Solo Tone
Let's Dance (2002 Remaster)
David Bowie
Guitarblues1980s
Original Gear
GuitarFender Stratocaster (early 1960s, likely 1963 L-Series, owned by Stevie Ray Vaughan)
AmpFender Vibroverb (1964 Blackface, 2x10 combo, SRV's main clean amp in 1983 sessions)
PickupsFender single-coil Stratocaster pickups (vintage spec, likely stock or Texas Special type)
Amp Settings
gain3.5
bass6
mid6.5
treble7
reverb4
presence6
Effects & Signal Chain
No effects used for this tone
Notes
Studio recording, 1982-1983, solo section played by Stevie Ray Vaughan for the original Let's Dance album sessions. Clean tone section, not live. Guitar volume and tone rolled back for clean sound. No explicit pedal use for clean solo, amp reverb likely engaged.
Tone Character(10)
bright and glassyarticulate single-coil claritydynamic and touch-sensitivepercussive attackminimal breakupclear note separationspring reverb ambiencewarm low endsnappy highsstudio-polished clean
Difficulty
The solo requires intermediate-level control of dynamics and articulation to achieve the signature clean, glassy Strat tone, with precise picking and subtle phrasing, but does not involve advanced speed or complex techniques.
Sources
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Original Gear
GuitarFender Stratocaster (early 1960s, likely 1963 L-Series, owned by Stevie Ray Vaughan)
AmpFender Vibroverb (1964 Blackface, 2x10 combo, SRV's main clean amp in 1983 sessions)
PickupsFender single-coil Stratocaster pickups (vintage spec, likely stock or Texas Special type)
Amp Settings
gain3.5
bass6
mid6.5
treble7
reverb4
presence6
Effects & Signal Chain
No effects used for this tone
Notes
Studio recording, 1982-1983, solo section played by Stevie Ray Vaughan for the original Let's Dance album sessions. Clean tone section, not live. Guitar volume and tone rolled back for clean sound. No explicit pedal use for clean solo, amp reverb likely engaged.
Tone Character(10)
bright and glassyarticulate single-coil claritydynamic and touch-sensitivepercussive attackminimal breakupclear note separationspring reverb ambiencewarm low endsnappy highsstudio-polished clean
Difficulty
The solo requires intermediate-level control of dynamics and articulation to achieve the signature clean, glassy Strat tone, with precise picking and subtle phrasing, but does not involve advanced speed or complex techniques.
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