Under the Bridge
CleanRiff1990s
Chimey clean arpeggios, warm compression.
Start at Gain 2, Bass 5, Middle 5, Treble 6, Presence 5, Reverb 3, with the neck or middle position.
- Guitar
- Fender Stratocaster
- Amp
- Two Marshalls, a guitar and a bass head
Reviewed
Red Hot Chili Peppers amp settings and guitar tones
4 songs, each with a starting point and the rig from its sources
What amp settings do you need for Red Hot Chili Peppers?
Tonelify's library has 4 Red Hot Chili Peppers songs, each with the rig reported in interviews and articles and a reference starting point on a generic five-knob amp. There is no single Red Hot Chili Peppers setting. Every one of them starts at Gain 2, so the differences are in the EQ, the pickup and the effects.
The numbers below are the same ones each song page gives. The rig for each song is on its own page with the sources it comes from.
Red Hot Chili Peppers songs and their starting points
Snow (Hey Oh)
CleanRiff2000s
Percussive sparkling clean sixteenths.
Start at Gain 2, Bass 5, Middle 5, Treble 6, Presence 5, Reverb 3, with the neck or middle position.
- Guitar
- Fender Stratocaster
- Amp
- Marshall Major and Silver Jubilee
Californication
CleanRiff1990s
Sparse, clean picked riff with a round hollowbody warmth.
Start at Gain 2, Bass 5, Middle 5, Treble 6, Presence 5, Reverb 3, with the neck or middle position.
- Guitar
- Gretsch White Falcon hollowbody
- Amp
- Fender Showman (likely)
Can't Stop
CleanRiff2000s
Muted, percussive funk riff with a bright bridge-pickup snap.
Start at Gain 2, Bass 5, Middle 5, Treble 6, Presence 5, Reverb 3, with the bridge pickup.
- Guitar
- 1960 Fender Custom Telecaster (likely)
- Amp
- Marshall Major, the album's main amp
These are positions on a generic five-knob amp with gain, bass, middle, treble and presence, each running 0 to 10. They are a starting point, not the settings used on the record, and they will not transfer unchanged to an amp with a different gain structure or EQ voicing.
What gear did Red Hot Chili Peppers use?
| Song | Guitar and amp |
|---|---|
| Under the Bridge | Fender StratocasterTwo Marshalls, a guitar and a bass head |
| Snow (Hey Oh) | Fender StratocasterMarshall Major and Silver Jubilee |
| Californication | Gretsch White Falcon hollowbodyFender Showman (likely) |
| Can't Stop | 1960 Fender Custom Telecaster (likely)Marshall Major, the album's main amp |
Tonelify reads each of these chains and translates it to the amp and guitar you already own. Adapt one to your gear →
Red Hot Chili Peppers tone questions
What amp settings do you need for Red Hot Chili Peppers?
It depends on the song. On a generic five-knob amp, Under the Bridge starts at Gain 2, Bass 5, Middle 5, Treble 6, Presence 5, Reverb 3; Snow (Hey Oh) starts at Gain 2, Bass 5, Middle 5, Treble 6, Presence 5, Reverb 3; Californication starts at Gain 2, Bass 5, Middle 5, Treble 6, Presence 5, Reverb 3; Can't Stop starts at Gain 2, Bass 5, Middle 5, Treble 6, Presence 5, Reverb 3. These are starting points, not the settings used on the records.
What gear did Red Hot Chili Peppers use on these songs?
Under the Bridge: Fender Stratocaster; Two Marshalls, a guitar and a bass head. Snow (Hey Oh): Fender Stratocaster; Marshall Major and Silver Jubilee. Californication: Gretsch White Falcon hollowbody; Fender Showman (likely). Can't Stop: 1960 Fender Custom Telecaster (likely); Marshall Major, the album's main amp. Each song page lists the sources behind its rig.
Can you get the Red Hot Chili Peppers tone without the original gear?
Yes. What carries these sounds is the gain structure, the EQ curve, the pickup position and the order of the effects, and all four can be rebuilt on other equipment. Tonelify rewrites each starting point for the amp and guitar you own.