Smoke on the Water

The recording

Blackmore’s tone on “Smoke on the Water” comes from a finger‑picked, double‑stop riff played on the bridge pickup of his 1968 maple‑neck Fender Stratocaster [faderandknob.com](https://faderandknob.com/recipe/blackmore-smoke-on-the-water-riff). The signal was fed into a Hornby‑Skewes treble booster, adding a tight high‑frequency boost before hitting a 100‑watt Marshall Super Lead head into a 4×12 cabinet [faderandknob.com](https://faderandknob.com/recipe/blackmore-smoke-on-the-water-riff)[vintageguitar.com](https://www.vintageguitar.com/73283/pop-n-hiss-deep-purposes-machine-head/). In the Grand Hotel’s cavernous space the amp was distance‑miked, giving the riff its spacious, slightly ambient character that still sounds massive today[premierguitar.com](https://www.premierguitar.com/secrets-of-the-masters-smoke-on-the-water-by-deep-purple).

Tuning Standard (E A D G B E)

Reported gear

1968 Fender Stratocaster

Guitar

Ritchie Blackmore used his 1968 maple‑neck Stratocaster, playing the riff with finger‑picked parallel‑fourth double‑stops on the bridge pickup.

Hornby Skewes Treble Booster

Treble Booster

A germanium‑transistor treble booster placed in front of the Marshall, adding clarity and bite to the Strat’s single‑coil signal.

Marshall Super Lead 100W Head

Amp

Blackmore drove the tone through a 100‑watt Marshall Super Lead head, providing the classic British overdrive that underpins the riff.

Marshall 1960B 4×12 Cabinet

Cabinet

The head was paired with a matching 4×12 Marshall cabinet, distance‑miked in the Grand Hotel to capture its ambient roar.

Alternatives

Squier Classic Vibe Stratocaster

Modern equivalent · for the 1968 Fender Stratocaster

$300 to $350

Marshall JTM45 Reissue

Reissue · for the Marshall Super Lead 100W Head

$1,200 to $1,500

Analogman King of Tone

Modern equivalent · for the Hornby Skewes Treble Booster

$400 to $600

Marshall 1960A 4×12 Cabinet (modern)

Modern equivalent · for the Marshall 1960B 4×12 Cabinet

$800 to $1,000

Practical playing approach

Recreation guidance, not a claim about undocumented studio control positions.

1. 1.Pick the riff with thumb and index finger, using parallel‑fourth double‑stops.
2. 2.Select the bridge pickup and set its tone knob to full for maximum clarity.
3. 3.Place a treble booster (or a modern high‑gain boost) before the amp to accentuate the high‑end.
4. 4.Dial the Marshall’s gain to a saturated but articulate level, keeping the volume moderate.
5. 5.Record the amp with a distant mic to capture natural room ambience.