🎸 Rock · 2000s

Nude by Radiohead (Riff · Clean) — Guitar Tone

by Radiohead · riff

The Nude by Radiohead guitar tone is built on a Unknown, dialed in at gain 2/10, bass 6, mid 7, treble 6, presence 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

TREBLE

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 2 sits well below the rock average (4.8) — cleaner and more dynamic than typical rock; mids at 7 are right around average (6.2).

Guitar controls

8-9

VOLUME

7-8

TONE

Original gear

Guitar: Gretsch G6137TCB Panther Center-Block LTD · Amp: Unknown (likely Fender Twin Reverb or Vox AC30, but not confirmed for studio recording)

Studio recording, 2006-2007 (In Rainbows sessions). Guitar confirmed via Equipboard and live footage. Amp not confirmed for studio; Ed O'Brien is known for using Fender and Vox amps in this era, but no direct source for 'Nude' studio session.

Gear used on this tone

🎚️ Fender Twin Reverb songs & tones →🎚️ Vox AC30 songs & tones →🎚️ humbucker guitars songs & tones →🎚️ Gretsch hollowbody songs & tones →

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

Pickups

Neck pickup

Signal chain

Gretsch G6137TCB Panther Center-Block LTD → Heet Sound EBow → Flanger pedal (model unknown, possibly Mooer ElecLady or Electro-Harmonix Electric Mistress) → Reverb pedal (model unknown) → Unknown (likely Fender Twin Reverb or Vox AC30, but not confirmed for studio recording)

Effects

reverb, flanger, EBow (sustainer)

Amp effects: Reverb (spring, level 6.5)

Tone character

soft and supple, clean and shimmering, lush and ambient, warm and rounded attack, gentle sustain, airy and open, subtle modulation, expressive dynamics, delicate note articulation

Recording context

studio

How it’s played

straight, slow tempo, soft dynamics · clean distortion. This shapes how hard the amp is pushed and where the EQ sits for the Nude sound.

Difficulty

3.5/5 · Riff

The riff requires intermediate skill due to the use of EBow for sustained notes, careful dynamic control, and the need for clean, expressive articulation with subtle modulation effects.

Worth knowing

No direct source confirms the exact amp model or settings for the studio recording of 'Nude'. Amp and EQ settings estimated based on typical Ed O'Brien clean tones from the era and genre.
Pedal models confirmed for live use, but not all are confirmed for the studio recording. EBow is confirmed for 'Nude' in both studio and live contexts.
No explicit pickup selector position stated, but neck pickup is most likely based on tone and live footage.
No direct evidence of amp reverb type; spring reverb inferred from likely amp choices.
No explicit pedal settings found; effect order inferred from typical Ed O'Brien signal chains.
Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. The 'Nude' riff features a warm, clean-to-edge-of-breakup tone typical of Jonny Greenwood's Fender amp setups, with forward mids and moderate bass for fullness, restrained treble to avoid harshness, and subtle reverb for space. These settings reflect Radiohead's late-2000s production and Greenwood's preference for clarity and warmth.

⚡ 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 →

Nude guitar tone — FAQ

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

Set your amp to roughly: gain 2, bass 6, mid 7, treble 6, presence 5, reverb 5. These are community-researched baselines — GuitarToneAdapt re-dials them for your exact guitar and amp.

What gear was used for the Nude tone?

Original gear/effects: Guitar: Gretsch G6137TCB Panther Center-Block LTD · Amp: Unknown (likely Fender Twin Reverb or Vox AC30, but not confirmed for studio recording); reverb, flanger, EBow (sustainer).

Can I get the Nude 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 Radiohead on Nude — what gear and pedals?

Start with Neck pickup, the amp EQ above (gain 2, bass 6, mid 7, treble 6, presence 5, reverb 5), and reverb, flanger, EBow (sustainer). 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 Radiohead’s guitar tone → · 🎸 more Rock guitar tones → · 🎛️ best rock amp settings → · 🎸 more iconic guitar riffs → · 🎚️ Flanger tone guide → · 🎯 more singing sustain tones → · 📖 New to amp settings? What every knob does →

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