Riff Tone
'Round Midnight
Wes Montgomery Trio
Guitarjazz1950s
Original Gear
GuitarGibson L-5 CES
AmpStandel Custom XV (Vintage, 1950s model, solid-state preamp/tube power amp, 15" JBL speaker)
PickupsGibson P-90 single coil (original 1950s L-5 CES configuration, likely Alnico V staple or P-90 type, not humbucker for 1959 recording)
Amp Settings
gain0
bass6.5
mid7
treble6
reverb0.5
presence5.5
Effects & Signal Chain
No effects used for this tone
Notes
Studio recording, October 5-6, 1959 at Reeves Sound Studio, NYC for 'The Wes Montgomery Trio: A Dynamic New Sound'. No evidence of pedals or outboard effects. All tone from guitar and amp. Clean tone, thumb technique. Pickup and amp details confirmed for this session.
Tone Character(10)
warm and woodyacoustic-likesmooth and mellowclear note separationfull-bodied hollowbody soundsoft attack (thumb technique)slightly bright top endnatural, uncompressedno audible effectsclean, pure jazz tone
Difficulty
The riff section requires advanced jazz chord knowledge, thumb-based octave technique, and precise dynamic control for a clean, expressive tone.
Sources
Wes Montgomery Guitar Tone — Settings for Every Signature Song | ToneMirrorWes Montgomery - EquipboardWes Montgomery The Wes Montgomery Trio: A Dynamic New Sound (Riverside 1959) | FLOPHOUSEWes Montgomery's "'Round Midnight" Chord Solo Transcription & Analysis by Steve KhanHow did Wes Montgomery get that woody, acoustic guitar tone?
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Original Gear
GuitarGibson L-5 CES
AmpStandel Custom XV (Vintage, 1950s model, solid-state preamp/tube power amp, 15" JBL speaker)
PickupsGibson P-90 single coil (original 1950s L-5 CES configuration, likely Alnico V staple or P-90 type, not humbucker for 1959 recording)
Amp Settings
gain0
bass6.5
mid7
treble6
reverb0.5
presence5.5
Effects & Signal Chain
No effects used for this tone
Sources
Wes Montgomery Guitar Tone — Settings for Every Signature Song | ToneMirrorWes Montgomery - EquipboardWes Montgomery The Wes Montgomery Trio: A Dynamic New Sound (Riverside 1959) | FLOPHOUSEWes Montgomery's "'Round Midnight" Chord Solo Transcription & Analysis by Steve KhanHow did Wes Montgomery get that woody, acoustic guitar tone?
Notes
Studio recording, October 5-6, 1959 at Reeves Sound Studio, NYC for 'The Wes Montgomery Trio: A Dynamic New Sound'. No evidence of pedals or outboard effects. All tone from guitar and amp. Clean tone, thumb technique. Pickup and amp details confirmed for this session.
Tone Character(10)
warm and woodyacoustic-likesmooth and mellowclear note separationfull-bodied hollowbody soundsoft attack (thumb technique)slightly bright top endnatural, uncompressedno audible effectsclean, pure jazz tone
Difficulty
The riff section requires advanced jazz chord knowledge, thumb-based octave technique, and precise dynamic control for a clean, expressive tone.