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lead guitar from “gold on the ceiling” by the black keys | ToneDB

gold on the ceiling

the black keys

lead guitar

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Tone Profile

A raw, slightly fuzzy, and dynamically overdriven guitar tone, reminiscent of classic blues-rock but with a modern garage edge. It's thick and present, cutting through the mix with a gritty character.

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The Story

Dan Auerbach's lead guitar tone on "Gold on the Ceiling" was recorded using a Teisco Del Rey guitar through a Supro Model 24 amp. The overdriven sound comes from pushing the small tube amp hard rather than using external distortion pedals. The guitar was captured with a single Shure SM57 microphone placed close to the speaker, creating the raw, dynamically responsive character that cuts through the mix.

Production Credits

Producer: Danger Mouse

Engineer: Kennie Takahashi

Recorded at: Easy Eye Sound Studio, Nashville, TN

Recreation Tips

  • Start with a vintage-style guitar like a Teisco Del Rey or similar single-coil instrument.
  • Use a small tube amp like a Supro Model 24 and turn it up until it starts to naturally overdrive.
  • Experiment with the microphone placement on the speaker to find the sweet spot, usually slightly off-center.
  • Keep the signal chain simple: guitar -> amp -> mic -> recorder.
  • Focus on playing with dynamics to create the subtle variations in the overdrive.

Original Gear

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Substitutions & Recommendations

Eastwood Airline MapShop on Reverb$400-$500

Alternative to: Teisco Del Rey guitar

Single-coil pickup configuration and similar vintage Japanese construction gives that bright, cutting tone with natural grit

Supro Blues King 12Shop on Reverb$600-$700

Alternative to: Supro Model 24 amp

Modern Supro amp that captures the same tube saturation and compression characteristics as vintage Supro models when pushed

Fender Blues Junior IVShop on Reverb$400-$500

Alternative to: Supro Model 24 amp

Small tube combo that naturally overdrives when cranked, providing similar dynamic response and breakup characteristics

ProCo RAT 2Shop on Reverb$70-$90

Alternative to: Pushed tube amp overdrive

Provides that raw, slightly fuzzy overdrive character when used with a clean or edge-of-breakup amp

UAD Supro Amp PluginPlugin Boutique$150-$200

Alternative to: Supro Model 24 amp tone

Official Supro amp modeling that recreates the exact saturation and frequency response of vintage Supro circuits

Sources

Frequently Asked Questions

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