Solo Tone
Taken For a Fool
The Strokes
Guitarrock2010s+
Original Gear
GuitarEpiphone Riviera (early 2000s, semi-hollow, stock pickups)
AmpFender Hot Rod DeVille 212 (studio recording era typical for Nick Valensi)
PickupsEpiphone PAF-style humbuckers
Amp Settings
gain5.5
bass5.5
mid7
treble7
reverb2
presence5.5
Effects & Signal Chain
overdriveUnknown Overdrive pedal (model unknown)
Notes
Studio recording, 2010-2011 (Angles album sessions). No direct source confirms the exact amp/pickup for this solo, but Nick Valensi is widely documented using an Epiphone Riviera with PAF-style humbuckers and a Fender Hot Rod DeVille for Angles-era studio work. No evidence of alternate guitars or amps for this solo.
Tone Character(10)
bright and cuttingcrunchy with moderate sustainmid-forward and articulatetight attackslightly compressedopen semi-hollow resonancepunchy upper midsclear single-note definitionmodest amp breakupno heavy fuzz or extreme saturation
Difficulty
The solo requires intermediate-level technique with clear single-note playing, moderate bends, and dynamic control to maintain clarity and punch in a crunchy, mid-gain context.
Sources
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Original Gear
GuitarEpiphone Riviera (early 2000s, semi-hollow, stock pickups)
AmpFender Hot Rod DeVille 212 (studio recording era typical for Nick Valensi)
PickupsEpiphone PAF-style humbuckers
Amp Settings
gain5.5
bass5.5
mid7
treble7
reverb2
presence5.5
Effects & Signal Chain
overdriveUnknown Overdrive pedal (model unknown)
Notes
Studio recording, 2010-2011 (Angles album sessions). No direct source confirms the exact amp/pickup for this solo, but Nick Valensi is widely documented using an Epiphone Riviera with PAF-style humbuckers and a Fender Hot Rod DeVille for Angles-era studio work. No evidence of alternate guitars or amps for this solo.
Tone Character(10)
bright and cuttingcrunchy with moderate sustainmid-forward and articulatetight attackslightly compressedopen semi-hollow resonancepunchy upper midsclear single-note definitionmodest amp breakupno heavy fuzz or extreme saturation
Difficulty
The solo requires intermediate-level technique with clear single-note playing, moderate bends, and dynamic control to maintain clarity and punch in a crunchy, mid-gain context.
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