How To Set Knobs On Guitar And Amp Clean Sound

Updated past Millie

Recently updated on March 16th, 2021

Updated internal links, settings photos, and made minor copy changes.

If y'all tin can't remember your guitar's amp settings, why non just write them downwardly? A friend once told me this equally I sat, frustrated every bit ever, trying to remember how I had gotten a certain tone out of my amp and my chorus pedal. I used to go most guitar tone and amp settings the aforementioned way my wife would go about cooking. She would make something amazing, forget to jot down the recipe then had no idea what was in information technology.

Many adept meals have been lost forever.

I think that'due south the habit of many guitar players as well, when it comes to learning and memorizing what works best with our gear. We forget our settings only because we don't make note of them or commit them to memory. Sometimes we find an EQ that really works. Why not write it downwards? This is my list of settings and sounds that I've had luck with over the form of my pursuit of practiced tone. It's meant to be a catalog of sorts and a quick reference where they can all exist accessed.

Let'south spring in.

Amp Accessories We Recommend and Apply Ourselves

In this section we've listed some guitar amp accessories that we use and similar to recommend to other musicians. We've also linked to our partner, Sweetwater, every bit a means of supporting our site at no extra cost to you lot. If y'all buy through the orange button links, information technology helps us out and gets you some awesome gear. Win-win. Thanks everyone.

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Our amp settings infographic.

ane: For a Clean Sound & Shimmer

A prissy, bones clean sound with a little extra Polish

This EQ makes a bully base of operations for adding chorus and/or reverb. Platonic for fills or subtle arpeggios.

• GUITAR:Book: MAX / TONE: MAX / SELECTOR: MIDDLE
  
• AMP: BASS: five / MIDS: 6 / TREBLE: 7 / GAIN:
• CHORUS: LEVEL: iv / RATE: iv / DEPTH: 3
• REVERB: LEVEL: 3 / TONE: 4 / Fourth dimension: v / TYPE: Plate / IF IN AMP: 3

I like to call this the "v-6-vii" and then it'south piece of cake to recall. Proceeds should exist off or low and if you accept a reverb choice you can set it near three. If that'south also bright, cut the treble dorsum and push the bass knob up another notch. If you use a chord pedal, levels volition vary slightly between pedals, but in full general you lot'll desire to go along the rate and depth on the depression side.

two: Platonic Fender Amp EQ

Besides know as "the magic half-dozen"

Thought to be i of the more optimal Fender amp settings.

• GUITAR:VOLUME: MAX / TONE: MAX / SELECTOR: Heart
• AMP: BASS: 2 / MIDS: 3 / TREBLE: 6 / Gain: 0 / VOLUME: half-dozen / REVERB: OFF

Since Fender amps - especially of the tube variety - similar this beautiful Fender '68 Vibrolux have a distinctly smooth and thick tone quality to them, yous can usually beget to turn down the bass a little more than you might with other amplifiers.

These settings besides presume a Fender guitar is beingness used, like a Stratocaster or Telecaster, as they make an try to accommodate single-curlicue pickups. The "Magic Six" title comes from book (half-dozen), treble (half-dozen) and bass multiplied by mids (two ten 3 = 6).

If information technology sounds too much like a tin can, turn the bass support a bit.

3: Make clean Base of operations for Delay

An EQ specifically for echo or delay

This tin can work with whatsoever delay pedal or with other ambient effects, like echo or reverb.

• GUITAR:VOLUME: MAX / TONE: MAX / SELECTOR: BRIDGE
• AMP: BASS: 8 / MIDS: iv / TREBLE: 4 / GAIN: 2 / REVERB: 3 (or to taste)
• Filibuster PEDAL: Virtually settings should exist "to sense of taste." Make sure MIX favors the moisture signal.

All nosotros're doing is dialing in a "chunkier" clean audio with some gain to requite our delay that dainty snap and thick resonance when the option pushes through a annotation. If our clean signal is as well clean or weak then we risk not having enough trunk to our delay.

