Riff Tone

Lonely Boy

The Black Keys

Guitarrock2010s+

Original Gear

Guitar1954 Fender Stratocaster

AmpMarshall JTM45 MkII (50W, through 8x10 cab)

PickupsOriginal 1954 Fender Stratocaster single-coil pickups

Amp Settings

gain6

bass6

mid7

treble7

reverb2

presence6.5

Effects & Signal Chain

modulationBoss Boss PS-5 Super Shifter

Notes

Studio recording, 2011 (El Camino sessions). Guitar World and Equipboard confirm the '54 Strat was used for the riff. Marshall JTM45 MkII identified as main amp for Lonely Boy studio recording. No evidence of fuzz or overdrive pedals in the riff section signal chain; overdrive comes from amp. Boss PS-5 Super Shifter used for pitch dive effect on riff only.

Tone Character(10)

bright and articulatecrunchy edge-of-breakupraw and simplepresent and clearpercussive pick attackslightly compresseddynamic responsemild overdrivefocused bridge pickup snapminimal ambience

Difficulty

The riff requires accurate timing with the pitch shifter pedal, a strong and consistent pick attack for the percussive tone, and maintaining tight rhythm at a fast tempo. While not technically advanced, the coordination and timing elevate it to intermediate difficulty.

Sources

How to play The Black Keys - Lonely Boy intro riff | MusicRadar Rig Rundown: The Black Keys' Dan Auerbach - Premier Guitar Dan Auerbach's Guitars, Amps, Pedalboard & Gear | Equipboard Dan Auerbach breaks down the guitar playing on 5 classic Black Keys tracks | Guitar World Learn To Play: The Black Keys' "Lonely Boy" | Reverb News

This tone has been researched 2 times by the community

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