Riff Tone

Back to the Old House (2011 Remaster)

The Smiths

Guitarrock1980s

Original Gear

GuitarRickenbacker 330

AmpRoland JC-120 Jazz Chorus

PickupsRickenbacker Hi-Gain single coils

Amp Settings

gain0

bass5.5

mid6.5

treble7

reverb3

presence5

Effects & Signal Chain

No effects used for this tone

Notes

Studio recording, October 1983 for the 'What Difference Does It Make?' B-side; 2011 Remaster is from this session. Marr tuned up a whole step for this track. No evidence of acoustic guitar on the studio version; live versions sometimes used acoustic. Chorus effect is from the amp, not a pedal. No evidence of outboard pedals on the original studio recording.

Tone Character(10)

bright and articulateclean and janglywarm but clearchorus shimmeropen, ringing chordsdelicate fingerpickingslight amp reverb for spaceno distortion or drivedynamic and expressivetransparent, uncompressed

Difficulty

The riff requires precise fingerpicking, fluid chord changes, and dynamic touch to maintain clarity and articulation, making it moderately challenging for intermediate players.

Sources

The Smiths – Back To The Old House – HGP Pedals to sound Marr-like? : r/thesmiths - Reddit Gear Rundown: Johnny Marr

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