lead guitar from “hard to explain” by the strokes | ToneDB
hard to explain
the strokes
lead guitar
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Tone Profile
A bright and jangly guitar tone with a slightly overdriven edge, providing a raw and energetic sound. It's the quintessential indie rock guitar tone, with a focus on clarity and articulation.
Gear
- Epiphone Casinoinstrument
- ReverbSweetwater
- Roland Jazz Chorus JC-120amp
- Reverb$1025Sweetwater
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The Story
Nick Valensi used an Epiphone Casino through a Roland Jazz Chorus JC-120 for the lead guitar parts on "Hard to Explain." The track was recorded at Transporterraum in NYC with producer Gordon Raphael. The bright, jangly character comes from the Casino's semi-hollow construction combined with the Jazz Chorus's clean headroom and built-in chorus, with the overdrive likely achieved by pushing the amp's input or adding a light overdrive pedal.
Production Credits
Producer: Gordon Raphael
Engineer: Unknown
Recorded at: Transporterraum (NYC)
Signal Chain
Instrument: Epiphone Casino
Amp: Roland Jazz Chorus JC-120
Recreation Tips
- Start with a semi-hollow guitar like an Epiphone Casino. The hollow body contributes to the jangly character.
- Use a Roland Jazz Chorus amp set to a clean tone. Increase the gain slightly to achieve a light overdrive.
- Experiment with light overdrive pedals to achieve the desired level of grit if the amp alone isn't enough.
- Use chorus sparingly to add width, as it's a part of the amp's characteristics.
Original Gear
- Epiphone Casino(guitar)
- Roland Jazz Chorus JC-120(amp)
Substitutions & Recommendations
Alternative to: Epiphone Casino
The same model Valensi used, still in production with the same semi-hollow construction that creates the jangly, resonant tone
ReverbSweetwaterAlternative to: Roland Jazz Chorus JC-120
Smaller version of the JC-120 with the same clean headroom and built-in stereo chorus that defines the Jazz Chorus sound
ReverbSweetwaterAlternative to: Light overdrive for grit
Provides the light overdrive needed to add grit to the Jazz Chorus's clean tone without muddying the jangly character
ReverbSweetwaterAlternative to: Epiphone Casino
Premium version of the Casino design with the same fully hollow construction and P-90 pickups for that bright, cutting tone
ReverbSweetwaterAlternative to: Roland Jazz Chorus JC-120
Accurate digital recreation of the JC-120's clean tone and stereo chorus for recording applications
ReverbSweetwaterAlternative to: Semi-hollow guitar tone
Budget semi-hollow alternative that provides some of the same resonant, jangly character as the Casino
ReverbSweetwaterSources
Frequently Asked Questions
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