Riff Tone

Message In A Bottle (Remastered 2003)

The Police

Guitarrock1970s

Original Gear

Guitar1973 Fender Telecaster (with bridge single-coil and neck humbucker, custom modded)

AmpRoland JC-120 Jazz Chorus

PickupsBridge single-coil (Fender), Neck humbucker (Gibson mod)

Amp Settings

gain3

bass6

mid6.5

treble7.5

reverb2

presence5.5

Effects & Signal Chain

flangerElectro-Harmonix Electro-Harmonix Electric Mistress Flanger/Filter Matrix

chorusBoss Boss CE-2 Chorus

compressionMXR MXR Dyna Comp

delayMaestro Maestro Echoplex EP-3 Tape Delay

Notes

Studio recording, 1979. Andy Summers' main guitar for The Police era, used for the riff section. Amp is the Roland JC-120 for clean, chorus-rich tones. Effects are from pedals, not amp. No evidence of Marshall or other amps for the riff section in the studio. Pickup selector set to bridge single-coil for signature chime.

Tone Character(10)

bright and chimingglassy and percussivelush modulationtight, articulate arpeggiosminimal breakupcomplex chord voicingsdreamy, swirling modulationcrisp note separationslight compression for sustainsignature Police shimmer

Difficulty

The riff requires advanced left-hand stretching for chord shapes, precise right-hand picking for clarity, and tight timing to maintain the song's rhythmic drive. The clean, modulated tone exposes any mistakes, making accuracy and control critical.