Vox AC30 settings
Alive settings for Vox AC30
Pearl Jam · adapted 4 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Pearl Jam "Alive" solo tone on a Vox AC30, set Gain 0, Bass 5.5, Treble 6.5, Reverb 1.5, Tone cut 0, Reverb tone 5. Use the neck + middle pickup with your guitar's tone on 7-8 and volume on 8-9.
Solo settings
Adapted for a Fender Stratocaster · updated 2026-10-10
- Pickup
- Neck + Middle
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7-8 · Volume 8-9
Vox AC30 knobs
- Gain
- 0
- Bass
- 5.5
- Treble
- 6.5
- Reverb
- 1.5
- Tone cut
- 0
- Reverb tone
- 5
- Master volume
- 6
- Tremolo depth
- 0
- Tremolo speed
- 0
Built-in effects
- Reverb on (spring) · 3
Playing tips
- Use your amp's built-in reverb set to a moderate level to recreate the spacious feel of the original tone.
- Maintain a dynamic picking response to achieve the glassy highs characteristic of the original solo.
- Experiment with your volume knob to find the sweet spot for clarity and articulation.
The original rig
What Pearl Jam used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Vox AC30 actually has.
- Guitar
- Fender Stratocaster (likely 1960s or '57 Reissue, Aged White, as seen in 1991-92 live footage)
- Amp
- Marshall 1960A 4x12 Cabinet with 65 Amps Empire 22-watt Tube Head and/or Satellite Atom 36-Watt Head (studio era, early 1990s)
- Gain
- 6
- Bass
- 6
- Mid
- 7
- Treble
- 6.5
- Presence
- 6
- Reverb
- 2.5
Different guitar or pedals? Get Alive adapted to your exact rig
These settings were generated for the gear named above. ToneAdapt adapts Pearl Jam's tone to your own guitar, pickups, amp and pedals in seconds.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best Vox AC30 settings for Alive?
Set Gain 0, Bass 5.5, Treble 6.5, Reverb 1.5, Tone cut 0, Reverb tone 5.
Which pickup should I use for Alive?
Neck + Middle, with the guitar's tone at 7-8 and volume at 8-9.
What gear did Pearl Jam use on Alive?
Guitar: Fender Stratocaster (likely 1960s or '57 Reissue, Aged White, as seen in 1991-92 live footage). Amp: Marshall 1960A 4x12 Cabinet with 65 Amps Empire 22-watt Tube Head and/or Satellite Atom 36-Watt Head (studio era, early 1990s).
Will these settings work with my guitar?
These settings were adapted for a Fender Stratocaster. Different pickups change how much gain and treble you need. ToneAdapt adapts the tone to your exact guitar, pickups, amp and pedals.
Alive on other amps
Popular songs on the Vox AC30
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Hotel California · Eagles
- Whole Lotta Love · Led Zeppelin
- Master of Puppets · Metallica
- Welcome to the Jungle · Guns N' Roses
- Back in Black · AC/DC
- Stairway to Heaven · Led Zeppelin
- Smells Like Teen Spirit · Nirvana
- Highway to Hell · AC/DC
- Walk · Pantera
- Enter Sandman · Metallica
- 1979 · The Smashing Pumpkins
Settings are generated by ToneAdapt's tone adaptation for the gear named on this page and are a starting point — every amp, guitar and room is a little different.