Filibuster, and most other repeating effects, piece of work all-time when there is some element of thickness to your tone.

4: Low Gain for Rock

Where your amplifier is the proceeds source

Get a subtle chunk to your tone by calculation a little bit of gain and pushing mids higher than usual. Slash'south amp model demonstrates:

• GUITAR:Volume: MAX / TONE: MAX / SELECTOR: MIDDLE
• AMP: BASS: five / MIDS: 8 / TREBLE: 5 / Gain: iii-5 / PRESENCE: 4 / REVERB: OFF

To be fair, you tin use a pedal for this, merely I've institute that amps (especially tube amps) drive a low gain tone with a lot more definition, clarity and responsiveness.All we need to do is push mids upwards, then (depending on the amp) conform gain somewhere in the 3-5 vicinity.

You want just a little bit of sustain and "grunge" to an otherwise clean-sounding signal.

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5: The Wah Cutting

The wah-friendly amp EQ

Adding just enough shimmer to make the high notes pop.

• GUITAR:Volume: MAX / TONE: 80% / SELECTOR: Bridge
• AMP : BASS: 6 / MIDS: 5 / TREBLE: 6 / Gain: 2 / REVERB: OFF

1 of the mistakes I see most often made with a adept wah EQ is that at that place isn't enough bass in the signal. Keep low EQ controls upwards and use your treble to give some scratch to your pick swipes. Add a little gain if you want to get more crunch out of your right hand (picking hand) movement.

6: An Amp EQ for Metal

A low-terminate boost for a good metal boom

Dialing in the perfect tone to get with high-saturation gain levels and metallic riffs.

• GUITAR: Book: MAX / TONE: MAX / SELECTOR: Centre OR Span
• AMP : BASS: 8 / MIDS: 4 / TREBLE: 4 / Gain: x (or pedal) / REVERB: OFF
• Distortion PEDAL: LEVEL: AMP Volume / Bulldoze: 75% / BASS: 6-8 / TREBLE: 3-5

In my experience, the gain from your amp isn't going to audio metallic unless you accept a actually solid amplifier. Something like Blackstar or Mesa Boogie would do the chore. In other cases you'll demand a distortion pedal. We'd recommend something like the AmpTweaker Tight Metallic Jr or the Wampler Dracarys, as the settings listed to a higher place are based off of those pedals.

Equally far as your amp goes, you need to get something thick and full, which is why nosotros're pushing the bass and then high. Depending on your amp, you may need to go a little higher or lower than eight, but the principle remains the same.

If you utilize a pedal, make sure the on-board EQ follows the example of your amplifier.

vii: Pb Boost

For creating a elementary bespeak heave

Works great for solos or when you want your guitar to "punch through" with just a niggling more than definition.

• GUITAR: VOLUME: MAX / TONE: MAX / SELECTOR: BRIDGE
• AMP: BASS: 2 / MIDS: seven / TREBLE: 5 / Proceeds: half dozen / REVERB: 2

This is where having 2 channels on your amp would be helpful, so you lot could switch between your "normal" setting and what nosotros're calling your "boost setting." Virtually amps have multiple channels, so you tin can incorporate two different presets. To emulate a booster pedal, we push mids and gain which will give yous some added bite to your signal.

You tin can move aqueduct volume up slightly and adjust bass if it sounds too much like a tin can.

viii: Boss DS-one Blues

Blues EQ for Dominate DS-1 baloney owners

How to set your amp for the optimal accompanying of the Boss DS-1 distortion pedal.

• GUITAR:VOLUME: MAX / TONE: 75% / SELECTOR: MIDDLE
• AMP: BASS: iv / MIDS: 7 / TREBLE: 7 / GAIN: 6 / REVERB: OFF
• DS-1 SETTINGS: TONE: five / LEVEL: 5 / DIST: 5

The Dominate DS-i distortion is a commoner amid today'south pedalboards . We've dedicated an entire post to discussing its optimal blues settings, and what you come across here is a just a sample.Small tube amps can too mesh actually well with this setting, since the bass reduction balances well with the added warmth from the tubes.

