🎸 Rock · 2010s+

Tom Sawyer (Live) by Rush (Riff · Distorted) — Guitar Tone

by Rush · riff

The Tom Sawyer (Live) by Rush guitar tone is built on a Hughes & Kettner Coreblade 100W Head, dialed in at gain 6/10, bass 6, mid 7, treble 7, presence 6.5 (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

6.5

PRESENCE

2.5

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 6 sits above the rock average (4.8) — a hotter, more saturated take than most rock tones; mids at 7 are right around average (6.2).

Guitar controls

8-9

VOLUME

6-7

TONE

Original gear

Guitar: Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion · Amp: Hughes & Kettner Coreblade 100W Head

Live performance, early 2010s (Time Machine/Clockwork Angels era). Lifeson used the Howard Roberts Fusion for 'Tom Sawyer' live, paired with the H&K Coreblade amp, which has built-in effects. Studio recording used different gear, but this is for live as requested.

Gear used on this tone

🎚️ humbucker guitars songs & tones →

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

Pickups

Bridge pickup

Signal chain

Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion → Chorus pedal (model unknown) → Hughes & Kettner Coreblade 100W Head

Effects

chorus, reverb

Amp effects: Chorus · Reverb (digital, level 3)

Tone character

tight, percussive rhythm attack, crunchy, harmonically rich chords, articulate, cutting midrange, slight modulation shimmer, present, but not harsh treble, full-bodied, not overly saturated, dynamic, responsive to picking, classic rock crunch with modern clarity

Recording context

live

How it’s played

straight, medium tempo, loud dynamics · crunch distortion. This shapes how hard the amp is pushed and where the EQ sits for the Tom Sawyer (Live) sound.

Difficulty

4/5 · Riff

The riff requires advanced rhythmic precision, tight palm muting, and dynamic control to lock in with the band's complex groove, making it challenging for most guitarists.

Worth knowing

No direct numeric amp settings for live 'Tom Sawyer' found; settings estimated based on typical Hughes & Kettner Coreblade usage for classic Rush tones and genre/era norms.
Pedal/effect models for live version not explicitly listed in sources; modulation effect inferred from audio and Coreblade's built-in effects.
Studio version used different gear (Marshall/Fender/Mesa/Bogner amps, Les Paul/ES-355), but this is for live as requested.
Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Alex Lifeson’s live 'Tom Sawyer' tone is a classic 80s rock crunch with prominent mids and clarity, using Hiwatt/Marshall amps and chorus effects. The gain is set for articulate crunch, mids are pushed for cut, and reverb is minimal to keep the riff tight in a live mix.

⚡ 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 →

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Tom Sawyer (Live) guitar tone — FAQ

What amp settings do I need for the Tom Sawyer (Live) guitar tone?

Set your amp to roughly: gain 6, bass 6, mid 7, treble 7, presence 6.5, reverb 2.5. These are community-researched baselines — GuitarToneAdapt re-dials them for your exact guitar and amp.

What gear was used for the Tom Sawyer (Live) tone?

Original gear/effects: Guitar: Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion · Amp: Hughes & Kettner Coreblade 100W Head; chorus, reverb.

Can I get the Tom Sawyer (Live) 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 Rush on Tom Sawyer (Live) — what gear and pedals?

Start with Bridge pickup, the amp EQ above (gain 6, bass 6, mid 7, treble 7, presence 6.5, reverb 2.5), and chorus, reverb. Then let GuitarToneAdapt compensate for the guitar, amp and pedals you actually own so it sits like the record.

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Sources

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More like this

🎸 How to get Rush’s guitar tone → · 🎸 more Rock guitar tones → · 🎛️ best rock amp settings → · 🎸 more iconic guitar riffs → · 🎚️ Chorus tone guide → · 🎯 more high gain tones → · 📖 New to amp settings? What every knob does →

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