Riff Tone

Clementine

Elliott Smith

Guitarother1990s

Original Gear

GuitarVox acoustic guitar (model unknown, described as 'big cracked guitar' in studio recording)

AmpNo amp used (direct mic'd acoustic guitar in studio recording)

PickupsPassive piezo or standard acoustic pickup (likely no magnetic pickup, as it's an acoustic guitar)

Amp Settings

gain0

bass5.5

mid5.5

treble6

reverb2.5

presence5

Effects & Signal Chain

No effects used for this tone

Notes

Studio recording, 1996 (album: 'Either/Or' sessions). Elliott Smith used a Vox acoustic guitar with a notable crack, which reportedly caused tuning instability during the recording. No evidence of electric guitar, amp, or pedals for the riff section; guitar was likely recorded with a microphone directly. No studio or live amp identified for this part.

Tone Character(10)

tinny and airybright and articulatenatural acoustic resonanceslightly brittle top endwoody and percussiveintimate and close-mic'dlightly compressed (studio)no amp colorationno audible effectsdouble-tracked acoustic

Difficulty

The riff requires intermediate fingerstyle technique, precise chord transitions, and dynamic control to achieve the delicate, airy acoustic sound characteristic of the recording.

Sources

Gear, techniques, theory : r/elliottsmith This band version of Clementine is so heavy live. Is it tuned ...Clementine - Elliott Smith (re-imagined) : r/AcousticGuitar Elliott's guitar tone in Clementine? : r/elliottsmith

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