What guitar did Keith Richards use on Paint It Black?

Keith Richards used a Gretsch Committee guitar for the lead guitar parts on "Paint It, Black." The Committee was a hollow body electric guitar that Gretsch produced in the 1960s, known for its bright, distinctive tone.

How to get Keith Richards Paint It Black guitar tone?

To get the "Paint It, Black" tone, use a hollow body guitar with bright pickups through a Vox AC30 or similar EL84-based amp. Set the amp fairly clean with emphasis on the midrange frequencies and add light compression to achieve the characteristic jangle and sustain.

What amp did the Rolling Stones use on Paint It Black?

The Rolling Stones used a Vox AC30 amplifier for the guitar parts on "Paint It, Black." The AC30's natural compression and bright, chimey character contributed significantly to the song's distinctive guitar sound.

Why does Paint It Black guitar sound like a sitar?

The sitar-like quality comes from the combination of the Gretsch Committee's bright pickup response and the Vox AC30's natural compression and midrange emphasis. The hollow body construction and specific frequency response created harmonics that resembled a sitar's timbre.

lead guitar from "paint it, black" by the rolling stones

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Tone Profile

A bright, jangly guitar sound with a slightly harsh edge, reminiscent of a sitar. It has a distinct mid-range focus and a slightly compressed character.

Shop This Rig

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Gretsch Committee(instrument)
Vox AC30(amp)
Neumann U67(microphone)

The Story

Keith Richards recorded the lead guitar part for "Paint It, Black" using a Gretsch Committee guitar through a Vox AC30 amplifier at RCA Studios in Hollywood. The bright, jangly tone with its distinctive sitar-like qualities comes from the Gretsch's unique pickup characteristics and the AC30's naturally compressed, midrange-focused sound. Producer Andrew Loog Oldham and engineer Dave Hassinger captured the performance with a Neumann U67 microphone.

Production Credits

Producer: Andrew Loog Oldham

Engineer: Dave Hassinger

Recorded at: RCA Studios (Hollywood)

Signal Chain

Instrument: Gretsch CommitteeShop on Reverb

Amp: Vox AC30Shop on Reverb

Microphone: Neumann U67Shop on Reverb

Recreation Tips

Use a guitar with single-coil pickups and a bright tone, such as a Gretsch or Fender.
Dial in a clean amp sound with a slight mid-range boost.
Experiment with compression to add sustain and even out the dynamics.
Consider using a touch of tremolo or vibrato to add movement to the sound.
If you want to further emulate the sitar-like quality, try using a fuzz pedal with a pronounced upper-midrange.

Original Gear

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Substitutions & Recommendations

Gretsch G6120T-59 Vintage Select Edition '59 Chet AtkinsShop on Reverb$3000-$3500

Alternative to: Gretsch Committee

Hollow body Gretsch with Filter'Tron pickups that deliver the same bright, jangly tone with pronounced midrange character as the original Committee

Epiphone WildkatShop on Reverb$400-$500

Alternative to: Gretsch Committee

Budget hollow body option with P90-style pickups that can approximate the bright, cutting tone of the original Gretsch

Vox AC30C2Shop on Reverb$1200-$1400

Alternative to: Vox AC30

Modern reissue of the classic AC30 with the same EL84 power tubes and characteristic chime and compression that defined the original tone

IK Multimedia AmpliTube Vox AC30Plugin Boutique$150-$200

Alternative to: Vox AC30

Digital emulation of the AC30's distinctive midrange focus and natural tube compression for home recording

Warm Audio WA-67Shop on Reverb$900-$1000

Alternative to: Neumann U67

Faithful recreation of the U67's smooth midrange response and tube warmth that captured the original amp tone

Sources

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lead guitar from “paint it, black” by the rolling stones | ToneDB