Riff Tone

Diamond Dogs

David Bowie

Guitarrock1970s

Original Gear

GuitarFender Telecaster (exact model unspecified, likely early 1970s)

AmpUnknown 150W amp (likely British, possibly Hiwatt or Marshall, but not confirmed)

PickupsFender single-coil bridge pickup

Amp Settings

gain5.5

bass5.5

mid6.5

treble8

reverb2

presence6.5

Effects & Signal Chain

No effects used for this tone

Notes

Studio recording, 1974. Bowie played all guitars on the track. Forum sources specify Telecaster on bridge pickup and 'ridiculous amount of treble' through a 150W amp. No direct evidence of pedals or specific amp model. No evidence of live rig for this song section.

Tone Character(10)

bright and cuttingpercussive attackdry, minimal ambienceraw and aggressiveslightly brittletight rhythm focuslittle sustainno audible effectshigh treble emphasisbridge pickup clarity

Difficulty

The riff requires precise, aggressive strumming with tight muting and consistent rhythm, but no advanced techniques or fast lead work.

Sources

David Bowie Rebel Rebel opening riff what amp? - The Gear Page David Bowie Rebel Rebel opening riff what amp? - The Gear Page (page 2)Y'all be sleeping on Diamond Dogs : r/DavidBowie - Reddit

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