Tone library / King Crimson / Starless

Starless amp settings — Fender Champion 20

The King Crimson guitar tone for “Starless”, dialed in for a Fender Champion 20 with a Squier Classic Vibe 60s Stratocaster. Studio version, Red (1974) — opening soaring lead theme

Original rig

1959 Gibson Les Paul Custom (neck pickup) into Guild Foxey Lady Fuzz (Big Muff circuit) into Hiwatt DR103 / Marshall 1959 Super Lead

Smooth, woolly violin/cello sustain with rolled-off top end and infinite singing compression
Amp settings — Fender Champion 20
CHANNELMetal voice (Voice 10 / '90s Metal)
GAIN 8 BASS 6 TREBLE 3 REVERB 4 MASTER 6
KnobSetting (0–10)
Gain8
Bass6
Treble3
Reverb4
Master6
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Guitar
PICKUPneck TONE3 VOLUME10
Signal chain

01Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi (or Triangle/Ram's Head)

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned (Fripp's signature singing cello sustain is built on an early Big Muff/Foxey Lady fuzz)

Volume 7 · Tone 3 · Sustain 9
Why these settings

To emulate Fripp's continuous violin-like sustain without an external fuzz pedal, we use the Champion 20's high-gain Metal voice at gain 8. Treble is dialed down significantly to 3 and the Strat's neck tone knob is rolled back to 3 to simulate a thick Les Paul neck pickup through a rolled-off fuzz circuit. If you add the recommended Big Muff, switch the Champion to its clean Tweed voice with gain at 2.

PRO TIPPick smoothly near the neck pickup and let your fretting finger apply gentle, continuous circular vibrato to keep the notes feeding into the amp's compressed sweet spot.

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These settings are for a Fender Champion 20. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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