When the Curtain Falls by Greta Van Fleet (Riff · Distorted) — Guitar Tone

The When the Curtain Falls by Greta Van Fleet guitar tone is built on a Marshall 1962HW 30W 2x12 Handwired Tube Guitar Combo Amp, dialed in at gain 6/10, bass 6.5, mid 7, treble 7, presence 6.5 (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 7 are right around average (6.2).

Guitar controls

Original gear

Guitar: Gibson Les Paul (SG) Standard with Sideways Vibrola 1961 · Amp: Marshall 1962HW 30W 2x12 Handwired Tube Guitar Combo Amp

Studio recording for 'When the Curtain Falls' (2018). Guitar and amp confirmed via Equipboard and Premier Guitar Rig Rundown. No evidence of live or alternate gear for the riff section.

Gear used on this tone

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

Pickups

Bridge pickup

Signal chain

Gibson Les Paul (SG) Standard with Sideways Vibrola 1961 → Electro-Harmonix Holy Grail → Marshall 1962HW 30W 2x12 Handwired Tube Guitar Combo Amp

Effects

reverb

Tone character

British crunch, aggressive bridge pickup, tight and percussive riffing, classic rock bite, open, dynamic attack, punchy midrange, vintage tube breakup, articulate note separation, slight natural compression, touch-sensitive response

Recording context

studio

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 When the Curtain Falls sound.

Difficulty

3.5/5 · Riff

The riff requires intermediate skill due to its syncopated rhythm, dynamic picking, and muting techniques that demand control and articulation.

Worth knowing

• No exact amp knob settings found for this song/section; values estimated based on Marshall 1962HW typical classic rock settings and genre/era.
• Pedal settings not specified in sources; pedal use confirmed, but knob values are not.
• Signal chain inferred from multiple sources and typical studio practice for this band/era.
• No explicit pickup selector position stated, but bridge pickup is strongly indicated by tone and genre.
• Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Jake Kiszka typically uses vintage-style amps (notably Marshall Plexi and Orange), favoring a crunchy, mid-forward, classic rock tone with clear articulation and moderate gain. The riff in 'When the Curtain Falls' is punchy and present, with strong mids, tight but not boomy lows, and a touch of room ambience, matching these settings.

When the Curtain Falls guitar tone — FAQ

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Sources

• Jake Kiszka | Equipboard
• Jake Kiszka | Equipboard (hide incorrect submissions)
• The greatest guitar albums of the 2010s | Guitar World

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