November Rain by Guns N' Roses — Amp Settings & Guitar Tone
Reference tone dialed on a Squier Classic Vibe Stratocaster into a Fender Mustang LT25. Settings below are cited from real sources; open the page in a browser for the interactive version, or get this tone dialed for your exact gear.
To capture the lead tone of 'November Rain,' we'll use the Squier Classic Vibe Stratocaster '60s and the Fender Mustang LT25. The Strat's single-coil pickups will be adjusted to emulate a humbucker's warmth. The Mustang LT25's modeling capabilities will help recreate the Marshall JCM800's mid-forward character, with delay and reverb effects for depth and ambience.
Signal chain settings
Squier Classic Vibe Stratocaster '60s — Main guitar
| Control | Setting | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Pickup Selector | Neck Pickup | Select the neck pickup to emulate the warm, full tone of a Les Paul. |
| Master Volume | 8 | Set high for strong output and sustain. |
| Tone 1 | 6 | Roll off some treble to smooth out the single-coil brightness. |
| Tone 2 | Not used | This tone control is for the bridge pickup, which is not engaged. |
Fender Mustang LT25 — Main amplifier
| Control | Setting | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Preset Select | 02 SILKY SOLO | This preset provides a lead gain structure similar to the JCM800 with built-in delay and reverb. |
| Gain | 7 | Push the gain to achieve the saturated tube crunch with singing sustain. |
| Volume | 5 | Balanced to maintain clarity without overpowering the mix. |
| Treble | 6 | Maintain clarity while avoiding harshness, compensating for the Strat's natural brightness. |
| Bass | 5 | Keep bass neutral to avoid muddiness and maintain focus on the midrange. |
| Master | 8 | Set high to ensure the amp's full dynamic range and sustain are utilized. |
| Effects | Delay and Reverb | Engage delay and reverb for depth and ambient space in the solos. Using the amp's Menu Button and Preset Select, open the effects list to reach it. Start around Time 300-400 ms, Feedback 3/10, Level 4/10 — match the repeats to the song's tempo. Press Save Button to keep it in this preset. |
| Cabinet build | Not used | Not needed for this tone — leave it off. |
| Amp Models | Not used | Not needed for this tone — leave it off. |
Section guide — how the tone changes through the song
Intro Clean
The intro features a clean and atmospheric tone, requiring a switch to a clean preset.
- the pedal: Preset Select → 01 FENDER CLEAN
- the pedal: Gain → 3
- the pedal: Effects → Reverb
What Guns N' Roses actually used
For the recording of 'November Rain,' Slash utilized his Kris Derrig replica Les Paul Standard, known for its Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro humbuckers, through a Marshall Silver Jubilee 2555 amplifier. The tone was further shaped using a Boss GE-7 Graphic Equalizer and an unspecified delay pedal. The studio added plate reverb to enhance the spatial quality of the guitar sound. The song was recorded in Eb standard tuning, a half-step down from standard tuning, which was typical for Guns N' Roses during this period.
- Kris Derrig Replica Les Paul Standard — main. Neck pickup, tone rolled down
- Boss GE-7 Graphic Equalizer — tone shaping
- Delay pedal (model unknown) — delay effect
- Marshall JCM25/50 2555 Silver Jubilee 100W Head — amplification
- Plate reverb — studio reverb send
Tuning: Eb standard
Sources
- https://www.fender.com/en-US/squier-electric-guitars/stratocaster/classic-vibe-stratocaster-60s/0303010500.html
- https://www.manualslib.com/manual/1547905/Fender-Mustang-Lt25.html
- https://www.fender.com/en-US/guitar-amplifiers/contemporary-digital/mustang-lt25/2311100000.html
- https://www.manualslib.com/manual/3126493/Fender-Mustang-Lt25.html
- https://www.guitarchalk.com/fender-mustang-lt25-settings/
- https://tonesmatch.com/tones/november-rain-guns-n-roses-riff-distorted-13026
- https://www.musicradar.com/artists/it-used-to-be-like-25-minutes-long-how-axl-rose-took-inspiration-from-elton-john-to-create-a-classic-guns-n-roses-ballad-that-was-years-in-the-making