Riff Tone

Whole Wide World

The Rolling Stones

Guitarrock2010s+

Original Gear

GuitarFender Telecaster (likely Keith Richards' Micawber or similar, standard 6-string, not open G for this track)

AmpFender Tweed-style combo (likely Fender Twin or Deluxe Reverb, as per Stones' studio use in recent decades)

PickupsSingle-coil (Fender Telecaster bridge pickup, classic configuration)

Amp Settings

gain4.5

bass4.5

mid6.5

treble7

reverb3.5

presence5.5

Effects & Signal Chain

No effects used for this tone

Notes

Studio recording, 2023 (Hackney Diamonds sessions). No evidence of alternate tunings or unusual guitars for this track. No evidence of pedal use for the riff section; amp reverb likely used. Settings estimated based on Stones' typical studio tones and cited amp settings for similar Stones riffs.

Tone Character(10)

bright and articulatetight and percussiveedge-of-breakup crunchdynamic and touch-sensitiveopen and uncompressedslightly scooped low endclassic Telecaster chimespring reverb ambiencemedium output, not heavily saturatedclear, defined attack

Difficulty

The riff requires solid rhythm skills and dynamic control to maintain the Stones' signature groove, but uses straightforward chord shapes and no advanced techniques.

Sources

Rolling Stones guitar lesson: every guitarists' style analyzed | Guitar World Guitar parts on Hackney Diamonds. Who actually plays each part? (Reddit)

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