Riff Tone

This Night Has Opened My Eyes

The Smiths

Guitarrock1980s

Original Gear

Guitar1983 Rickenbacker 330

AmpRoland JC-120 Jazz Chorus

PickupsRickenbacker Hi-Gain single coils

Amp Settings

gain2.5

bass6

mid7

treble7

reverb4

presence5.5

Effects & Signal Chain

chorusBoss Boss CE-2 Chorus

reverbBoss Boss RV-2 Digital Reverb

eqBoss Boss GE-6 Graphic Equalizer

Notes

Studio recording, 1984. Johnny Marr is widely documented to have used a Rickenbacker 330 and Roland JC-120 for jangly Smiths tracks of this era. No direct source confirms the exact amp/guitar for this song, but this is the most likely pairing for the riff section based on era and tone. No evidence of live-specific gear for the studio recording.

Tone Character(10)

jangly and brightclean and articulateopen, ringing chordslush chorus shimmersubtle reverb ambiencepercussive strummingdense texture from open stringswarm but present midssparkling high endno audible distortion

Difficulty

The riff requires intermediate skill due to intricate chord shapes, rhythmic precision, and the need for clarity in open-string voicings while maintaining a consistent, jangly texture.

Sources

Johnny Marr's Guitars, Amps, Pedals & Other Gear | Equipboard Learn Johnny Marr’s rhythm guitar secrets | Guitar World Tonal Blueprint: The Smiths/Johnny Marr : r/guitarpedals

This tone has been researched 3 times by the community

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