Guitar tone · rock, country

The Rolling Stones guitar tone: gear & amp settings

The gear and amp settings behind 36 The Rolling Stones songs, researched from rig rundowns, interviews and gear forums. The rig that shows up most: Maton EG240 Supreme into Ampeg VT-22 (studio recording, 1970).

Guitars The Rolling Stones used

Maton EG240 Supreme3 songs
Fender Telecaster (likely 1966 model, Keith Richards)1 song
Vox Mark VI Teardrop (Brian Jones, studio recording, 1967)1 song
Gibson ES-345 (walnut brown, likely 1960s model)1 song
Gibson Les Paul Standard (Ry Cooder, slide part)1 song
Fender Telecaster (likely 1950s/60s, Keith Richards main studio guitar for this era)1 song
Gibson Hummingbird Acoustic1 song
Fender Telecaster (likely Keith Richards' main guitar for this era, but not definitively confirmed for this track)1 song

Amps The Rolling Stones used

Ampeg VT-22 (studio recording, 1970)2 songs
Ampeg VT-222 songs
Fender Blackface Twin Reverb2 songs
Fender tube amp (exact model unknown, likely blackface Twin or Deluxe Reverb)1 song
Vox AC30 (likely, based on era and band usage; no direct source for this song's session)1 song
Fender Twin Reverb (blackface, studio recording)1 song
Fender Twin Reverb (or Deluxe Reverb, as per studio Stones setups of early 1980s)1 song
None (acoustic recorded direct/mic'd); for electric overdubs: Fender Telecaster into British-style tube amp (Vox AC30 or Marshall Plexi, but acoustic is primary for riff)1 song

