🎸 Rock · 1970s

Kashmir by Led Zeppelin (Riff · Distorted) — Guitar Tone

by Led Zeppelin · riff

The Kashmir by Led Zeppelin guitar tone is built on a Hiwatt Custom 100 DR103, dialed in at gain 3/10, bass 6, mid 7, treble 4.5, presence 3.5 (community-researched baseline). Full breakdown below — then adapt every knob to your exact guitar and amp, free.

🎛️ These settings are for the original rig — re-dial them for YOUR amp in 10 seconds. Free, no signup →

Amp settings (0–10)

GAIN

BASS

MID

4.5

TREBLE

3.5

PRESENCE

REVERB

Community-researched baseline. Your rig is different — GuitarToneAdapt re-dials every knob for your specific guitar, amp and pickups.

How these settings compare

Measured against the 540 rock tones in our researched catalog: Gain 3 sits below the rock average (4.8) — cleaner and more dynamic than typical rock; mids at 7 are right around average (6.2); treble 4.5 is well below the 6.5 norm (darker, smoother top end).

Guitar controls

7-8

VOLUME

5-6

TONE

Original gear

Guitar: Fender Electric XII (12-string electric guitar) · Amp: Hiwatt Custom 100 DR103 (likely, based on era and studio use; some sources suggest Marshall, but Hiwatt is most cited for Kashmir studio recording)

Studio recording, 1974-1975 (Physical Graffiti sessions). Jimmy Page used a Fender Electric XII for the main riff. The amp is most likely a Hiwatt Custom 100, as per multiple gear rundowns and interviews. No evidence of pedals or effects beyond possible light studio reverb. No phaser, flanger, or chorus audible or cited for the riff section. Live, Page used a Les Paul and Marshall, but the studio riff is Electric XII into Hiwatt.

Gear used on this tone

🎚️ Marshall songs & tones →🎚️ Gibson Les Paul songs & tones →🎚️ single-coil guitars songs & tones →🎚️ Hiwatt songs & tones →

Don’t own this gear? GuitarToneAdapt re-creates the sound on the rig you actually have.

Pickups

Neck pickup

Signal chain

Fender Electric XII (12-string electric guitar) → Hiwatt Custom 100 DR103 (likely, based on era and studio use; some sources suggest Marshall, but Hiwatt is most cited for Kashmir studio recording)

Effects

reverb

Amp effects: Reverb (plate, level 2)

Tone character

warm and rounded, full-bodied, slightly compressed, articulate and percussive, mellow high end, rich midrange, chiming 12-string texture, not harsh or piercing, dynamic response to picking, minimal breakup

Recording context

studio

How it’s played

straight, medium tempo, loud dynamics · edge distortion. This shapes how hard the amp is pushed and where the EQ sits for the Kashmir sound.

Difficulty

3/5 · Riff

The riff is moderately challenging due to the DADGAD tuning, the hypnotic syncopated rhythm, and the need for clean articulation on a 12-string electric. The technique is not advanced, but the timing and feel require intermediate skill.

Worth knowing

No official studio amp settings published; values estimated from era, genre, and typical Hiwatt/Marshall settings for classic rock.
No evidence of pedals or effects used on the studio riff; no phaser, flanger, chorus, or delay audible or cited for the riff section.
Some forum sources suggest Marshall amps, but most credible sources and interviews point to Hiwatt for the studio recording.
Live performances used different gear (Les Paul, Marshall), but this data is for the studio riff only.
Settings are averaged from multiple forum and magazine sources, weighted toward those referencing the studio recording.
Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Jimmy Page's 'Kashmir' riff tone is mid-forward, not heavily overdriven, with a warm but articulate character typical of a cranked Hiwatt or Marshall set just past clean. The era's production and Page's style favor strong mids, moderate bass, restrained treble, and only subtle reverb from the room or plate.

⚡ Same tone, YOUR gear — re-dials the gain & EQ for your amp and pickups, free →

🎧 Can you guess the tone?

Recognise famous songs from just the amp dials — a quick 10-round game. Beat your friends. Play free →

🎸 Which guitar legend is your tone twin? Take the quiz & share your result →

Kashmir guitar tone — FAQ

What amp settings do I need for the Kashmir guitar tone?

Set your amp to roughly: gain 3, bass 6, mid 7, treble 4.5, presence 3.5, reverb 2. These are community-researched baselines — GuitarToneAdapt re-dials them for your exact guitar and amp.

What gear was used for the Kashmir tone?

Original gear/effects: Guitar: Fender Electric XII (12-string electric guitar) · Amp: Hiwatt Custom 100 DR103 (likely, based on era and studio use; some sources suggest Marshall, but Hiwatt is most cited for Kashmir studio recording); reverb.

Can I get the Kashmir tone on a different guitar or amp?

Yes. Different guitars and amps need different knob positions to sound the same. GuitarToneAdapt models pickup output and wood brightness, then compensates so you match the record on your own rig.

How do I sound like Led Zeppelin on Kashmir — what gear and pedals?

Start with Neck pickup, the amp EQ above (gain 3, bass 6, mid 7, treble 4.5, presence 3.5, reverb 2), and reverb. Then let GuitarToneAdapt compensate for the guitar, amp and pedals you actually own so it sits like the record.

Share this tone

Sources

Free practice tools

🎤 Online guitar tuner → · 🎶 Guitar chords → · 🎸 Guitar tunings → · 🎚️ Tuning chart → · 🎼 Guitar scales → · 🎚️ Chord transposer & capo → · 🥁 Metronome → · 🎶 Song chords → · 🎧 Guess the Tone game → · 🎸 Tone Legend quiz → · 📊 Tone data report →

🔥 The most famous guitar tones of all time → · 🎯 Easy guitar songs to play (with settings) → · 🗂️ Browse tone collections (by genre & language) →

More like this

🎸 How to get Led Zeppelin’s guitar tone → · 🎸 more Rock guitar tones → · 🎚️ Hiwatt settings → · 🎛️ best rock amp settings → · 🎸 more iconic guitar riffs → · 🎯 more percussive tones → · 📖 New to amp settings? What every knob does →

Settings are community-researched estimates, not official. GuitarToneAdapt adapts them to your gear. guitartoneadapt.com