Tone library / Eric johnson / cliffs of dover

cliffs of dover amp settings — Vox AC30C2

The Eric johnson guitar tone for “cliffs of dover”, dialed in for a Vox AC30C2 with a PRS Custom 24. Studio version, Ah Via Musicom (1990) — signature lead tone

Original rig

1969 Marshall Super Lead 100W (treble and presence zeroed), 1954 Fender Stratocaster / 1963 Gibson ES-335, Chandler Tube Driver, Maestro EP-3 Echoplex, MXR Flanger

Smooth, violin-like lead with singing sustain, rolled-off top end, and warm tape-style echo

Amp settings — Vox AC30C2

CHANNELNormal Channel (or Top Boost with Tone Cut pushed)BRIGHToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	3
Bass	6
Treble	2
Reverb	2
Master	6

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE6 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01DigiTech Hot Head Distortion

Gain source — Tube Driver style smooth saturation with dark high end into clean amp

Level 7 · Low 6 · High 2 · Gain 7

02Fender Delay

Run in front or FX loop; set to ~320ms for signature ambient bounce

Time 5 · Feedback 4 · Level 4

Why these settings

The AC30C2 has a prominent 3-4kHz chime that works against Eric Johnson's famously dark 'treble zero' Marshall setup, so set Tone Cut high and Treble to 2 to eliminate top-end fizz. The Hot Head provides the smooth, singing Chandler Tube Driver saturation into the clean Normal channel, while rolling the PRS bridge pickup tone knob to 6 recreates the round, violin-like Strat bridge response. (AC30C2 Top Boost has only Bass and Treble, with Tone Cut acting as master presence attenuation).

PRO TIPPick with the flat edge of a medium-to-heavy jazz pick angled slightly to the string, using strict economy picking to completely remove percussive click and create the fluid, bowed violin envelope.

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These settings are for a Vox AC30C2. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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Vox AC30C2 settingsALL SONGS FOR THIS AMP cliffs of dover on other ampsSAME SONG, YOUR AMP Eric johnson tonesALL SONGS PRS Custom 24 tonesSAME GUITAR Tone libraryEVERYTHING

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