Riff Tone

Fly Away

Lenny Kravitz

Guitarrock1990s

Original Gear

GuitarGibson Les Paul Custom (likely late 1950s or reissue, black finish)

AmpMarshall Plexi (likely 1959 SLP or similar, or Marshall Super Lead; exact model not confirmed for this song, but strongly indicated by tone and forum consensus)

PickupsGibson PAF-style humbuckers

Amp Settings

gain6.5

bass6

mid7

treble7

reverb2

presence6.5

Effects & Signal Chain

compressionOrigin Effects Origin Effects SlideRIG

flangerMXR MXR EVH-117 Flanger

Notes

Studio recording, 1998. While Lenny Kravitz owns and uses many amps, multiple sources and the tone itself suggest a Marshall Plexi or similar was used for the main riff. No direct studio photo or interview confirms the exact amp for 'Fly Away', but the crunchy, British rock tone is consistent with a Marshall. Guitar World and Equipboard confirm Les Paul Custom as his main studio guitar for this era. No evidence of Flying V or SG on this track. Effects chain includes compression and flanger, as confirmed by Equipboard and audible in the recording.

Tone Character(10)

aggressive British crunchtight, percussive riffingsinging sustainfat, harmonically rich chordsclear note separationslightly compressed attackaudible flanger sweep on main riffmid-forward, punchy tonenotably saturated but not high-gainclassic rock drive

Difficulty

The riff is rhythmically straightforward but requires tight, percussive strumming and dynamic control to maintain clarity and punch, especially with the flanger effect. The technical challenge is moderate, mainly in timing and articulation.

Sources

Lenny Kravitz – Are You Gonna Go My Way - Gear & Equipment Used on the Album | Equipboard Lenny Kravitz's Guitar Gear | Equipboard Lenny Kravitz Amp Rig | The Gear Page Fly Away - what fuzz? | The Gear Page Effect on Fly Away by Lenny Kravitz : r/basspedals - Reddit

This tone has been researched 6 times by the community

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