Riff Tone

D-7

Wipers

Guitarpunk1980s

Original Gear

GuitarGibson SG with Bigsby (early 1970s model, likely Standard or Special)

AmpFender Twin Reverb (silverface era, late 1970s/early 1980s likely studio amp)

PickupsGibson humbuckers (stock, early 1970s SG)

Amp Settings

gain6

bass6

mid7

treble6.5

reverb1

presence5.5

Effects & Signal Chain

No effects used for this tone

Notes

Studio recording, 1979-1980 for 'Is This Real?'. Guitar is confirmed as a Gibson SG with Bigsby. Amp is inferred from era and genre; no direct source confirms exact amp, but Fender Twin Reverb is most likely based on Portland punk scene and period. No evidence of pedals or effects used in the riff section; tone is raw and direct.

Tone Character(10)

raw and bitingmid-heavy punchtight and percussiveslightly compressed attackdry, unprocessedaggressive rhythm chordingminimal sustainno audible effectsdirect amp driveclassic punk edge

Difficulty

The riff requires tight, fast downstroke strumming and aggressive rhythm, but uses simple chord shapes and no advanced techniques.

Sources

Dry Cleaning’s Tom Dowse: “I play all day and it’s a big part of my life, but I just can’t think of myself as a guitarist!” | Guitar World The Wipers - D7 (Original version that Nirvana covered)

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