Riff Tone

Run to the Hills (2015 Remaster)

Iron Maiden

Guitarmetal1980s

Original Gear

GuitarFender Stratocaster (likely 1970s or early 1980s, Dave Murray or Adrian Smith signature modded with humbucker in bridge)

AmpMarshall JMP 2203 100W Head (studio recording, 1982), likely with Marshall 4x12 cabinet

PickupsDiMarzio Super Distortion (bridge humbucker, Dave Murray's Strat), Fender single coils (neck/middle)

Amp Settings

gain6.5

bass5.5

mid7

treble7.5

reverb1.5

presence6

Effects & Signal Chain

No effects used for this tone

Notes

Studio recording, 1982. 'Run to the Hills' was recorded for 'The Number of the Beast.' Dave Murray and Adrian Smith both used heavily modded Stratocasters with a bridge humbucker (DiMarzio Super Distortion or Seymour Duncan Hot Rails). Marshall JMP 2203 heads were used for the album. No evidence of pedals or effects for the riff section; tone is dry and direct. Settings estimated based on era, genre, and typical Iron Maiden studio setup.

Tone Character(10)

tight and percussivebright and articulatefocused midrange punchdry, minimal ambienceaggressive pick attackslightly compressedharmonic-rich crunchbridge humbucker biteclear note separationfast, articulate rhythm

Difficulty

The riff requires fast, precise alternate picking and palm muting at a high tempo, demanding stamina and tight synchronization with the rhythm section. The articulation and clarity needed at this speed make it challenging for most players.