Solo Tone

Stargazer

Rainbow

Guitarrock1970s

Original Gear

Guitar1974 Fender Stratocaster (Olympic White, scalloped fretboard)

AmpMarshall Major 200-watt head (modded for extra gain/output, often slaved with Vox AC30 preamp section)

PickupsFender single-coil (stock 1970s Strat pickups, likely with some rewiring/mods for higher output)

Amp Settings

gain7.5

bass6.5

mid7.5

treble7

reverb2

presence6.5

Effects & Signal Chain

No effects used for this tone

Notes

Studio recording, 1976. Ritchie Blackmore used a scalloped-neck Stratocaster into a Marshall Major head, reportedly with a Vox AC30 preamp slaved into the Marshall for extra drive. No evidence of pedals in the solo section; distortion comes from amp. No evidence of outboard effects except possible subtle studio reverb. All details specific to the studio recording of 'Stargazer' solo section.

Tone Character(10)

singing sustainaggressive upper-mid biteclassic British crunchclear note separationslightly scooped but present midstight, articulate attackdynamic pick responsenot overly saturatedvintage overdrive characterharmonic richness

Difficulty

The solo requires advanced control of phrasing, fast runs, and expressive bends, making it challenging for most players but not at the extreme technical level of shred solos.

Sources

The 50 greatest guitar riffs of all time Ritchie Blackmore - Equipboard

Create an account to adapt this tone to your gear

Create Free Account