Riff Tone

Old Love

Eric Clapton

Guitarblues1980s

Original Gear

GuitarFender Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster (1988-89, Lace Sensor Gold pickups, mid-boost circuit, maple neck)

AmpSoldano SLO-100 (custom, part of Soldano/Cornish routing system)

PickupsFender Lace Sensor Gold single coils (active mid-boost circuit)

Amp Settings

gain3

bass6.5

mid6.5

treble6.5

reverb4

presence5.5

Effects & Signal Chain

No effects used for this tone

Notes

Studio recording for 'Old Love' on the 1989 'Journeyman' album. Clapton used his signature Stratocaster with active mid-boost and a Soldano SLO-100 head, routed through a Pete Cornish switching system. Clean riff sections are played with low gain and minimal effects. No evidence of pedal use for the clean riff section; all effects are amp-based or from the routing system. Year: 1989, studio recording.

Tone Character(10)

clean and glassywarm and rounded lowsarticulate highstouch-sensitiveslight compressionclear note separationsubtle spring reverb ambiencemid-scooped but not thinminimal breakupdynamic response to picking

Difficulty

The riff requires intermediate skill due to its dynamic phrasing, clean articulation, and subtle expressive techniques like vibrato and bends, but does not involve advanced speed or complex chord voicings.