Riff Tone

Manhattan

Eric Johnson

Guitarrock1990s

Original Gear

GuitarFender Stratocaster (likely 1957 or 1962 reissue, maple neck, stock pickups)

AmpFender Twin Reverb (blackface, vintage or reissue, studio recording)

PickupsFender single-coil (vintage-style, likely stock or custom-wound for Eric Johnson)

Amp Settings

gain0

bass6

mid6

treble7

reverb4

presence6

Effects & Signal Chain

delayUnknown Delay pedal (model unknown, likely analog or tape-style)

compressionUnknown Compressor pedal (model unknown, likely vintage Ross or MXR Dyna Comp style)

Notes

Studio recording for 'Manhattan' (Venus Isle, 1996). Eric Johnson is known for using a Stratocaster into a Fender Twin Reverb for his clean tones in the 1990s studio sessions. No evidence of live rig or alternate guitars for the clean riff section. No evidence of amp modelers or non-Fender amps for clean tone on this track.

Tone Character(10)

bell-like claritywarm and smoothsparkling highslush reverb ambiencearticulate and dynamictouch-sensitive responseslightly scooped midsglassy top endrich harmonic overtonesclean, uncompressed attack

Difficulty

The clean riff in 'Manhattan' requires advanced fingerstyle technique, complex chord shapes, and highly controlled dynamics, making it challenging for most players.

Sources

Essential Listening: Eric Johnson's 10 Greatest Guitar Songs | Guitar World [DISCUSSION] What song has your favorite guitar tone in it?How to get better at guitar – 10 proven ways to improve your playing fast | Guitar World

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