Riff Tone

Cocaine Blues

Billy Strings & Don Julin

Guitarcountry2010s+

Original Gear

GuitarPreston Thompson dreadnought (mahogany or Brazilian rosewood back and sides, likely mahogany for bluegrass standards)

AmpFender ’68 Custom Deluxe Reverb

PickupsNone (acoustic guitar, uses built-in or external microphone/piezo for amplification)

Amp Settings

gain0

bass4.5

mid5.5

treble7

reverb2.5

presence5

Effects & Signal Chain

No effects used for this tone

Notes

Studio recording for 'Cocaine Blues' (riff section) from the 2013 album 'Rock of Ages' by Billy Strings & Don Julin. Acoustic flatpicking bluegrass duet; likely no electric guitar or magnetic pickups. Amp listed in Premier Guitar is for later electric sets/live, but for this acoustic studio duet, the guitar is likely miked or run through a DI for subtle reinforcement. No evidence of electric guitar or pedal use on this specific recording.

Tone Character(10)

crisp and articulatebright high endclear note separationwarm but present midrangetight and percussive attacknatural acoustic resonancedynamic response to pickingminimal colorationno audible effectstraditional bluegrass flatpicking sound

Difficulty

The riff requires advanced flatpicking technique at high speed, with precise note separation and rhythmic accuracy typical of bluegrass standards.

Sources

Billy Strings: The Long Road Home - Premier Guitar

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