Riff Tone
Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now
The Smiths
Guitarrock1980s
Original Gear
Guitar1959 Gibson ES-355 TDSV
AmpRoland JC-120 Jazz Chorus
PickupsGibson PAF humbuckers
Amp Settings
gain0
bass5
mid6.5
treble7.5
reverb3.5
presence5
Effects & Signal Chain
No effects used for this tone
Notes
Studio recording, 1984. Johnny Marr wrote and recorded the riff using the 1959 Gibson ES-355, plugged into a Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus amp. No evidence of live rig or alternate guitars for this section. All info is for the original studio single recording.
Tone Character(10)
shimmering and janglybright and articulatelush chorus modulationcrisp attackclear note separationchiming highswarm but not muddydynamic and responsiveclean with no audible overdriveairy and spacious
Difficulty
The riff requires advanced chord shapes, precise arpeggiated picking, and dynamic control to maintain clarity and articulation with a clean, chorus-heavy tone.
Sources
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Create Free AccountGuitarrock1980s
Original Gear
Guitar1959 Gibson ES-355 TDSV
AmpRoland JC-120 Jazz Chorus
PickupsGibson PAF humbuckers
Amp Settings
gain0
bass5
mid6.5
treble7.5
reverb3.5
presence5
Effects & Signal Chain
No effects used for this tone
Notes
Studio recording, 1984. Johnny Marr wrote and recorded the riff using the 1959 Gibson ES-355, plugged into a Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus amp. No evidence of live rig or alternate guitars for this section. All info is for the original studio single recording.
Tone Character(10)
shimmering and janglybright and articulatelush chorus modulationcrisp attackclear note separationchiming highswarm but not muddydynamic and responsiveclean with no audible overdriveairy and spacious
Difficulty
The riff requires advanced chord shapes, precise arpeggiated picking, and dynamic control to maintain clarity and articulation with a clean, chorus-heavy tone.
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