How To Set Up Amp For Electric Guitar

Amp Accessories We Recommend and Use Ourselves

In this section nosotros've listed some guitar amp accessories that we utilise and like to recommend to other musicians. We've also linked to our partner, Sweetwater, as a means of supporting our site at no extra toll to you. If yous purchase through the orange button links, it helps us out and gets you some awesome gear. Win-win. Thanks everyone.

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ane. For a Clean Sound & Shimmer

A overnice, basic make clean audio with a piffling extra shine

This EQ makes a corking base for adding chorus and/or reverb. Ideal for fills or subtle arpeggios.

GUITAR:Volume: MAX / TONE: MAX / SELECTOR: Centre
AMP: BASS: five / MIDS: six / TREBLE: 7 / GAIN:
CHORUS: LEVEL: 4 / RATE: 4 / DEPTH: iii
REVERB: LEVEL: iii / TONE: 4 / TIME: 5 / TYPE: Plate / IF IN AMP: 3

Clean tone with a Fender Super-Sonic amp model

Clean audio with a Fender Super-Sonic amp model

I like to call this the "five-6-7" and so information technology's easy to recall. Gain should be off or low and if you lot have a reverb option y'all can set it nigh 3. If that's likewise bright, cut the treble back and push the bass knob up another notch. If you use a chord pedal, levels will vary slightly betwixt pedals, but in general y'all'll want to keep the rate and depth on the depression side.

2. Ideal Fender Amp EQ

Also known as "the magic six"

Thought to be one of the more than optimal Fender amp settings.

GUITAR:VOLUME: MAX / TONE: MAX / SELECTOR: MIDDLE
AMP: BASS: 2 / MIDS: iii / TREBLE: half dozen / GAIN: 0 / Book: six / REVERB: OFF

Fender Vibro-King Guitar Amp Settings

Optimal Fender amp settings using the Magic 6

Since Fender amps - especially of the tube variety - like this beautiful Fender '68 Vibrolux have a distinctly shine and thick tone quality to them, you can usually afford to plough down the bass a picayune more than you might with other amplifiers.

These settings too assume a Fender guitar is existence used, like a Stratocaster or Telecaster, equally they make an effort to conform unmarried-coil pickups. The "Magic Half-dozen" title comes from volume (6), treble (6) and bass multiplied by mids (2 x 3 = 6).

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

three. Clean Base for Filibuster

An EQ specifically for echo or filibuster

This can work with any filibuster pedal or with other ambient furnishings, like echo or reverb.

GUITAR:Volume: MAX / TONE: MAX / SELECTOR: Span
AMP: BASS: viii / MIDS: four / TREBLE: 4 / Gain: two / REVERB: 3 (or to taste)
Delay PEDAL: Almost settings should be "to taste." Make sure MIX favors the wet indicate.

Amp settings for a clean tone to go underneath a delay effect

A expert clean amp setting to use with ambient effects

All nosotros're doing is dialing in a "chunkier" clean audio with some gain to give our filibuster that dainty snap and thick resonance when the pick pushes through a note. If our clean signal is too make clean or weak then we chance non having plenty torso to our delay.

Delay, and most other repeating furnishings, work best when in that location is some chemical element of thickness to your tone.

4. Low Proceeds for Rock

Where your amplifier is the proceeds source

Become a subtle chunk to your tone by adding a niggling scrap of gain and pushing mids college than usual. Slash'south amp model demonstrates:

GUITAR:Volume: MAX / TONE: MAX / SELECTOR: Eye
AMP: BASS: 5 / MIDS: eight / TREBLE: 5 / GAIN: iii-5 / PRESENCE: 4 / REVERB: OFF

Low gain settings using a Marshall Slash signature amp model

Low gain settings on a Marshall Slash amp model

To be fair, you can use a pedal for this, only I've establish that amps (especially tube amps) drive a depression proceeds tone with a lot more definition, clarity and responsiveness.All we need to do is push mids up, then (depending on the amp) adapt proceeds somewhere in the 3-5 vicinity.

