Riff Tone

Something

The Beatles

Guitarrock1960s

Original Gear

GuitarGibson Les Paul Standard (1957 Goldtop, likely refinished), or possible 1961 Fender Stratocaster

AmpVox 7120 hybrid amp (solid-state preamp, tube power amp)

PickupsP-90 single-coil (Les Paul) or Fender single-coil (Stratocaster)

Amp Settings

gain4

bass6

mid7

treble6.5

reverb2.5

presence5.5

Effects & Signal Chain

No effects used for this tone

Notes

Studio recording, Abbey Road, 1969. Most sources and session photos indicate George Harrison used his 1957 Les Paul Standard for the main riff, but some suggest a 1961 Stratocaster was used for overdubs. The Vox 7120 was the primary amp for Abbey Road sessions. No evidence of live performance for this section.

Tone Character(10)

sweet singing overdrivefast, percussive attackscratchy treblenasal midrangetight and focusedwarm, rounded attackslight breakuparticulate note separationclassic late-60s Abbey Road studio soundsubtle room ambience

Difficulty

The riff requires intermediate control of dynamics and articulation, but does not involve advanced techniques or fast passages. The main challenge is achieving the smooth, singing phrasing and subtle overdrive characteristic of the recording.

Sources

The Beatles' guitars & amps: what they played on every album How to get the beatles “something” Guitar tone on Stratocaster - Reddit George Harrison's Guitar Gear, Pedalboard & Amps

This tone has been researched 3 times by the community

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