Song Rig

Workin' It

Mike Stern · Time in Place · 1988

Tone Overview

What Makes This Sound Unique

Mike Stern's defining fusion tone — the Time in Place album captures his Telecaster-through-Marshall approach at its peak. Unlike most jazz guitarists who use archtops and clean amps, Stern's bright Telecaster through a cranked Marshall creates a fusion guitar tone that bridges jazz vocabulary and rock energy.

Signal Chain

1Fender Telecaster (modified, both pickups)
2Marshall JCM800 (medium-to-high gain)
3Boss DD-3 Delay

Amp Settings

Gain / Volume7

Bass5

Mid7

Treble8

Presence8

High gain Telecaster into Marshall — Stern's setup sounds completely different from jazz guitar norms. The Tele's single-coil brightness into the JCM800's aggressive preamp creates a tone that sounds more like Eric Johnson than Wes Montgomery.

Technique

How to Play It

Bebop vocabulary at rock volume through a rock rig — Stern applies full jazz harmonic vocabulary (complex chord substitutions, altered scale patterns) through a rock guitar setup. The technique is jazz; the delivery is rock. This combination defined the 1980s fusion guitar sound.

Budget Alternative

Achievable With

Telecaster → Marshall JCM800 at high gain → Boss DD-3 delay → practice jazz ii-V-I patterns, altered dominant scales, and chromatic enclosures through a high-gain rock setup. The contrast between jazz vocabulary and rock tone is the Mike Stern signature.

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