You want simply a piffling flake of sustain and "grunge" to an otherwise clean-sounding signal.

v. The Wah Cut

The Wah-Friendly Amp EQ

Adding just plenty shimmer to make the high notes pop.

GUITAR:VOLUME: MAX / TONE: eighty% / SELECTOR: BRIDGE
AMP : BASS: 6 / MIDS: 5 / TREBLE: half dozen / GAIN: two / REVERB: OFF

A wah-friendly amp setting

A wah-friendly amp setting using a Fender amp model

One of the mistakes I see nearly often fabricated with a proficient wah EQ is that there isn't enough bass in the signal. Go along low EQ controls up and use your treble to requite some scratch to your pick swipes. Add a little gain if you lot want to get more crisis out of your right manus (picking paw) motion.

6. An Amp EQ for Metallic

A low-finish boost for a good metal boom

Dialing in the perfect tone to go with loftier-saturation proceeds levels and metal riffs.

GUITAR: VOLUME: MAX / TONE: MAX / SELECTOR: MIDDLE OR BRIDGE
AMP : BASS: 8 / MIDS: 4 / TREBLE: 4 / GAIN: ten (or pedal) / REVERB: OFF
DISTORTION PEDAL: LEVEL: AMP VOLUME / DRIVE: 75% / BASS: 6-8 / TREBLE: 3-5

A metal-friendly EQ using a Mesa/Boogie amp model

Thick and heavy base tone for a metal style

In my feel, the gain from your amp isn't going to audio metal unless y'all take a really solid amplifier. Something like Blackstar or Mesa Boogie would do the job. Inorth other cases y'all'll demand a distortion pedal. We'd recommend something like the AmpTweaker Tight Metal Jr or the Wampler Dracarys, as the settings listed in a higher place are based off of those pedals.

Equally far as your amp goes, you need to go something thick and total, which is why we're pushing the bass and so high. Depending on your amp, you may need to become a piddling higher or lower than 8, but the principle remains the same.

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

7. Lead boost

For creating a simple signal boost

Works peachy for solos or when you lot want your guitar to "punch through" with but a little more than definition.

GUITAR: Volume: MAX / TONE: MAX / SELECTOR: BRIDGE
AMP: BASS: 2 / MIDS: 7 / TREBLE: 5 / Proceeds: vi / REVERB: two

Amp settings for a lead signal boost

Lead heave amp setting with an Orange Thunderverb amp model

This is where having ii channels on your amp would be helpful, so you could switch between your "normal" setting and what we're calling your "boost setting." Well-nigh amps take multiple channels, and then y'all can incorporate ii different presets. To emulate a booster pedal, we push mids and gain which will give you some added seize with teeth to your signal.

You can movement aqueduct volume up slightly and conform bass if it sounds besides much like a can can.

viii. Boss DS-1 Blues

Blues EQ for Dominate DS-1 baloney owners

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

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

Amp settings to pair with a Boss DS-1 distortion pedal

Amp settings for pairing with a Dominate DS-i distortion pedal

The Boss DS-one distortion is a commoner among today's pedalboards . We've defended an unabridged post to discussing its optimal dejection settings, and what you see here is a just a sample.Small tube amps can also mesh really well with this setting, since the bass reduction balances well with the added warmth from the tubes.

For free, hither's a second variation we'd recommend trying out:

A second variation for pairing with the DS-1

A second variation you could try with the Boss DS-1 distortion

9. The Adam Jones

For covering Tool songs

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

GUITAR:Book: MAX / TONE: MAX / SELECTOR: BRIDGE
AMP : BASS: 8 / MIDS: 9 / TREBLE: 6 / Gain: viii (or pedal) / REVERB: OFF

Mesa Boogie amp model used to create an Adam Jones guitar tone

High gain, loftier mids, and really expensive amplifiers volition get you lot close to an Adam Jones guitar tone

If you're going to mimic Adam Jones' sound, yous demand a good, raw distortion that sounds "metal" but isn't overly saturating. That means proceeds (whether coming from a pedal or amp) should be high, but not so much that you 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 make certain you tin hear the chord changes and tonal subtleties with plenty of clarity.

