Tone library / Prince & The Revolution / Purple Rain

Purple Rain amp settings — M-Vave Blackbox

The Prince & The Revolution guitar tone for “Purple Rain”, dialed in for a M-Vave Blackbox with a Fender American Professional II Stratocaster. Studio version (recorded live at First Avenue, Aug 1983 / overdubbed at Sunset Sound) — iconic outro solo

Original rig

Hohner HG-490 Mad Cat (Strat-style pickups) into Boss SD-1 / DS-1, Boss BF-2 Flanger, Boss DM-2 Delay, Boss CE-2, into Mesa/Boogie Mark II head & Bag End D12-M cab

Searing, singing high-gain lead with rich upper-mid bloom, analog slap delay, and subtle flanger jet sweep

Amp settings — M-Vave Blackbox

CHANNELMesa Mark II / US Lead style amp model + 2x12 cab IRBRIGHToffBOOSToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	6
Bass	5
Mid	7
Treble	5
Reverb	2
Master	6

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE8 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Overdrive / Distortion Block (SD-1 / TS style)

Used as front-end boost to tighten attack and add singing sustain

Drive 4 · Tone 6 · Level 8

02Flanger Block (BF-2 style)

Keep sweep slow for Prince's metallic jet swirl during sustained bends

Rate 3 · Depth 6 · Manual 5 · Resonance 4

03Analog Delay Block (DM-2 style)

Set for ~300ms warm analog repeats

Time 4 · Feedback 3 · Mix 3

Why these settings

On the M-Vave Blackbox, load a Mesa Boogie Mark-style high-gain amp model and set mids high with treble pulled back to 5 to replicate the thick Mark II power amp voice. Stacking an SD-1/overdrive model in front pushes the Strat's bridge single coil into endless singing sustain without harsh top-end fizz. For Wendy's intro rhythm part, switch to clean channel, turn off drive/flanger, and engage a lush chorus block.

PRO TIPPrince famously worked his bridge pickup with tone slightly rolled back (around 7–8) to shave off piercing bite while digging in hard near the bridge for wide, dramatic pinch harmonics during the climax.

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