What guitar did Rivers Cuomo use on Say It Ain't So?

Rivers Cuomo used a Fender Stratocaster for the lead guitar parts on "Say It Ain't So." The bright, cutting single-coil pickup tone is characteristic of his sound throughout Weezer's Blue Album.

How to get Weezer's guitar tone on Say It Ain't So?

Use a Fender Stratocaster through a Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier with moderate gain settings. Add subtle chorus with a Boss CE-1 or similar pedal, and mic the amp with an SM57 positioned close to the speaker cone slightly off-axis.

What amp did Weezer use on the Blue Album?

Weezer used Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier amplifiers for the guitar tones on their Blue Album. This amp provided the bright, moderately overdriven sound that became synonymous with 90s alternative rock.

What chorus pedal does Rivers Cuomo use?

Rivers Cuomo used a Boss CE-1 chorus pedal on "Say It Ain't So" and other Blue Album tracks. The effect was applied subtly to add width and depth to the guitar tone without excessive modulation.

Where was Weezer Blue Album recorded?

Weezer's Blue Album was recorded at Electric Lady Studios in New York City with producer Ric Ocasek. The well-treated studio environment contributed to the clean, professional sound of the guitar recordings.

lead guitar from "say it ain't so" by weezer

say it ain't so

weezer

lead guitar

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Tone Profile

The lead guitar tone is a bright, slightly overdriven sound with a touch of chorus, characteristic of 90s alternative rock. It's clear and cutting, providing a melodic lead without being too aggressive.

Shop This Rig

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Fender Stratocaster(instrument)
Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier(amp)
Shure SM57(microphone)
Boss CE-1(processing)

The Story

Rivers Cuomo used a Fender Stratocaster through a Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier with Boss CE-1 chorus for the lead guitar parts on "Say It Ain't So." The Blue Album was recorded at Electric Lady Studios in New York with producer Ric Ocasek, and the guitar tones were captured with Shure SM57 microphones. The chorus effect was kept subtle to enhance the width of the guitar sound while maintaining the bright, cutting quality characteristic of Cuomo's playing style.

Production Credits

Producer: Ric Ocasek

Engineer: Chris Shaw

Recorded at: Electric Lady Studios, New York City

Signal Chain

Instrument: Fender StratocasterShop on Reverb

Amp: Mesa/Boogie Dual RectifierShop on Reverb

Microphone: Shure SM57Shop on Reverb

Processing: Boss CE-1Shop on Reverb

Recreation Tips

Start with a Fender Stratocaster and dial in a moderate gain setting on a Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier.
Position a Shure SM57 close to the speaker cone, slightly off-axis.
Add a touch of chorus using a Boss CE-1 or similar chorus pedal, keeping the effect subtle to avoid excessive modulation.
Experiment with blending a direct input (DI) signal with the mic'd amp signal for added clarity and punch.

Original Gear

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Fender StratocasterShop on Reverb(guitar)
Mesa/Boogie Dual RectifierShop on Reverb(amp)
Shure SM57Shop on Reverb(mic)
Boss CE-1Shop on Reverb(pedal)

Substitutions & Recommendations

Boss CE-2W Waza Craft ChorusShop on Reverb$150-$180

Alternative to: Boss CE-1 Chorus

Recreates the classic CE-1 sound with both vintage and modern voicings, perfect for that subtle 90s chorus width

Mesa/Boogie Rectifier Reborn PluginPlugin Boutique$60-$80

Alternative to: Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier

Official Mesa plugin that captures the exact Dual Rectifier tone used on the album at a fraction of the cost

Squier Classic Vibe 90s StratocasterShop on Reverb$400-$450

Alternative to: Fender Stratocaster

Delivers authentic Strat single-coil brightness and clarity for that cutting lead tone on a budget

Boss JM-1 JamManShop on Reverb$130-$150

Alternative to: Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier

Provides high-gain Mesa-style distortion in pedal format for those using smaller amps

Shure SM57Shop on Reverb$100-$120

Alternative to: Shure SM57 Microphone

Still the industry standard dynamic mic, unchanged since the 90s and perfect for capturing guitar amps

Sources

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lead guitar from “say it ain't so” by weezer | ToneDB