For gratuitous, here'due south a second variation nosotros'd recommend trying out:

nine: The Adam Jones

For covering Tool's guitar tracks

Adam Jones isn't conventional, but his tone is easier to replicate than you might think.

• GUITAR:VOLUME: MAX / TONE: MAX / SELECTOR: BRIDGE
• AMP : BASS: 8 / MIDS: 9 / TREBLE: half dozen / Gain: viii (or pedal) / REVERB: OFF

If you're going to mimic Adam Jones' sound, you demand a good, raw distortion that sounds "metal" but isn't overly saturating. That ways gain (whether coming from a pedal or amp) should be high, but non so much that yous get a lot of excess feedback and noise.Tool'southward guitar work is rhythmic, which means you've got to have some shape and definition to your distortion.

We go with high bass and even higher mids to brand sure you tin can hear the chord changes and tonal subtleties with plenty of clarity.

ten: All Reverb

Works especially well with Fender amps

A three-band EQ to use as a backdrop for ambient reverb.

• GUITAR : Volume: MAX / TONE: 90% / SELECTOR: Centre
• AMP: BASS: four / MIDS: seven / TREBLE: 8 / Gain: 0 / REVERB: seven-10

I've never come up across an amp that handles reverb better than the mid to high range Fender models. The Deville and Vibrolux are but hands down some of the best reverb amps out at that place.But, regardless of what you have to work with, we're trying to add some extra chime to our tone.

Become with loftier mids, college treble and cut the reverb knob upwardly past seven or and then. Leave gain out of the film and go with the middle pickup on your guitar to accept the edge off.

11: Tom Morello'due south Marshall Settings

Covering Audioslave and Rage Against the Auto

An EQ that helps highlight the distorted tones and riffs that Tom Morello has been most known for over the years.

• GUITAR:Volume: MAX / TONE: MAX / SELECTOR: Centre or Span
• AMP: BASS: iv / MIDS: four / TREBLE: 9 / GAIN: 7 / REVERB: OFF

Nosotros published a more detailed post on Morello's settings, so this is derived from that postal service, serving as the groundwork for adding other furnishings similar the MXR Phase xc and DigiTech Whammy.

Morello uses both on his pedalboard.

The highs are loftier and nosotros add a piddling bass to match Morello's strong, funky punch. But the crucial chemical element is calculation gain that isn't overly saturating and isn't producing as well much sustain. Morello'due south riffs are heavy, but they're also controlled and succinct.

Don't over-shoot proceeds levels and you should be fine.

Read more: Tom Morello's Masterclass review

12: Tom Morello two.0

For when the original sounds too much like a can can

If you're using an amp or guitar that emits a "brighter" tone, here's how to cut things back and accept the border off.

• GUITAR: VOLUME: MAX / TONE: xc% / SELECTOR: Middle
• AMP: BASS: six / MIDS: 5 / TREBLE: 6 / GAIN: 7 / REVERB: OFF

Morello uses Marshall amps, so his sound is going to be naturally brighter. Simply if you find it too piercing, push the bass higher (around seven or eight) and then cut back your mids and treble to five and six, respectively.

13: The Minimalist

want to just be really subtle? There'south a correct way

The optimal EQ for providing subtle fills, background noise or light strumming.

• GUITAR : Volume: 70% / TONE: 80% / SELECTOR: Center
• AMP: BASS: 5 / MIDS: 4 / TREBLE: 3 / Gain: three / REVERB: 2 (or to preference)

Keeping bass at the halfway signal and giving but a small proceeds boost will assist to add some thickness after you've cut down book on your guitar. This one is perfect for those verse fills were yous want to blend in and help the vocal'southward dynamics.

fourteen: Audio-visual EQ

Amplified acoustics are tricky only hang in there

We don't want our acoustic to ring too much (feedback gets annoying) but we also don't want a hollow sound.

