Riff Tone

Black or White

Michael Jackson

Guitarrock1990s

Original Gear

GuitarJackson USA Soloist (likely SL1, as per era and artist's known gear)

AmpMarshall JCM800 2203 (typical for heavy rock tones of the era, no direct source for exact model on this recording)

PickupsJackson J-50BC humbucker (bridge position, stock for SL1 in early 1990s)

Amp Settings

gain6

bass6

mid6

treble7

reverb2

presence6

Effects & Signal Chain

No effects used for this tone

Notes

Studio recording, 1991. Guitar part on the riff section was played by Bill Bottrell, not Jennifer Batten. No direct studio documentation of exact amp/pedals for this riff, but era-typical Jackson/Marshall setup is highly likely based on genre, sound, and artist interviews. No evidence of live rig or alternate gear for this section.

Tone Character(10)

tight, percussive attackaggressive palm mutingbright, cutting top endarticulate power chordsslightly scooped midshigh-output bridge humbuckerBritish-voiced amp crunchminimal ambiencefocused, punchy rhythmstudio-polished heavy rock tone

Difficulty

The riff requires intermediate-level technique due to its fast tempo, tight palm muting, and precise chord changes, but does not involve advanced lead or complex chord voicings.

Sources

Michael Jackson' "Black and White" | The Gear Page Jackson USA Select Soloist SL1 - What To Know & Where To Buy | Equipboard

This tone has been researched 3 times by the community

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