clarity.
  • Add subtle phasing with an MXR Phase 90 to add movement to sustained notes and chords.
  • Experiment with microphone placement to capture both the direct amp sound and the room ambience.

Original Gear

  • Gibson Les Paul(guitar)
  • Fender Twin Reverb(amp)
  • Pro Co RAT(pedal)
  • MXR Phase 90(pedal)
  • Neumann U87(mic)

Substitutions & Recommendations

Epiphone Les Paul Standard 50s$400-$500

Alternative to: Gibson Les Paul

Provides the humbucker pickups and mahogany body resonance needed for this aggressive punk tone at a budget-friendly price

ReverbSweetwater
Pro Co RAT 2$80-$100

Alternative to: Pro Co RAT

Current production version of the same distortion pedal that creates the signature biting, aggressive distortion on this track

ReverbSweetwater
MXR Phase 90$80-$100

Alternative to: MXR Phase 90

Still in production and identical to the original, providing the subtle swirling modulation heard on the recording

ReverbSweetwater
Boss Twin Reverb '65 Waza Amp Head$400-$500

Alternative to: Fender Twin Reverb

Captures the clean Fender Twin platform tone that serves as the foundation before distortion is added

ReverbSweetwater
Amplitube 5$200-$300

Alternative to: Complete signal chain

Includes accurate models of the Fender Twin, RAT distortion, and Phase 90, allowing recreation of the entire signal chain in software

ReverbSweetwater

Sources

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