Riff Tone

Knives Out

Radiohead

Guitarrock2000s

Original Gear

GuitarFender Stratocaster (likely 1960s or 1970s, used by Ed O'Brien on studio recording)

AmpMesa/Boogie DC-5 Combo

PickupsFender single-coil pickups

Amp Settings

gain5

bass6

mid7

treble6.5

reverb2

presence5.5

Effects & Signal Chain

No effects used for this tone

Notes

Studio recording, 2000-2001. Ed O'Brien played the main riff on a Stratocaster through a Mesa/Boogie DC-5. No direct evidence of Jonny Greenwood's gear for the riff section; Greenwood often used Telecaster Plus and Vox AC30, but for this part, the Strat/Mesa combo is most likely. No evidence of additional pedals or effects on the riff section.

Tone Character(10)

bright and glassyslightly gritty edge-of-breakuparticulate and percussivechiming, bell-like claritytight, controlled low enddynamic response to pickingminimal sustainquick note decaysubtle amp reverbclean but not sterile

Difficulty

The riff requires intermediate skill due to its syncopated picking, need for clean articulation, and dynamic control to maintain the edge-of-breakup tone without excess noise.

Sources

Knives Out guitar cover. : r/radiohead Radiohead – Creep - Gear & Equipment Used on the Single

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