47 The Rolling Stones tones

Song	Part	Guitar	Amp	Gain
Paint It Black · riff	Riff · clean	1964 Vox Teardrop Mark VI (Vox Phantom VI may also have been used on some tracks, but Mark VI is most associated with the riff)	Fender Blackface Twin Reverb	2.5
Brown Sugar (Live At Stadia Delle Alpi, Turin, Italy / 1990 / 2009 Remaster) · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender Telecaster 'Micawber' (butterscotch, 5-string, open G tuning)	Fender Twin Reverb (likely Silverface, cranked)	6
Start Me Up · riff	Riff · distorted	1953 Fender Telecaster 'Micawber' (5-string, open G tuning, bridge humbucker mod)	Fender Twin Reverb (blackface, early 1970s model, studio recording)	4.5
(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson Maestro FZ-1 Fuzz-Tone into Gibson Les Paul Standard (likely 1959 or 1960, but some sources suggest a Harmony Meteor or Les Paul Custom; the most credible is Les Paul Standard for the studio recording)	likely Fender Twin or Fender Showman (exact model not confirmed in sources, but period-correct and most likely for the Stones' 1965 US sessions)	4
(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction (Mono) · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Standard (1959, likely sunburst, used by Keith Richards for the riff recording)	Fender 'Black Panel' Dual Showman	4.5
Gimme Shelter (Remastered 2019) · riff	Riff · distorted	Maton EG240 Supreme	Fender Twin Reverb (blackface, late 1960s studio model, with built-in tremolo and spring reverb)	3.5
Beast of Burden · riff	Riff · distorted	1975 Fender Telecaster Custom	Ampeg VT-22	4
Brown Sugar · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson SG Standard	Fender Twin Reverb (Silverface, with JBL speakers)	5.5
Criss Cross · riff	Riff · distorted	1957 Gibson Les Paul Custom (Keith Richards, main riff section, studio recording)	Ampeg SVT (studio recording, likely used for main riff as per Stones' early 70s sessions)	5.5
Gimme Shelter (Remastered 2019) · solo	Solo · distorted	Maton EG240 Supreme	Unknown British tube amp (likely Vox or Ampeg, exact model not confirmed for studio recording)	4.5
Honky Tonk Women · riff	Riff · distorted	1950s Fender Telecaster (likely 'Micawber', 5-string, open G tuning, low E removed)	Ampeg VT-22 (studio recording, as per period-correct sources and Equipboard)	3.5
Paint It Black · riff	Riff · distorted	1964 Vox Mark VI Teardrop	Fender Blackface Twin Reverb	5
She Was Hot · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender Telecaster (likely Keith Richards' main guitar for this era, but not definitively confirmed for this track)	Mesa/Boogie Mark IIB (studio amp for Undercover sessions, but some sources suggest Fender Twin Reverb or Ampeg V-4; no definitive studio documentation for this song's riff section)	5
2000 Light Years from Home · riff	Riff · distorted	Vox Mark VI Teardrop (Brian Jones, studio recording, 1967)	Vox AC30 (likely, based on era and band usage; no direct source for this song's session)	4
Angie · riff	Riff · clean	Gibson Hummingbird acoustic	No amp used (direct mic'd acoustic guitar in studio)	1
Beast of Burden · riff	Riff · clean	Fender Telecaster (likely 1970s, Keith Richards' main guitar for clean rhythm on 'Some Girls')	Fender Blackface Twin Reverb (likely studio amp for clean Stones tones of this era)	2.5
Can't You Hear Me Knocking · solo	Solo · distorted	Gibson ES-345 (walnut brown, likely 1960s model)	Ampeg VT-22 (studio recording, 1970)	5
Can't You Hear Me Knocking · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Standard (1959 or 1958, likely sunburst, used by Keith Richards)	Ampeg SVT (studio, as per Stones' 1971 sessions; some sources suggest Fender Twin or Marshall, but Ampeg SVT is most cited for Sticky Fingers era rhythm)	4.5
Dead Flowers · riff	Riff · clean	Fender Telecaster (likely 1966 model, Keith Richards)	Ampeg VT-22 (studio recording, 1970)	3.5
Dead Flowers · clean	Clean · clean	Fender Precision Bass	Ampeg SVT (early model, likely blue line or similar vintage tube head with 8x10 cab)	0
Dead Flowers · solo	Solo · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Standard (circa late 1950s, used by Mick Taylor on studio recording)	Ampeg VT-22 combo amplifier	4
Divine Intervention · riff	Riff · distorted	1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard (Sunburst, with Bigsby vibrato)	Ampeg VT-22 combo	5
Driving Me Too Hard · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender Telecaster (likely Keith Richards' Micawber or similar, as per Stones' standard studio setup in 2023)	Fender Tweed Twin or similar vintage Fender amp (typical for Keith Richards in studio, 2023 era)	4
Get Close · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender Telecaster (likely Keith Richards' main guitar for riff work in this era)	Ampeg V-2 (studio, possibly Ampeg VT-22 or VT-40 as per Keith's 2010s+ studio rig)	5
Gimme Shelter (Remastered 2019) · riff	Riff · clean	Maton EG240 Supreme	Fender tube amp (exact model unknown, likely blackface Twin or Deluxe Reverb)	2.5
