Song Rig

Shadow Play

Rory Gallagher · Calling Card · 1976

Tone Overview

What Makes This Sound Unique

Gallagher's most polished studio tone — Calling Card was produced by Roger Glover (Deep Purple) and has a bigger, slightly more hi-fi sound than earlier records. The guitar is warmer and more controlled without losing the rawness.

Signal Chain

1Fender Stratocaster 1961 (neck-middle position)
2Marshall JMP 50W
3Vox AC30 (secondary)

Amp Settings

Gain / Volume7

Bass7

Mid7

Treble6

Presence5

Marshall JMP rather than the usual Vox for this record — slightly heavier, more muscular low-end. Less treble than the Vox AC30 setup, giving the leads a warmer character.

Technique

How to Play It

Slide guitar (Gallagher played slide with a metal tube on his ring finger, fretting hand muted behind the slide to kill sympathetic resonance).

Budget Alternative

Achievable With

Strat + any blues amp (Blues Junior, Vox AC15) at medium-high gain. A slide guitar approach works well — use a glass or metal bottleneck on any guitar.