• GUITAR:Volume: seventy% / TONE: 80% (if applicative) / SELECTOR: n/a
• AMP: BASS: 6 / MIDS: vi / TREBLE: ii / GAIN: 0 / REVERB: 2-iii

Go on in listen, I'm speaking from the experience of someone who owns a Taylor 114ce audio-visual, which are notoriously brighter sounding. If you lot wouldn't describe your acoustic that way, endeavour the adjacent configuration.

fifteen: Audio-visual EQ two.0

The strummer's acoustic setting

The previous configuration was heavy. This time nosotros cutting down the bass and give the highs an upward turn.

• GUITAR: Volume: MAX / TONE: 90% (if applicable) / SELECTOR: due north/a
• AMP: BASS: iii / MIDS: 7 / TREBLE: 6 / Gain/VOLUME: 5 / REVERB: ii-3

This settings will work better with Martins and similar acoustics that tend to have a naturally heavier tone and are more ideal for strumming.

16: Optimal Loftier End

For correcting a signal with too much bass

This is a quick look at how yous might want to dial in something that gives you a little more bite.

• GUITAR:VOLUME: MAX / TONE: 80% / SELECTOR: Bridge
• AMP: BASS: three / MIDS: 7 / TREBLE: 6 / Gain: 0 / REVERB: off

It's a adequately typical way to dial in a higher EQ. Treble gets a bump, mid stays "mid" and we cut the bass back to give the higher frequencies room to play.

17: Optimal Low Finish

For correcting a signal that's too high or Brilliant

If you want a fiddling more "thud" in your clean signal or if you just need to thicken things up a chip.

• GUITAR:VOLUME: MAX / TONE: 90% / SELECTOR: Middle
• AMP: BASS: v / MIDS: 4 / TREBLE: vi / GAIN: 0 / REVERB: off

For a thicker clean signal, we get out treble upwards, only cutting back on the mids and button the bass to five.

18: Kurt Cobain EQ

Capturing the optimal Seattle grunge flavour

Cobain's settings here work best with a Boss DS-2 Turbo Distortion and EHX Modest Clone chorus.

• GUITAR: VOLUME: MAX / TONE: MAX / SELECTOR: Bridge
• AMP: BASS: 6 / MIDS: 8 / TREBLE: viii / Gain: x (or utilise pedal) / REVERB:off
• DS-2 TURBO: LEVEL: 10 / TONE: iv-vi / DIST: vi-10 / TURBO: Position I

The grunge audio was heavy, but it wasn't laden with thick low-end frequencies similar the stone of the past couple decades has been. To really capture Kurt Cobain'due south tone, it'due south best to keep bass moderate (effectually five or six) and rely on your treble to give some definition to the high amounts of proceeds.

Check out our in-depth article on Kurt Cobain Amp Settings for more data on his sound and the Seattle grunge guitar tone, in general.

19: The Edge EQ

A three-band EQ to get yous started on U2'south tone

David Evans' tone is far more complex than a 3-ring EQ, just this is a expert starting point.

• GUITAR: VOLUME: MAX / TONE: MAX / SELECTOR: Centre
• AMP: BASS: 5 / MIDS: 6 / TREBLE: seven / GAIN: 1-2 / REVERB:1-two

To actually start earthworks into Edge'south tone , you most need a guitar tech to explicate some of the details. Nevertheless, we can take a unproblematic approach past boosting treble, cutting bass and adding a little chip of gain.If y'all have a delay pedal, calculation it well-nigh the top of your signal will be a nice fit.

Edge'southward preferred pedal for complimenting this type of tone is the EHX Memory Man.

Other Amp Settings and Tone Resources

Taking Amp Settings With a Grain of Salt

Understand that all these settings should be taken with a grain of salt.

Why?

How come they aren't guitar-gospel truth?

You can't be an absolutist almost these settings (or whatsoever, for that thing), because of the post-obit reasons:

one. Beautiful tone is subjective and is in the eye of the beholder.

What sounds adept to some, might sound terrible to others. Fifty-fifty within genres and styles, you'll take people who hear things differently or prefer different degrees of equalization in their signal. Nosotros can't say that a lot of bass, for example, is ever "the right matter" nor can we say that any 1 type of EQ is better than some other.

