Song Rig
William, It Was Really Nothing
Johnny Marr · Hatful of Hollow · 1984
Tone Overview
What Makes This Sound Unique
Pure distilled Marr jangle — fast, cascading open-string arpeggios on the Rickenbacker through the JC-120. One of the most efficient guitar parts in post-punk: every note has purpose and the arrangement contains both rhythm and lead function simultaneously.
Signal Chain
- 1Rickenbacker 330 (no capo)
- 2Roland JC-120
- 3Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble
Amp Settings
Classic Marr JC-120 settings — treble forward, bass restrained. The CE-1 chorus at medium speed. This is the archetype for the Smiths rhythm tone: bright, clean, chorus-shimmered, open-string-rich.
Technique
How to Play It
Fast arpeggiated picking through open-position chord shapes — Marr uses primarily downstrokes on the arpeggio patterns, which gives a consistent attack. The pattern creates the illusion of more notes than are actually being played.
Budget Alternative
Achievable With
Rickenbacker or any bright single-coil → Roland JC-120 or Fender clean amp + Boss CE-1 or CE-2 chorus. The combination of treble-forward amp and chorus is the key.
Your Gear
Adapt to My Amp
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