ToneSheet
Open the app
Blood Sugar Sex Magik coverUnder the Bridge · Red Hot Chili Peppers

Under the Bridge

Tone for HOTONE Pulze Mini · by @faldy · Single coils · updated 11 October 2026 · Made with AI

Warm, dynamic vintage Marshall clean tone paired with punchy compression and subtle chorus for John Frusciante's iconic melodic ballad sound.

Plays it on your Pulze Mini without changing your saved presets.

On the Pulze Mini

Every block in the order the signal goes through it. Dial these in by hand, or play it on your Pulze Mini above to send them all at once.

DYN

Comp 1

Based on Ross™ Compressor

Sustain
45
Volume
52
PRE

TS Drv

Off

Based on Ibanez® TS-808®

AMP

Marshell 45

Based on Marshall® JTM 45 amp

Volume
42
Presence
55
Output
50
Bass
48
Middle
54
Treble
58
CAB

UK 4x12A

Based on Marshall® 1960AX cabinet

Volume
50
Low Cut
80
High Cut
Off
EQ

Guitar EQ 1

Off
FX1

Chorus

Based on Voodoo Lab® Analog Chorus

Depth
38
Rate/Div
1.20 Hz
Sync
Off
FX2

Room

Mix
18
Pre Dly
0 ms
Decay
45
Low Damp
50
Hi Damp
50
Mod
50

How it works

  • DYNComp 1 replicates the vintage Dyna Comp pedal John used to squash transients, giving long sustain and even dynamics to thumb-over chord embellishments.
  • AMPThe Marshell 45 model captures the warm headroom and responsive mid-range punch of vintage British heads pushed right to the edge of breakup.
  • CABA UK 4x12A cabinet pairs naturally with the vintage head, providing authentic woody warmth and clear top-end air without harshness.
  • ToneYour Strat-style single-coil guitar is an exact match for John's '62 Stratocaster, delivering the round, bell-like chime essential to the song.

Tuning

EADGBE

The record is in E standard, low to high: E A D G B E.

Tune your guitar the same way. Or make your version above, say how yours is tuned, and your Pulze Mini shifts it to match.

On the guitar

Made for a single-coil guitar (Strat style).

Intro & Verses

NeckBridge123
  1. 1Pickup Neck
  2. 2Volume 10
  3. 3Tone 10

Select the neck pickup for round, woody lows and bell-like chime on the intro progression and verse riffs.

Outro

NeckBridge123
  1. 1Pickup Neck + Middle
  2. 2Volume 10
  3. 3Tone 10

Switch to position 4 for scooped, glassy bite that cuts through as the band builds intensity.

The original rig

John Frusciante's iconic tone on Under the Bridge comes from a vintage Stratocaster split through a stereo chorus into two Marshall heads—one guitar head for chime and one bass head for low-end punch. Studio compression and subtle ambient reverb polish the clean, edge-of-breakup arpeggios.

John Frusciante (Rhythm and solo): 1958 Fender Stratocaster, DOD FX65 Stereo Chorus, Marshall Guitar Head (JCM800 / Bluesbreaker), Marshall Bass Head, Marshall 4x12 Cabinet, Studio Compressor, Studio Plate / Room Reverb

See the full original rig, with every setting and its sources

Playing it

  • Use your fretting-hand thumb hooked over the top of the neck to anchor bass notes while your other fingers articulate the hammer-ons and pull-offs.
  • Keep your picking hand relaxed and bouncy, letting the compressor even out accents across muted strums and open strings.
  • Dig in slightly harder on the verse double-stops to let the amp's subtle edge-of-breakup grit add emotion.

More tones

Browse the songs

Shared by @faldy under CC BY 4.0: use it, share it and change it, crediting @faldy. Version 1, updated 11 October 2026.