Riff Tone

Across the Universe

The Beatles

Guitarrock1960s

Original Gear

GuitarEpiphone Casino (stripped finish, trapeze tailpiece, sunburst, used by John Lennon)

AmpFender Silverface Twin Reverb

PickupsEpiphone P-90 single coils

Amp Settings

gain0

bass6

mid6

treble6.5

reverb5

presence5.5

Effects & Signal Chain

wahVox Vox V846 Wah

Notes

Studio recording, 1968 (recorded February 1968 for the 'Across the Universe' single and later 'Let It Be' sessions). John Lennon played the main acoustic and electric rhythm parts. Some sources mention Vox AC30 as a Beatles staple, but for this era and song, the Fender Twin Reverb is confirmed. No evidence of live performance for this song in this arrangement.

Tone Character(10)

chiming and bell-like cleanswarm and openairy and resonantgentle top end shimmerlush, ambient reverbsmooth, rounded attackarticulate fingerstyle claritynatural acoustic resonancesubtle amp breakupstudio compression for sustain

Difficulty

The riff section is not technically complex but requires careful dynamic control, clean chord transitions, and a gentle touch to achieve the airy, resonant tone characteristic of the recording.

Sources

The Beatles' fab gear: 25 key pieces of kit | MusicRadar The Gear of The Beatles' 'Let It Be'The Beatles – Let It Be (Remastered) - Gear & Equipment Used on the Album | Equipboard

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