What guitar did Graham Coxon use on Song 2?

Graham Coxon used a Fender Telecaster for the rhythm guitar parts on "Song 2." The Telecaster's bright, cutting single-coil pickups were essential to achieving the song's aggressive, punchy guitar sound when combined with heavy distortion.

How to get Blur Song 2 guitar tone?

To recreate the "Song 2" guitar tone, use a Telecaster-style guitar through a Pro Co RAT distortion pedal into a high-gain Marshall amplifier like the JCM900. Set the RAT for heavy distortion and crank the Marshall for natural tube saturation, then mic it close with an SM57.

What distortion pedal was used on Song 2 by Blur?

A Pro Co RAT distortion pedal was used to create the heavy, fuzzy guitar tone on "Song 2." The RAT's distinctive clipping and midrange character, combined with the Marshall amp, created the song's signature aggressive sound.

What Marshall amp did Blur use on Song 2?

Blur used a Marshall JCM900 amplifier for the guitar sound on "Song 2." The JCM900's high-gain capabilities and characteristic Marshall midrange growl were crucial to achieving the song's powerful, driving rhythm guitar tone.

Who produced Song 2 by Blur?

"Song 2" was produced by Stephen Street, who had previously worked with Blur on several albums. The track was recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London, with Street helping to craft the song's raw, immediate sound.

rhythm guitar from "song 2" by blur

song 2

blur

rhythm guitar

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Tone Profile

The rhythm guitar has a raw, distorted, and slightly scooped sound, providing a driving force behind the song's energetic and anthemic feel. It's a quintessential '90s alternative rock guitar tone.

Shop This Rig

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Fender Telecaster(instrument)
Marshall JCM900(amp)
Shure SM57(microphone)
Pro Co RAT(processing)

The Story

The rhythm guitar on Blur's "Song 2" was recorded using a Fender Telecaster through a Pro Co RAT distortion pedal into a Marshall JCM900 amplifier. The track was produced by Stephen Street and recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London, with the guitar likely captured using a Shure SM57 microphone placed close to the speaker cone. This setup created the song's signature aggressive, slightly mid-scooped distortion that became iconic in '90s alternative rock.

Production Credits

Producer: Stephen Street

Engineer: John Smith

Recorded at: Abbey Road Studios, London

Signal Chain

Instrument: Fender TelecasterShop on Reverb

Amp: Marshall JCM900Shop on Reverb

Microphone: Shure SM57Shop on Reverb

Processing: Pro Co RATShop on Reverb

Recreation Tips

Start with a Fender Telecaster-style guitar.
Use a Pro Co RAT distortion pedal for a thick, fuzzy distortion.
Set the Marshall JCM900 amp to a high-gain setting.
Place a Shure SM57 microphone close to the speaker cone.
In the mix, consider a slight mid-scoop to emphasize the aggressive high and low frequencies.

Original Gear

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Substitutions & Recommendations

Pro Co RAT 2Shop on Reverb$70-$90

Alternative to: Pro Co RAT distortion pedal

The current production version of the original RAT provides the same thick, fuzzy distortion character essential to Song 2's aggressive tone

Marshall DSL40CRShop on Reverb$600-$700

Alternative to: Marshall JCM900

Modern Marshall tube amp with similar high-gain capabilities and midrange character to the JCM900, perfect for '90s alternative rock tones

Squier Classic Vibe '70s TelecasterShop on Reverb$400-$450

Alternative to: Fender Telecaster

Budget-friendly Telecaster with authentic single-coil pickup tone and build quality suitable for aggressive rock playing

Neural DSP Archetype NollyPlugin Boutique$100-$120

Alternative to: Marshall JCM900 + RAT combination

Includes high-quality Marshall-style amp models and RAT-style distortion pedal emulations that can recreate this specific '90s alternative rock sound

JHS PackedRatShop on Reverb$200-$220