Riff Tone
Red
King Crimson
Guitarrock1970s
Original Gear
Guitar1970s Gibson Les Paul Custom
AmpHiwatt DR103 Custom 100 (modded for extra gain, studio recording)
PickupsGibson humbuckers (likely T-Top, stock for era)
Amp Settings
gain6.5
bass4
mid6
treble6
reverb0
presence5.5
Effects & Signal Chain
fuzzBurns Burns Buzzaround Fuzz
Notes
Studio recording, 1974. Guitar is confirmed as Les Paul Custom (black), amp is Hiwatt DR103 (modded). Fuzz pedal (Burns Buzzaround) used for heavy riff. No chorus or time-based effects. Pickup selector set to bridge for main riff. No evidence of live-specific gear for the original studio recording.
Tone Character(10)
thick, saturated fuzzaggressive, percussive attacktight low endfocused midrange punchgnarly, compressed sustainrazor-edged riffingminimal ambiencedry, in-your-face soundclassic British amp crunchdistinct fuzz clipping
Difficulty
The main riff of 'Red' is technically demanding due to its fast tempo, aggressive picking, and complex rhythmic structure, requiring precise muting and stamina.
Sources
Create an account to adapt this tone to your gear
Create Free AccountGuitarrock1970s
Original Gear
Guitar1970s Gibson Les Paul Custom
AmpHiwatt DR103 Custom 100 (modded for extra gain, studio recording)
PickupsGibson humbuckers (likely T-Top, stock for era)
Amp Settings
gain6.5
bass4
mid6
treble6
reverb0
presence5.5
Effects & Signal Chain
fuzzBurns Burns Buzzaround Fuzz
Notes
Studio recording, 1974. Guitar is confirmed as Les Paul Custom (black), amp is Hiwatt DR103 (modded). Fuzz pedal (Burns Buzzaround) used for heavy riff. No chorus or time-based effects. Pickup selector set to bridge for main riff. No evidence of live-specific gear for the original studio recording.
Tone Character(10)
thick, saturated fuzzaggressive, percussive attacktight low endfocused midrange punchgnarly, compressed sustainrazor-edged riffingminimal ambiencedry, in-your-face soundclassic British amp crunchdistinct fuzz clipping
Difficulty
The main riff of 'Red' is technically demanding due to its fast tempo, aggressive picking, and complex rhythmic structure, requiring precise muting and stamina.
More King Crimson tones
- Matte Kudasai · solo
- 21st Century Schizoid Man (Including "Mirrors") · riff
- Larks' Tongues In Aspic, Pt. 2 · riff
- 21st Century Schizoid Man (Including "Mirrors") · solo
- 21st Century Schizoid Man (Including "Mirrors") · distorted
- Easy Money · riff
- Elephant Talk · solo
- Epitaph (Including "March for No Reason" and "Tomorrow and Tomorrow") · riff
- Fallen Angel · riff
- Frame By Frame · riff