Tone Profile

A bright, aggressive, and articulate overdriven British guitar tone with a distinctive P90 bite, driven hard for a raw, powerful sound with strong pick attack.

Signal Chain

Recording Notes

• Recorded at Morgan Studios, London, between September 1968 and March 1969.
• The electric guitar part features a prominent, bright, and crunchy tone, likely achieved by running the amp at high volume.
• Pete Townshend's dynamic and percussive playing style is a key component of the sound.
• The electric guitar is often panned to one side in the stereo mix, distinct from the acoustic guitar parts.
• Minimal effects were used on the guitar itself; the drive and character come primarily from the guitar and amplifier combination.

Recreation Tips

• Use a guitar equipped with P90 pickups, preferably an SG-style model, for authentic brightness and growl.
• Employ a British-voiced amplifier (Hiwatt, Sound City, or a bright Marshall Plexi) and turn it up to the point of natural overdrive.
• Set the amplifier's EQ to emphasize treble and upper-mid frequencies. Reduce bass if the tone becomes too muddy.
• Use a firm pick and an aggressive picking/strumming technique to capture the percussive attack.
• Consider using a treble booster pedal if your amp isn't bright enough or doesn't achieve the desired level of crunchy overdrive at manageable volumes.
• Experiment with close microphone placement on the speaker cone to capture directness and attack.

Recommended Gear

• Gibson SG Special P90(guitar)
• Epiphone SG Special P-90(guitar)
• Hiwatt Custom 100 DR103(amp)
• Reeves Custom 100(amp)
• Sound City L100 (vintage)(amp)
• Marshall 1959SLP (as an alternative)(amp)
• Dallas Rangemaster Treble Booster (or clone)(pedal)
• Shure SM57(mic)
• Neumann U67 (or U87)(mic)
• Fane Acoustics Speakers (e.g., Fane Axiom AXA-12)(speaker)