Tone Profile

A bright, punchy, and jangly early 80s power-pop guitar tone with a clean-to-lightly-driven character, perfect for cutting through the mix with its iconic riff.

Signal Chain

Recording Notes

• The guitar part, played by James Keller, is very prominent and carries the main melodic hook of the song.
• The tone is articulate and not overly saturated, allowing individual notes of the riff to ring out clearly.
• Recorded at The Plant Studios in Sausalito, California.
• The main riff is likely single-tracked for punch, though some fills or the solo might have subtle doubling or effects.
• The overall production is characteristic of early 1980s new wave and power pop.

Recreation Tips

• Use a Stratocaster-style guitar, selecting the bridge pickup or the bridge/middle combination for maximum brightness and twang.
• Aim for an amp tone that is mostly clean but has the ability to break up slightly when you dig in with your picking. A Music Man HD-130 is ideal; Fender Twin Reverb or Deluxe Reverb are good alternatives.
• Set amp EQ to be bright but not harsh; a healthy amount of treble and upper mids.
• Apply light compression to even out dynamics and add a bit of percussive snap to the notes.
• Use a touch of spring reverb from the amp. For more shimmer, a very subtle chorus (like a Boss CE-1 or CE-2) can be experimented with, but keep it minimal for the main riff.
• For the solo or lead fills, a short slapback delay (50-100ms) can add depth.
• Focus on precise, alternate picking to nail the rhythmic feel of the iconic riff.

Recommended Gear

• Fender American Vintage II 1961 Stratocaster(guitar)
• Music Man HD-130 Reverb(amp)
• Fender '65 Twin Reverb Reissue(amp)
• Shure SM57(mic)
• Keeley Compressor Plus(pedal)
• Boss CE-2W Waza Craft Chorus(pedal)
• MXR Carbon Copy Mini Analog Delay (for slapback)(pedal)