Riff Tone

Living After Midnight

Judas Priest

Guitarmetal1980s

Original Gear

GuitarGibson Flying V (K.K. Downing) or Hamer Standard (Glenn Tipton) – likely Flying V for riff

AmpMarshall JCM800 1959 Mk II Super Lead (studio, 1980 British Steel recording)

PickupsEMG 81 Active Humbucker (K.K. Downing era-correct) or stock Gibson humbuckers

Amp Settings

gain7

bass5

mid5.5

treble7

reverb0.5

presence6

Effects & Signal Chain

No effects used for this tone

Notes

Studio recording, 1980. Both K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton used Marshall JCM800 1959 Mk II Super Lead heads into Marshall 4x12 cabinets. Downing primarily used a Gibson Flying V with EMG 81 pickups for riff work on British Steel. No evidence of effects loop or extensive pedal use on the riff section.

Tone Character(10)

thin and brighttight and percussivescooped midsclassic British crunchaggressive attackcrunchy and articulatepunchy rhythmhigh claritybold and theatricalmelodic but intense

Difficulty

The riff is rhythmically straightforward but requires tight palm muting, precise timing, and a consistent aggressive attack to capture the classic metal feel.

Sources

Judas Priest Tone - forum topic | Ultimate Guitar Judas Priest Members, Gear & Sound - Equipboard K. K. Downing - Equipboard A Timeline of High–Gain Amplifiers in Heavy Music | Reverb News

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