Riff Tone
Without Me
Mac DeMarco
Guitarother2010s+
Original Gear
GuitarFender Musicmaster Bass (used as a guitar, 6-string variant)
AmpFender Bronco (Silverface, late 60s/early 70s, combo amp)
PickupsSingle-coil (original Fender Musicmaster pickup)
Amp Settings
gain0
bass6
mid6
treble6.5
reverb4
presence5
Effects & Signal Chain
modulationElectro-Harmonix Electro-Harmonix POG2 Polyphonic Octave Generator
Notes
Studio recording, 2012, for the album '2'. Gear confirmed by Equipboard and Reddit sources referencing Mac's studio setup for this era. The Musicmaster Bass was used as a guitar, not a bass, for the riff section. The amp is confirmed by period photos and Reddit gear lists for the '2' album sessions.
Tone Character(9)
warpy, organ-like octave shimmerclean and undistorted base tonesoft and mellow attackslightly lo-fi, vintage characterrounded highs, not piercingsubtle modulation from octave pedalwarm, smooth neck pickup soundgentle dynamics, not aggressivesynthy, almost keyboard-like timbre
Difficulty
The riff is technically simple but requires careful control of dynamics and articulation to achieve the soft, organ-like effect with the octave pedal.
Sources
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Create Free AccountGuitarother2010s+
Original Gear
GuitarFender Musicmaster Bass (used as a guitar, 6-string variant)
AmpFender Bronco (Silverface, late 60s/early 70s, combo amp)
PickupsSingle-coil (original Fender Musicmaster pickup)
Amp Settings
gain0
bass6
mid6
treble6.5
reverb4
presence5
Effects & Signal Chain
modulationElectro-Harmonix Electro-Harmonix POG2 Polyphonic Octave Generator
Notes
Studio recording, 2012, for the album '2'. Gear confirmed by Equipboard and Reddit sources referencing Mac's studio setup for this era. The Musicmaster Bass was used as a guitar, not a bass, for the riff section. The amp is confirmed by period photos and Reddit gear lists for the '2' album sessions.
Tone Character(9)
warpy, organ-like octave shimmerclean and undistorted base tonesoft and mellow attackslightly lo-fi, vintage characterrounded highs, not piercingsubtle modulation from octave pedalwarm, smooth neck pickup soundgentle dynamics, not aggressivesynthy, almost keyboard-like timbre
Difficulty
The riff is technically simple but requires careful control of dynamics and articulation to achieve the soft, organ-like effect with the octave pedal.
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