10. All reverb

Works specially well with Fender amps

A three-ring EQ to use equally a backdrop for ambience reverb.

GUITAR : Volume: MAX / TONE: 90% / SELECTOR: Middle
AMP: BASS: 4 / MIDS: 7 / TREBLE: 8 / Gain: 0 / REVERB: seven-10

Amp settings to serve as a backdrop for reverb

High treble and mids aid bring out the reverb trails and provide a little extra "shine"

I've never come beyond an amp that handles reverb meliorate than the mid to high range Fender models. The Deville and Vibrolux are just easily downwards some of the all-time reverb amps out in that location.Simply, regardless of what you have to piece of work with, we're trying to add some extra chime to our tone.

Go with loftier mids, higher treble and cut the reverb knob up by vii or and so. Go out proceeds out of the moving-picture show and become with the middle pickup on your guitar to take the edge off.

11. Tom Morello's Marshall Settings

For covering Audioslave and Rage Confronting the Car

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

GUITAR:Volume: MAX / TONE: MAX / SELECTOR: Centre or Bridge
AMP: BASS: four / MIDS: 4 / TREBLE: 9 / GAIN: 7 / REVERB: OFF

Amp settings based on Tom Morello's Marshall JCM 800

High treble and moderate to high gain get you close to a Tom Morello tone, based largely on the Marshall JCM 800

We published a more detailed mail on Morello's settings, so this is derived from that mail, serving as the groundwork for calculation other effects like the MXR Phase ninety and DigiTech Whammy.

Morello uses both on his pedalboard.

The highs are high and we add together a little bass to match Morello's strong, funky dial. Merely the crucial element is adding gain that isn't overly saturating and isn't producing likewise much sustain. Morello'south riffs are heavy, but they're besides controlled and succinct.

Don't over-shoot gain levels and yous should be fine.

Read more: Tom Morello's Masterclass review

12. Tom Morello two.0

For when the original sounds too much like a tin can

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

GUITAR: VOLUME: MAX / TONE: 90% / SELECTOR: Middle
AMP: BASS: 6 / MIDS: 5 / TREBLE: six / Gain: vii / REVERB: OFF

A second version of the Tom Morello settings if the first one is too bright

If you think the first setting is besides "brisk," just cut the treble back and move the bass up a scrap.

Morello uses Marshall amps, and so his sound is going to be naturally brighter. But if you notice it too piercing, button the bass higher (effectually vii or eight) then cutting back your mids and treble to five and six, respectively.

13. The minimalist

Desire to just be really subtle? In that location'south a right way.

The optimal EQ for providing subtle fills, background racket or calorie-free strumming.

GUITAR : VOLUME: seventy% / TONE: 80% / SELECTOR: Middle
AMP: BASS: 5 / MIDS: 4 / TREBLE: 3 / GAIN: 3 / REVERB: two (or to preference)

Low-key amp settings for easy picking and strumming

Treble and mids get cutting back to smooth things out. Overnice and subtle.

Keeping bass at the halfway bespeak and giving just a minor proceeds heave will help to add together some thickness after y'all've cut downward volume on your guitar. This 1 is perfect for those poesy fills were you desire to blend in and assist the song'due south dynamics.

14. Acoustic EQ

Amplified acoustics are tricky merely hang in there

Nosotros don't want our acoustic to band as well much (feedback gets annoying) but we as well don't want a hollow audio.

