"Made of Stone" is John Squire at his most soaring — part jangle, part psychedelic wah-soaked lead, dripping with reverb and swagger. Here's how to get that Stone Roses sound.
What makes the tone. A wah, often held in a fixed "cocked" position for that vocal, mid-forward honk on the lead. Warm overdrive — a humbucker into a valve amp on the edge, more creamy than crunchy. Reverb and delay for the late-'80s widescreen wash. And the feel: long, vocal bends and fluid legato.
The analogue recipe. Humbucker guitar into a wah (parked around the middle of the sweep for the lead), then a transparent overdrive into a clean-ish valve amp. Add plate or hall reverb and a subtle delay. Roll back for the jangly rhythm parts.
On a Boss GT-100 / GT-1000 / GX-100. A Wah block (fixed position for the lead), an overdrive into a crunch amp model, then reverb + delay after. One scene "parked" for the solo, one open for rhythm.
On a Kemper. A creamy crunch profile, a wah stomp, reverb and delay in the loop. Keep the gain moderate — this tone is about warmth and space, not saturation.
Skip the guesswork. The Soulster Tonebook for fans of The Stone Roses → nails Squire's settings for Boss GT and Kemper. Go deeper in our John Squire guitar tone guide →.
Put it on the wall. The "Made of Stone" print → and t-shirt → — Madchester, framed.
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