What Gear Did They Use On Red Hot Chili Peppers Can'T Stop?

Man, that riff from 'Can't Stop' has haunted my guitar practice for years — in the best way. When I dug into what they used on the record, I found a mix of vintage guitars, classic amps, and fairly straightforward pedals layered in the studio to get that bright, punchy, reedy tone.

From what I’ve pieced together, John Frusciante tracked the main parts with a Fender Strat-style guitar — he was famously into his vintage '60s Stratocasters around the 'By the Way' era — and he blended a crunchy amp (think Marshall-style heads, JCM/Plexi family flavor) with cleaner Fender-style amp tones for clarity. His board usually had subtle overdrive, an MXR Phase 90 or similar phaser for texture sometimes, and a slapback/delay or plate reverb to give the rhythm parts air. Flea’s bass on 'Can't Stop' is all about attack: punchy slap tone, likely a Music Man StingRay or a Fender Jazz/Modulus-type bass DI’d and run through Ampeg-style cabinets for that big midrange thump. Chad’s drums are raw and tight — big snare, roomy overheads — and in the studio they’d use close mics plus room mics to get the crack and the ambience together.

Rick Rubin produced 'By the Way', so the tracking philosophy was pretty straightforward: capture great performances and blend simple, classic gear. If you want to chase the tone, start with a Strat, add mid-forward overdrive, use a Marshall-ish amp for bite but layer some Fender clean for sparkle, and give the bass a tight DI with an Ampeg-like amp for warmth. That combo is where most of the magic lives for that song.

I’ve always loved how raw yet precise 'Can't Stop' sounds, and peeking under the hood shows a fairly simple but powerful rig. John Frusciante preferred a Fender Stratocaster around that period and used it to get those percussive, treble-forward guitar parts. He tends to favor amp tones that are driven but not overly saturated — so picture a Marshall-style amp for the edge and maybe a Fender clean for the glassy top end. Effects are tasteful: light overdrive/boost, maybe some phase or modulation on certain passes, and short delays/reverbs for depth.

Flea’s bass tone is critical: punchy slap and a round low end. He often used a bright active bass like a Music Man StingRay or a Jazz-style instrument with active electronics, tracked both DI and through an amp (Ampeg SVT-style) to blend clarity with body. Chad’s drums sound big and in-your-face; studio miking would include a dynamic on the kick (AKG D112-ish), a snare mic (SM57-style), overhead condensers, and room mics for boom. The whole record was produced by Rick Rubin, so the approach focused on performance over heavy processing — classic mics, nice preamps, and a tasteful mix that keeps the rhythm section upfront. I like to recreate it by layering DI bass with an amp signal and keeping guitar pedals minimal.

I’m the kind of person who learns songs by studying rigs, and 'Can't Stop' sticks out because it’s gear-simple but tone-rich. John Frusciante uses a Strat-type guitar and keeps his effects pretty modest — real focus on attack and clarity rather than heavy fuzz. He layers an amp with bite (Marshall-ish) and a cleaner amp for shimmer. Flea plays a bright, active bass (think Music Man/Modulus or a jazz with active pickups) with DI plus an Ampeg-style amp for body. Chad’s drums are recorded with punchy close mics and roomy overheads. Rick Rubin produced the album, so the approach emphasizes solid microphones, good preamps, and minimal processing to preserve the natural dynamics. I often try this setup when jamming: Strat, small overdrive, punchy bass DI, and keep the drums tight — it gets you surprisingly close.

Okay, gear nerd mode: I used to map out the signal chain whenever I replay 'Can't Stop', and the recording vibe suggests a hybrid studio setup — vintage instruments into classic tube heads with subtle pedal coloration. John’s core tone starts with a Fender Strat-style guitar (vintage '60s flavor in the neck/bridge pickup selection), routed into a boosted-in-front-of-amp setup: a mild overdrive or Tube Screamer-style boost pushing a Marshall JCM/Plexi-type head for crunch, plus a cleaner Fender amp track to retain note definition. On top of that, small modulation (MXR Phase 90 or an analog chorus) and slapback delay/reverb are used sparingly to avoid washing out the groove.

Flea’s rig is equally interesting: a bright active bass (Music Man StingRay/Modulus vibe) tracked DI for clarity and also mic'd through an Ampeg SVT or similar cab for grit — the engineer would blend those two signals for punch and warmth. Chad’s kit is miked conservatively but powerfully: close dynamics on kick/snare, condensers for overheads, and room spots to capture that roomy backbeat. In the studio, you’d expect high-end condensers (Neumann-style) and ribbon mics for warmth on the room. Production-wise, Rick Rubin’s hands-off style lets the natural qualities of these pieces of gear shine, and that’s how the tight, percussive, bright feel of 'Can't Stop' is achieved. If you’re recreating this at home, aim for a Strat into a cranked tube amp with a slight mid-boost, a punchy DI bass doubled with an amp mic, and a dry, upfront drum sound with a little room ambience.