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lead guitar from “rock you like a hurricane” by scorpions | ToneDB

rock you like a hurricane

scorpions

lead guitar

AI generatedv1.0

Tone Profile

A classic 80s hard rock guitar tone with a biting midrange, sustain for days, and a touch of chorus and delay. It's aggressive and powerful, yet still clear and articulate.

Gear

Fender Stratocasterinstrument
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Marshall JCM800amp
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Shure SM57microphone
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Boss CE-1processing
Reverb$747Sweetwater
Roland SDE-3000processing
Reverb$362Sweetwater

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The Story

Rudolf Schenker and Matthias Jabs recorded the lead guitars for 'Rock You Like a Hurricane' at Dierks-Studios in Cologne with producer Dieter Dierks. The core sound came from Fender Stratocasters running through Marshall JCM800 amplifiers. The signal chain included a Boss CE-1 chorus for width and shimmer, plus a Roland SDE-3000 delay for thickening and sustain. The amps were pushed hard into natural overdrive territory, creating the aggressive yet articulate 80s hard rock tone that defined the track.

Production Credits

Producer: Dieter Dierks

Engineer: Unknown

Recorded at: Dierks-Studios, Cologne, West Germany

Signal Chain

Instrument: Fender Stratocaster

Amp: Marshall JCM800

Microphone: Shure SM57

Processing: Boss CE-1, Roland SDE-3000

Recreation Tips

  • Start with a Stratocaster-style guitar with humbuckers or a hot single-coil in the bridge position.
  • Use a Marshall JCM800 or similar high-gain amp and dial in a moderate amount of gain.
  • Add a chorus pedal like the Boss CE-1 for subtle thickening.
  • Use a short delay with minimal feedback to create a sense of space and sustain.
  • Experiment with different microphone placements to find the sweet spot on your amp.

Original Gear

  • Fender Stratocaster(guitar)
  • Marshall JCM800(amp)
  • Shure SM57(mic)
  • Boss CE-1(pedal)
  • Roland SDE-3000(pedal)

Substitutions & Recommendations

Marshall Studio Classic SC20H$500-$600

Alternative to: Marshall JCM800

20-watt version of the classic JCM800 circuit with the same aggressive midrange bite and natural overdrive characteristics

ReverbSweetwater
Boss CE-2W Waza Craft Chorus$150-$180

Alternative to: Boss CE-1 Chorus

Modern recreation of vintage Boss chorus circuits including the CE-1 mode for that classic 80s shimmer

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Boss DM-2W Waza Craft Delay$180-$220

Alternative to: Roland SDE-3000 Delay

Analog delay with the warmth and character needed for 80s-style delay thickening without digital harshness

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Neural DSP Fortin Nameless Suite$100-$130

Alternative to: Marshall JCM800

High-quality amp modeling with excellent Marshall-style tones and built-in effects for home recording

ReverbSweetwater
Yamaha Pacifica 612VII$400-$500

Alternative to: Fender Stratocaster

Versatile guitar with hot humbucker and single-coil options to match the Scorpions' varied pickup configurations

ReverbSweetwater

Sources

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