Riff Tone

Alive

Pearl Jam

Guitarrock1990s

Original Gear

GuitarFender Stratocaster (likely 1960 or 1962 reissue, as used by Mike McCready on 'Ten' era recordings)

AmpMarshall JCM800 2203

PickupsFender single-coil pickups

Amp Settings

gain0

bass6

mid6.5

treble6.5

reverb2.5

presence6

Effects & Signal Chain

No effects used for this tone

Notes

Studio recording, 1991. Mike McCready is confirmed to have used a Stratocaster and Marshall JCM800 for the 'Ten' album. Gear varies live, but this is the most cited studio setup for the clean riff section. No pedal evidence for clean section; overdrive is used for solo/chorus, not the clean intro/riff.

Tone Character(10)

glassy and articulatewarm single-coil claritydynamic and touch-sensitiveslightly scooped midstight low endsparkling highssubtle amp reverbopen and airyno audible compression or modulationresponsive to picking attack

Difficulty

The riff requires precise picking and dynamic control to maintain clarity and articulation, but does not involve advanced techniques or fast tempo.

Sources

Behringer SF300 for grunge/alternative rock? : r/guitarpedals - Reddit High Gain Pedal for Early Pearl Jam - The Gear Page Mike McCready breaks down 15 landmark Pearl Jam guitar tracks | Guitar World How do you achieve Mike McCready's tone in this vid? (Pearl Jam ...

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