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rhythm guitar from “plush” by stone temple pilots | ToneDB

plush

stone temple pilots

rhythm guitar

85% ai confidence

Tone Profile

The rhythm guitar tone in "Plush" is characterized by a thick, slightly dirty crunch with a focused midrange, providing a solid foundation for the song's melodic and dynamic elements. It's a balanced sound that avoids excessive distortion while maintaining presence and clarity.

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The Story

The rhythm guitar tone on "Plush" was recorded by Dean DeLeo using a Gibson Les Paul through a Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier, close-mic'd with a Shure SM57. The recording was done at Southern Tracks in Atlanta with producer Brendan O'Brien and engineer Nick DiDia, who captured the amp's natural crunch character with moderate gain settings that provided thickness without excessive distortion.

Production Credits

Producer: Brendan O'Brien

Engineer: Nick DiDia

Recorded at: Southern Tracks (Atlanta, GA)

Recreation Tips

  • Start with a Gibson Les Paul or similar humbucker-equipped guitar.
  • Use a Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier amp model, focusing on a crunch tone with moderate gain.
  • Position a Shure SM57-style microphone close to the speaker cone, slightly off-axis.
  • Adjust EQ to focus on the midrange frequencies, adding presence without harshness.
  • Experiment with slight compression to even out the dynamics and add sustain.

Original Gear

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Substitutions & Recommendations

Epiphone Les Paul Standard 50sShop on Reverb$500-$600

Alternative to: Gibson Les Paul

Offers the same mahogany body and humbucker pickup combination that creates the thick midrange character essential to this tone

Mesa/Boogie Rectifier RebornShop on Reverb$2,800-$3,200

Alternative to: Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier

Modern version of the original Dual Rectifier with the same preamp circuitry and vintage/modern voicing options used on the Core album

Boss Waza Tube Amp ExpanderShop on Reverb$400-$500

Alternative to: Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier

Provides tube preamp saturation and power amp simulation that captures the Rectifier's compressed midrange crunch at any volume

Neural DSP Fortin NTS SuitePlugin Boutique$100-$150

Alternative to: Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier

Includes accurate Mesa Rectifier modeling with the ability to dial in the moderate gain crunch and midrange focus of the original tone

Shure SM57Shop on Reverb$100-$130

Alternative to: Shure SM57

The exact same microphone model used on the original recording, still manufactured to the same specifications

Sources

Frequently Asked Questions

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