Riff Tone
Born to Be Wild
Steppenwolf
Guitarrock1960s
Original Gear
Guitar1967 Hagstrom H-III
Amp1967 Fender Twin Reverb (blackface)
PickupsSingle-coil (Hagstrom H-III stock pickups)
Amp Settings
gain6
bass6
mid7
treble7
reverb1.5
presence5.5
Effects & Signal Chain
No effects used for this tone
Notes
Studio recording, 1967; Michael Monarch played the riff on a Hagstrom H-III through a Fender Twin Reverb. No evidence of pedals or additional effects in the riff section. All information is for the original studio recording, not live or later performances.
Tone Character(10)
raw and biting crunchbright and cuttingtight, percussive attackslightly compresseddistinct single-coil clarityminimal sustainaggressive rhythmclassic late-60s rock textureno audible effectsfocused midrange punch
Difficulty
The riff is iconic and requires tight, aggressive rhythm playing with precise timing, but uses basic power chords and straightforward technique, making it accessible to most players with some experience.
Sources
This tone has been researched 4 times by the community
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Create Free AccountGuitarrock1960s
Original Gear
Guitar1967 Hagstrom H-III
Amp1967 Fender Twin Reverb (blackface)
PickupsSingle-coil (Hagstrom H-III stock pickups)
Amp Settings
gain6
bass6
mid7
treble7
reverb1.5
presence5.5
Effects & Signal Chain
No effects used for this tone
This tone has been researched 4 times by the community
Notes
Studio recording, 1967; Michael Monarch played the riff on a Hagstrom H-III through a Fender Twin Reverb. No evidence of pedals or additional effects in the riff section. All information is for the original studio recording, not live or later performances.
Tone Character(10)
raw and biting crunchbright and cuttingtight, percussive attackslightly compresseddistinct single-coil clarityminimal sustainaggressive rhythmclassic late-60s rock textureno audible effectsfocused midrange punch
Difficulty
The riff is iconic and requires tight, aggressive rhythm playing with precise timing, but uses basic power chords and straightforward technique, making it accessible to most players with some experience.
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