Creep by Radiohead — 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.
This setup recreates the dynamic contrast between the clean, jangly verses and the aggressive, distorted choruses of 'Creep'. The Squier Stratocaster's single-coil pickups provide the bright, articulate tone needed for the clean sections, while the Fender Mustang LT25's modeling capabilities allow for both clean and distorted tones, capturing the essence of the original recording.
Signal chain settings
Squier Classic Vibe '60s Stratocaster — main rhythm tone
| Control | Setting | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Pickup Selector | Neck Pickup | The neck pickup provides the warm, clean tone needed for the verse arpeggios. |
| Master Volume | 7 | Set to 7 to maintain clarity and dynamics in the clean sections. |
| Tone 1 | 10 | Tone wide open — roll it down to soften the high end. |
| Tone 2 | Leave at default | Not used for the neck pickup in this song. |
Fender Mustang LT25 — amplification
| Control | Setting | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Preset | [01] FENDER CLEAN | This preset provides the clean Fender tone needed for the verses, similar to the Eighty-Five amp heard on the record. |
| Gain | 4 | Set to 4 for a clean tone with a slight edge, matching the verse's light grit. |
| Volume | 5 | Balanced to maintain clarity without overpowering the clean tone. |
| Treble | 6 | Enhances the brightness of the clean sections, similar to the recording's EQ. |
| Bass | 4 | Keeps the low end subdued, aligning with the recording's EQ balance. |
| Master | 5 | Set to 5 to maintain overall volume consistency and dynamics. |
| 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
Chorus
Switch to a distorted tone for the explosive chorus sections, emulating the aggressive strikes in the recording.
- the pedal: Preset → [04] CLASSIC ROCK
- the pedal: Gain → 8
- the pedal: Volume → 6
What Radiohead actually used
Recorded at Chipping Norton Recording Studios in 1992, 'Creep' features Jonny Greenwood's Fender Telecaster Plus through Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier Trem-O-Verb amps, with a Marshall ShredMaster pedal for the distinctive distorted guitar strikes. A Roland Dimension D chorus effect was added during mixing for depth.
- Fender Telecaster Plus — main rhythm. neck pickup
- Marshall ShredMaster — distortion. used for aggressive guitar strikes in the chorus
- Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier Trem-O-Verb Combo Amp — amplification. one set to clean for verses, another set to distortion for choruses
- Roland Dimension D — chorus effect. applied during mixing for added depth
Tuning: 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.kuassa.com/radiohead-creep-guitar-tone-breakdown/
- https://equipboard.com/albums/radiohead-creep
- https://www.loudersound.com/bands-artists/the-story-behind-radiohead-creep