More Than a Feeling by Boston (Riff · Distorted) — Guitar Tone

The More Than a Feeling by Boston guitar tone is built on a Modified 100W Marshall Super Lead Plexi + Echoplex EP-3, dialed in at gain 6/10, bass 5, mid 6, treble 6.5, presence 5.5 (community-researched baseline). Full breakdown below — then adapt every knob to your exact guitar and amp, free.

Amp settings (0–10)

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 6 sits above the rock average (4.8) — a hotter, more saturated take than most rock tones; mids at 6 are right around average (6.2).

Guitar controls

Original gear

Amp: Modified 100W Marshall Super Lead Plexi + Echoplex EP-3 (later Tom Scholz Rockman)

Tom Scholz used a 1968 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop (DiMarzio Super Distortion) into a modified Marshall Super Lead Plexi with an Echoplex EP-3 tape delay. The signature is smooth, compressed, singing sustain — Scholz later bottled it in the Rockman. Layered guitars, chimey 12-string acoustic intro.

Gear used on this tone

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

Pickups

bridge (DiMarzio Super Distortion)

Effects / signal chain

distortion, delay, compression

Tone character

smooth singing sustain, compressed, layered, chimey

Recording context

studio

How it’s played

smooth compressed sustain distortion. This shapes how hard the amp is pushed and where the EQ sits for the More Than a Feeling sound.

Difficulty

4/5 · Riff

The riff is approachable; the tone is the work — smooth, compressed, sustaining distortion with delay. A compressor + medium gain + delay gets close.

Level: Intermediate — see more intermediate guitar songs →

Worth knowing

• More Than a Feeling is a SMOOTH, compressed, singing sustain — a hot Les Paul (DiMarzio) into a modded Marshall Plexi with delay, later the Rockman. It’s medium-high gain but creamy and even, not raw or scooped. Add compression and a little delay.
• Use the bridge humbucker, medium gain, a compressor for the even sustain, and a touch of delay. Layer rhythm parts if you can.
• Settings are community-researched starting points, not official recall sheets.

🎸 All More Than a Feeling guitar tones — every part & section →

More Than a Feeling guitar tone — FAQ

Share this tone

Sources

• More Than a Feeling Amp Settings — Guitar Chalk
• Tom Scholz / Boston Guitar Tone — MusicStrive
• Boston’s Tom Scholz: Rockman — Premier Guitar

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Songs by level: 🎯 Easy  ·  🎸 Intermediate  ·  🔥 Hardest — each with the amp settings.

More like this

🎸 How to get Boston’s guitar tone →  ·  🎸 more Rock guitar tones →  ·  🎚️ Marshall Plexi settings →  ·  🎛️ best rock amp settings →  ·  🎸 more iconic guitar riffs →  ·  🎚️ Delay tone guide →  ·  🎚️ Distortion tone guide →  ·  🎯 more singing sustain tones →  ·  📖 New to amp settings? What every knob does →

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