Riff Tone

Wild Horses

The Rolling Stones

Guitarrock1970s

Original Gear

GuitarGibson Hummingbird Acoustic

AmpNone (acoustic recorded direct/mic'd); for electric overdubs: Fender Telecaster into British-style tube amp (Vox AC30 or Marshall Plexi, but acoustic is primary for riff)

PickupsGibson Hummingbird stock acoustic pickup (if any; primarily mic'd in studio)

Amp Settings

gain0

bass5.5

mid7.5

treble5.5

reverb2.5

presence5

Effects & Signal Chain

No effects used for this tone

Notes

Studio recording, 1970 (Sticky Fingers sessions). The main riff is played on acoustic guitar (Gibson Hummingbird), mic'd in the studio. Some sources mention a Martin D-28 and a 12-string acoustic for layering. Electric overdubs (Telecaster) are present but not the main riff. No evidence of pedals or amp effects on the acoustic track.

Tone Character(10)

warm and woodyrich midrangesmooth highsarticulate and dynamicopen and airynatural acoustic resonanceminimal compressionslight room ambiencegentle attackvintage, organic feel

Difficulty

The riff is accessible to intermediate players but requires familiarity with open G tuning, clean chord transitions, and dynamic control for the soft, expressive acoustic sound.

Sources

Amp Settings for Wild Horses by The Rolling Stones (gear and tone tips) - Guitar Chalk Keith Richards' Guitars, Gear & Amps | Equipboard The Rolling Stones – Wild Horses - Gear & Equipment Used on the Single | Equipboard

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