Considering information technology's largely subjective and subject to change.

2. Everyone's rig behaves differently than the adjacent.

This is perhaps the biggest hurdle when information technology comes to normalizing and generalizing an approach to your tone. No affair how you put information technology together, everyone's rig is going to reply differently based on a number of factors.

To name a few:

• Humidity
• Indoor/Outdoor Location
• Aggressiveness of Playing Mode
• String Historic period
• Room Padding
• Microphone/Distension Methods
• PA Systems
• Amp Location
• Pedal Wiring/Configuration

And all this is before we even go to what kind of gear your own. There are just likewise many variables to account for. Does this mean you can't have any pre-adamant standards and presets?

Of form not.

There's plenty y'all tin can establish as your normal. Simply you've got to be aware that not only volition that "normal" not always work from rig to rig, just it might not fifty-fifty work for you every time, simply considering there are so many variables to consider. Simply know that even in the midst of conventional wisdom, your gear, and how information technology's configured, is unique to you.

Thus it'south a fool's errand to try and predict your tone based solely on what worked for someone else.

3. Tinkering is an Inherent Role of the Deal

When you go settings from a third party information technology'south wise to consider that the way most guitarists get their tone is merely by tinkering, experimenting and figuring out what works, largely by way of trial and error. Be careful non to assume that a guide like this abnegates you from the responsibility to do the same.

Because that's the only manner y'all really get a adept sound from your rig. Yes, you can use these as starting points and a mode to familiarize yourself with your options. Still, your results will be far ameliorate if you commit to putting some work into your tone and figuring out what gets you lot the all-time results.

It's better to be the person who knows the smashing settings, rather than the one who is always searching for them online.

Some Other Amp Settings Best-Practices

What are some other best practices to continue in heed? What tin you do on a more practical and pragmatic level? There are a few additional things you tin can do to improve your tone that are worth list.

one. Know that the book knob on your guitar furnishings your tone and Gain

Most of the time, it's smart to go on your guitar's volume knob at 10, considering turning information technology downward doesn't but cut down your book, but it changes your tone and slashes your gain as well. Keep it turned all the way upwards, unless you want the drib in proceeds.

If you practise only want to reduce volume, but maintain the integrity of your signal, the best option is to utilize a book pedal or but plough down the main book on your amplifier.

2. Don't Overlook Option and Cord Quality

Inexpensive or old strings are a tonal death judgement. No amount of tinkering or adjustments on even the all-time tube amps can do much to redeem them. Nosotros recommend a coated cord, like Elixir or Ernie Ball's coated offer. Equally far as picks get, just recognize that the weight and texture of a choice tin touch your tone in a number of ways. For instance:

• Heavier picks produce a thicker tone
• Textured picks produce more dust or "chime"
• Lighter picks create a better strumming texture (typically work ameliorate with acoustic guitars)

iii. Accept Advantage of Your Channel Volume

Most amps have multiple channels, which means you'll have a primary volume (for the entire amp's output) and boosted volume controls (gain) for each channel.

To write this mail I used the Line half dozen Spider IV 150-Watt amp, which provides four unlike channels and is a good example of how this tin piece of work. Allow's say you wanted to set channel one at 80 per centum volume and channel two at 60 percentage volume. You would set them both, and so gear up your chief volume as a final touch.

Continue in mind that getting your volume correct can be a huge part of having practiced tone, and your channel volume is going to be a big function of that.

Generally, it'southward amend to keep aqueduct volume higher and use the master book to command overall output.

Conclude

What's the moral of the story?

Use best practices and be willing to practise some major tinkering.

The goal is to notice your tone, which takes a lot of time and a lot of customization. Only, today'southward guitar gear is fabricated well, and volition accommodate a lot of inventiveness.

My advice, is to utilise that creativity.

Best of luck.

Source: https://www.guitarchalk.com/guitar-amp-settings-guide/

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