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Suede·Social·Issue No. 20
Tone recipes·2026 · JUL
Rock1969

01The Rolling Stones

Honky Tonk Women

Open-G tuning Telecaster — five strings (low E removed), tuned G-D-G-B-D. Keith plays the riff with the open strings ringing, creating that distinctive 'half-chord' shimmer. Through a small Fender amp at moderate volume, with light overdrive coming entirely from the amp. The cowbell-trailing intro guitar has a slightly compressed, mid-forward tone. Slide-like inflections without using a slide — just Keith's fingers fretting parts of chords.

02Signal chain

Guitar to amp, 0 pedals between.

  1. In
    Guitar

    Fender Telecaster ('Micawber'), 5-string open G tuning

  2. Out
    Amp

    Small Fender combo (Champ, Princeton)

03Field note

The secret sauce

The Telecaster has only five strings — Keith removes the low E. With open G tuning that puts the root on what would be the A string. The riff voicings only work because of this setup; copy them on a six-string in standard tuning and they sound dead.