GUITAR:Volume: lxx% / TONE: fourscore% (if applicable) / SELECTOR: due north/a
AMP: BASS: half-dozen / MIDS: 6 / TREBLE: two / GAIN: 0 / REVERB: 2-3

Amp settings to try on an acoustic amp

Piece of cake on the treble to prevent feedback. Add together little delay or reverb to brighten things up.

Keep in listen, I'm speaking from the experience of someone who owns a Taylor 114ce acoustic, which are notoriously brighter sounding. If you wouldn't draw your audio-visual that way, attempt the next configuration.

15. Acoustic EQ 2.0

The strummer's acoustic setting

The previous configuration was heavy. This time we cut down the bass and give the highs an upward plough.

GUITAR: Volume: MAX / TONE: 90% (if applicable) / SELECTOR: n/a
AMP: BASS: 3 / MIDS: 7 / TREBLE: 6 / Proceeds/Book: 5 / REVERB: 2-three

Lower bass settings and a little more treble

Try this for a strumming acoustic tone, lower bass and a scrap more treble

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

16. Optimal high stop

For correcting a betoken with too much bass

This is a quick expect at how you might want to punch in something that gives you a little more than bite.

GUITAR:VOLUME: MAX / TONE: 80% / SELECTOR: Span
AMP: BASS: 3 / MIDS: vii / TREBLE: 6 / Proceeds: 0 / REVERB: off

Amp settings for correcting an EQ with too much bass

Information technology'south a fairly typical way to dial in a college EQ. Treble gets a bump, mid stays "mid" and we cut the bass dorsum to give the higher frequencies room to play.

17. Optimal low end

For correcting a point that's too high or bright

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

GUITAR:Book: MAX / TONE: 90% / SELECTOR: Eye
AMP: BASS: 5 / MIDS: four / TREBLE: 6 / Proceeds: 0 / REVERB: off

Amp settings for correcting a signal that's too bright

Amp settings for correcting a tone that'south besides brilliant

For a thicker clean signal, nosotros leave treble upwardly, but cutting dorsum on the mids and push the bass to 5.

eighteen. Kurt Cobain EQ

Capturing the optimal Seattle grunge season

Cobain's settings here piece of work best with a Boss DS-ii Turbo Distortion and EHX Small Clone chorus.

GUITAR: VOLUME: MAX / TONE: MAX / SELECTOR: Bridge
AMP: BASS: 6 / MIDS: 8 / TREBLE: eight / Gain: 10 (or use pedal) / REVERB:off
DS-2 TURBO: LEVEL: 10 / TONE: four-6 / DIST: half-dozen-10 / TURBO: Position I

Amp settings for a Kurt Cobain Nirvana tone

Amp settings based on Kurt Cobain'south guitar tone

The grunge sound was heavy, but it wasn't laden with thick low-end frequencies like the rock of the by couple decades has been. To really capture Kurt Cobain's tone, it'south best to keep bass moderate (effectually 5 or vi) and rely on your treble to give some definition to the loftier amounts of gain.

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

19. The Edge EQ

A 3-band EQ to get yous started on U2's tone

David Evans' tone is far more than complex than a three-ring EQ, only this is a skilful starting bespeak.

GUITAR: Book: MAX / TONE: MAX / SELECTOR: Centre
AMP: BASS: 5 / MIDS: 6 / TREBLE: 7 / Proceeds: ane-2 / REVERB:1-2

Amp settings based on Edge's U2 tone

Amp settings based Edge's guitar tone from U2

To really start digging into Border'south tone , you almost need a guitar tech to explain some of the details. Nevertheless, we can take a unproblematic approach by boosting treble, cut bass and adding a little bit of gain.If y'all take a delay pedal, adding information technology near the top of your signal volition be a prissy fit.

Border's preferred pedal for complimenting this type of tone is the EHX Retention Man.

Taking Amp Settings With a Grain of Salt

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

Why?

How come they aren't guitar-gospel truth?

