Riff Tone

Thinking Out Loud

Ed Sheeran

Guitarother2010s+

Original Gear

GuitarFender Eric Clapton Crash 1 Stratocaster Electric Guitar (replica, used for studio and live in 2014)

AmpUnknown (no confirmed amp model for studio recording; likely Fender or similar clean amp based on genre and era)

PickupsFender Vintage Noiseless Single-Coil Stratocaster pickups

Amp Settings

gain0

bass6

mid6

treble6

reverb4

presence5

Effects & Signal Chain

No effects used for this tone

Notes

Studio recording, 2014. Guitar confirmed from live and studio footage; amp model not specified in any source. No evidence of pedal use for riff section. Pickup type inferred from guitar model.

Tone Character(10)

warm and smoothclean and articulaterounded highs, not piercingdynamic and touch-sensitiveslightly compressedpresent midrangenatural sustainpercussive fingerstyle attacksubtle amp reverbintimate and vocal-like

Difficulty

The riff requires intermediate fingerstyle technique, clean chord changes, and subtle rhythmic articulation, but does not involve advanced soloing or complex chord voicings.

Sources

Ed Sheeran's Guitar Gear, Looper Pedal & Pedalboard | Equipboard Ed Sheeran goes electric as he joins The Darkness on stage in London, and riffs on a Lowden model with a story to tell | Guitar World

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