Riff Tone
Highway 61 Revisited
Johnny Winter
Guitarblues1960s
Original Gear
Guitar1963 Gibson Firebird V
AmpFender Twin Reverb (cranked), possibly Marshall stack on some recordings
PickupsGibson Firebird mini-humbuckers
Amp Settings
gain6.5
bass6
mid5.5
treble7
reverb2.5
presence6
Effects & Signal Chain
No effects used for this tone
Notes
Studio recording, 1969 (Second Winter album). Firebird V is confirmed for 'Highway 61 Revisited' riff. Twin Reverb is most commonly cited for this era, sometimes Marshall for more aggressive tones. No evidence of pedals on the original studio riff section.
Tone Character(10)
bright and cuttingrazor-sharp slide attackedge-of-breakup cruncharticulate and punchysnarling blues toneclear note separationaggressive pick attacktouch-sensitive dynamicsslightly compressed from amp overdriveminimal warmth, more bite
Difficulty
The riff requires advanced slide technique at a fast tempo, with precise intonation and aggressive picking, making it challenging for most players.
Sources
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Create Free AccountGuitarblues1960s
Original Gear
Guitar1963 Gibson Firebird V
AmpFender Twin Reverb (cranked), possibly Marshall stack on some recordings
PickupsGibson Firebird mini-humbuckers
Amp Settings
gain6.5
bass6
mid5.5
treble7
reverb2.5
presence6
Effects & Signal Chain
No effects used for this tone
Notes
Studio recording, 1969 (Second Winter album). Firebird V is confirmed for 'Highway 61 Revisited' riff. Twin Reverb is most commonly cited for this era, sometimes Marshall for more aggressive tones. No evidence of pedals on the original studio riff section.
Tone Character(10)
bright and cuttingrazor-sharp slide attackedge-of-breakup cruncharticulate and punchysnarling blues toneclear note separationaggressive pick attacktouch-sensitive dynamicsslightly compressed from amp overdriveminimal warmth, more bite
Difficulty
The riff requires advanced slide technique at a fast tempo, with precise intonation and aggressive picking, making it challenging for most players.
Highway 61 Revisited settings for your amp
Exact settings ToneAdapt players use on these amps.
More Johnny Winter tones
- Highway 61 Revisited · solo
- Let It Bleed · riff