Honky Tonk Women · distorted	Distorted · distorted	Danelectro Longhorn Bass	Ampeg SVT (early model, likely blue line, or V4B with 2x15 folded horn cab)	4.5
Honky Tonk Women · solo	Solo · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Standard (1958-59, likely 'Burst')	Ampeg SVT (studio, 1969 recording)	3.5
In The Stars · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson ES-355 (likely, based on recent studio rig and video evidence)	Fender Tweed Champ (studio), possibly Fender Harvard 'One Love' (studio backup)	5
It's All Over Now · riff	Riff · distorted	1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard (Bigsby-equipped)	1963 Fender Bassman	3.5
Jealous Lover · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender Telecaster (likely 1950s/60s, Keith Richards main studio guitar for this era)	Fender Twin Reverb (or Deluxe Reverb, as per studio Stones setups of early 1980s)	5.5
Jumpin' Jack Flash · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson Hummingbird (acoustic, standard tuning, Nashville tuning overdub)	Phillips or Norelco portable cassette recorder (used as amplifier, overloaded mic preamp)	6
Little Red Rooster · solo	Solo · distorted	Fender Telecaster (likely 1963 model, as used by Brian Jones on studio recording)	Fender Twin Reverb (Blackface, 1960s)	3.5
Little T&A · riff	Riff · distorted	1975 Fender Telecaster Custom (Keith Richards' main guitar for 'Tattoo You' era studio recordings, likely in open G tuning with low E string removed)	Fender Twin Reverb (likely silverface, cranked for breakup; no pedal evidence for this track)	5.5
Miss You · riff	Riff · distorted	1958 Fender Stratocaster (Mary Kaye model)	Fender '65 Twin Reverb	3.5
Off the Hook · riff	Riff · distorted	1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard with Bigsby	Fender Blackface Dual Showman	3.5
Paint It Black · solo	Solo · distorted	1964 Gibson Les Paul Standard (Keith Richards, likely double-tracked with Brian Jones on Vox Teardrop for sitar-like lines)	Vox AC30 (studio, 1966 era, most likely for main distorted guitar parts)	5
Sister Morphine · riff	Riff · clean	Gibson Les Paul Standard (Ry Cooder, slide part)	Fender Twin Reverb (blackface, studio recording)	2.5
Sister Morphine · solo	Solo · clean	1967 Fender Stratocaster (blue, bound rosewood neck, retrofitted with Bigsby vibrato, Guyatone and replica Bigsby eight-string steel guitar pickups)	Unknown vintage tube amp (model not specified, likely Fender or similar clean amp typical of era and Ry Cooder's studio work)	3
Stray Cat Blues · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Standard (likely 1958 or 1959, sunburst, used by Keith Richards)	Vox AC30 (likely), possibly Fender Twin or Ampeg (studio context, 1968 era Stones)	5
Sway · riff	Riff · distorted	1958 Gibson Les Paul TV Junior	Ampeg VT-22	5.5
Sweet Virginia (Live) · riff	Riff · clean	Gibson J-45 Acoustic	Microphone to PA (live), no electric guitar amp	2
Sympathy for the Devil · riff	Riff · distorted	1957 Gibson Les Paul Custom	Vox AC30	4.5
Sympathy for the Devil (Live) · riff	Riff · distorted	1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard (Mick Taylor, live era) OR 1959 Gibson ES-355 (Keith Richards, live era)	Ampeg V4 or V2 head into Ampeg VT22/VT40 combo or Fender Showman (live, late 1960s/early 1970s)	4.5
Tumbling Dice · riff	Riff · distorted	1958 Gibson Les Paul TV Junior (aka 'Dice')	Ampeg Gemini GV-22 combo	3.5
Waiting On a Friend · riff	Riff · clean	Fender Telecaster (Keith Richards, likely 5-string open G tuning, main rhythm/riff part)	Fender Blackface Twin Reverb (studio recording, 1979/1980)	0
Whole Wide World · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender Telecaster (likely Keith Richards' Micawber or similar, standard 6-string, not open G for this track)	Fender Tweed-style combo (likely Fender Twin or Deluxe Reverb, as per Stones' studio use in recent decades)	4.5
Wild Horses · riff	Riff · clean	Gibson Hummingbird Acoustic	None (acoustic recorded direct/mic'd); for electric overdubs: Fender Telecaster into British-style tube amp (Vox AC30 or Marshall Plexi, but acoustic is primary for riff)	0

The Rolling Stones songs on popular amps

Exact settings ToneAdapt players use for these songs on their own amps.

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Frequently asked questions

What amp did The Rolling Stones use?

Across 36 researched songs, the amps that come up most are Ampeg VT-22 (studio recording, 1970) (2 songs), Ampeg VT-22 (2 songs), Fender Blackface Twin Reverb (2 songs), Fender tube amp (exact model unknown, likely blackface Twin or Deluxe Reverb) (1 song).

What guitar did The Rolling Stones use?

Most often: Maton EG240 Supreme (3 songs), Fender Telecaster (likely 1966 model, Keith Richards) (1 song), Vox Mark VI Teardrop (Brian Jones, studio recording, 1967) (1 song), Gibson ES-345 (walnut brown, likely 1960s model) (1 song).

How do I get The Rolling Stones's tone on my amp?

Open any The Rolling Stones song below to see the original gear and settings, then use ToneAdapt to adapt them to your own guitar, amp, pickups and pedals.