Riff Tone

Corduroy (Alternate Take)

Pearl Jam

Guitarrock1990s

Original Gear

GuitarFender Stratocaster (early 70s, likely black, as used by Mike McCready on Vitalogy sessions)

AmpMarshall JCM800 2203 head into Marshall 1960A 4x12 cabinet

PickupsFender single-coil pickups (stock 70s Stratocaster)

Amp Settings

gain6.5

bass6

mid7

treble7

reverb2

presence6

Effects & Signal Chain

No effects used for this tone

Notes

Studio recording, 1994 Vitalogy sessions. Gear confirmed for album era but not for alternate take specifically; no evidence of alternate guitar/amp for this take. No evidence of additional amp blending or unusual studio tricks for riff section.

Tone Character(10)

tight and crunchydynamic and responsiveclassic Marshall midrange biteslightly compressedopen and articulatepercussive palm mutingclear note separationvintage-inspired drivestrong mid presencenot overly saturated

Difficulty

The riff requires tight, syncopated rhythm playing with dynamic palm muting and open chord transitions, demanding intermediate control of pick attack and timing.

Sources

Pearl Jam – Vitalogy - Gear & Equipment Used on the Album Mike McCready's Guitar Gear, Pedalboard & Amps | Equipboard pearl jam black tone - forum topic | Ultimate Guitar

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