Yous tin't be an absolutist almost these settings (or any, for that affair), because of the following reasons:

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

What sounds good to some, might sound terrible to others. Even inside genres and styles, y'all'll have people who hear things differently or prefer different degrees of equalization in their signal. We tin can't say that a lot of bass, for case, is always "the right thing" nor can we say that any one type of EQ is better than some other.

Because it's largely subjective and subject to alter.

two. Anybody'south rig behaves differently than the adjacent.

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

To name a few:

Humidity
Indoor/Outdoor Location
Aggressiveness of Playing Style
Cord Age
Room Padding
Microphone/Amplification Methods
PA Systems
Amp Location
Pedal Wiring/Configuration

And all this is earlier we even go to what kind of gear your ain. In that location are only too many variables to account for. Does this mean you can't have whatever pre-determined standards and presets?

Of course not.

There'south plenty you tin can plant as your normal. But y'all've got to be enlightened that non only will that "normal" non always work from rig to rig, only information technology might not even work for y'all every time, simply because there are and then many variables to consider. But know that fifty-fifty in the midst of conventional wisdom, your gear, and how it's configured, is unique to you.

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

iii. Tinkering is an Inherent Part of the Deal

When you become settings from a third party it'southward wise to consider that the way most guitarists get their tone is simply by tinkering, experimenting and figuring out what works, largely by fashion of trial and error. Be careful non to assume that a guide similar this abnegates you from the responsibleness to do the same.

Because that'southward the only mode you really get a good sound from your rig. Yep, you can use these every bit starting points and a way to familiarize yourself with your options. All the same, your results will be far better if y'all commit to putting some work into your tone and figuring out what gets you the best results.

It'due south amend to be the person who knows the cracking settings, rather than the one who is ever searching for them online.

Another Amp Settings Best-Practices

What are some other best practices to go along in mind? What can you practice on a more than practical and pragmatic level? At that place are a few additional things you lot tin do to improve your tone that are worth listing.

1. Know that the volume knob on your guitar furnishings your tone and Gain

Nearly of the time, it's smart to keep your guitar'southward volume knob at 10, because turning it downwardly doesn't just cut downwardly your volume, but it changes your tone and slashes your gain as well. Proceed it turned all the mode up, unless yous want the driblet in proceeds.

If you do just desire to reduce volume, but maintain the integrity of your signal, the best selection is to employ a book pedal or just refuse the chief book on your amplifier.

2. Don't Overlook Choice and String Quality

Inexpensive or sometime strings are a tonal decease judgement. No amount of tinkering or adjustments on even the best tube amps tin can do much to redeem them. We recommend a coated string, like Elixir or Ernie Brawl's coated offering. As far as picks become, just recognize that the weight and texture of a pick tin can impact your tone in a number of ways. For example:

Heavier picks produce a thicker tone
Textured picks produce more than grit or "chinkle"
Lighter picks create a better strumming texture (typically work amend with acoustic guitars)

3. Take Advantage of Your Aqueduct Volume

Most amps accept multiple channels, which means you'll have a master volume (for the entire amp's output) and additional volume controls (gain) for each aqueduct.

To write this post I used the Line 6 Spider 4 150-Watt amp, which provides four different channels and is a good case of how this can work. Let's say yous wanted to set aqueduct i at eighty percent volume and channel 2 at lx percentage volume. You would set them both, so set your master volume as a final touch.

Keep in mind that getting your volume right can be a huge part of having skilful tone, and your channel book is going to be a big part of that.

Generally, it's better to continue channel book college and use the master book to command overall output.

Conclude

What'due south the moral of the story?

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

The goal is to detect your tone, which takes a lot of time and a lot of customization. But, today's guitar gear is made well, and will accommodate a lot of creativity.

My advice, is to employ that creativity.

Best of luck.

Written past Bobby on Amp Settings

Written by Bobby on Amplifiers and Roundups

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