Riff Tone
Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want
The Smiths
Guitarrock1980s
Original Gear
Guitar1983 Fender Stratocaster (likely Japanese or US, as used by Johnny Marr in studio)
AmpRoland JC-120 Jazz Chorus
PickupsFender single-coil pickups (stock Stratocaster, likely neck or neck+middle position)
Amp Settings
gain0
bass5
mid6
treble7
reverb4
presence5
Effects & Signal Chain
No effects used for this tone
Notes
Studio recording, 1984 (released on 'Hatful of Hollow' and 'William, It Was Really Nothing' single). Johnny Marr has stated in interviews and producer John Porter confirms the use of the Roland JC-120 for this session. No evidence of live rig or alternate guitars for this specific riff section.
Tone Character(10)
shimmering cleanbright and chiminglush and spaciousarticulate single-coil clarityjangly highsglassy top enddynamic and responsiveslightly compressed feel (amp/recording, not pedal)no breakup or gritclassic 80s indie jangle
Difficulty
The riff is not technically fast or complex, but requires clean, even picking, accurate chord shapes, and dynamic control to achieve the signature shimmering tone.
Sources
Create an account to adapt this tone to your gear
Create Free AccountGuitarrock1980s
Original Gear
Guitar1983 Fender Stratocaster (likely Japanese or US, as used by Johnny Marr in studio)
AmpRoland JC-120 Jazz Chorus
PickupsFender single-coil pickups (stock Stratocaster, likely neck or neck+middle position)
Amp Settings
gain0
bass5
mid6
treble7
reverb4
presence5
Effects & Signal Chain
No effects used for this tone
Notes
Studio recording, 1984 (released on 'Hatful of Hollow' and 'William, It Was Really Nothing' single). Johnny Marr has stated in interviews and producer John Porter confirms the use of the Roland JC-120 for this session. No evidence of live rig or alternate guitars for this specific riff section.
Tone Character(10)
shimmering cleanbright and chiminglush and spaciousarticulate single-coil clarityjangly highsglassy top enddynamic and responsiveslightly compressed feel (amp/recording, not pedal)no breakup or gritclassic 80s indie jangle
Difficulty
The riff is not technically fast or complex, but requires clean, even picking, accurate chord shapes, and dynamic control to achieve the signature shimmering tone.
More The Smiths tones
- Back to the Old House · riff
- This Charming Man · riff
- There Is a Light That Never Goes Out · riff
- This Night Has Opened My Eyes · riff
- The Headmaster Ritual · riff
- Back to the Old House · solo
- Back to the Old House (2011 Remaster) · riff
- Barbarism Begins at Home · solo
- Barbarism Begins at Home · riff
- Bigmouth Strikes Again · riff