Guitar tone · rock

America guitar tone: gear & amp settings

The gear and amp settings behind 3 America songs, researched from rig rundowns, interviews and gear forums. The rig that shows up most: 1970s Fender Telecaster (likely Rosewood or Maple neck, standard single coils) into Fender Twin Reverb (Silverface, 1970s).

Guitars America used

1970s Fender Telecaster (likely Rosewood or Maple neck, standard single coils)1 song
Martin D-18 12-string acoustic (1971 studio recording)1 song
Gibson Les Paul Standard (1970s, likely Goldtop or Sunburst, as used by Gerry Beckley in studio)1 song
Martin D-45 (acoustic, likely used for rhythm and harmony), Fender Stratocaster (for solo electric part, as per era and audible tone)1 song
Fender Precision Bass (Joe Osborn's main studio instrument, likely late 60s/early 70s model)1 song
Martin D-45 (acoustic, primary riff guitar), possible additional acoustic 6-string and 12-string guitars1 song

Amps America used

Fender Twin Reverb (Silverface, 1970s)1 song
None (direct mic'd acoustic, no amp used on studio recording)1 song
Fender Twin Reverb (Silverface, 1970s studio recording)1 song
Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus1 song
Ampeg B-15 Portaflex (classic studio amp of the era, highly probable for Joe Osborn in early 70s LA sessions)1 song
None (acoustic guitars recorded direct with microphones in studio)1 song

6 America tones

Song	Part	Guitar	Amp	Gain
A Horse With No Name · riff	Riff · clean	Martin D-18 12-string acoustic (1971 studio recording)	None (direct mic'd acoustic, no amp used on studio recording)	0
Sister Golden Hair · riff	Riff · clean	1970s Fender Telecaster (likely Rosewood or Maple neck, standard single coils)	Fender Twin Reverb (Silverface, 1970s)	3
Sister Golden Hair · riff	Riff · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Standard (1970s, likely Goldtop or Sunburst, as used by Gerry Beckley in studio)	Fender Twin Reverb (Silverface, 1970s studio recording)	3.5
Ventura Highway · solo	Solo · clean	Martin D-45 (acoustic, likely used for rhythm and harmony), Fender Stratocaster (for solo electric part, as per era and audible tone)	Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus	2
Ventura Highway · clean	Clean · clean	Fender Precision Bass (Joe Osborn's main studio instrument, likely late 60s/early 70s model)	Ampeg B-15 Portaflex (classic studio amp of the era, highly probable for Joe Osborn in early 70s LA sessions)	0
Ventura Highway · riff	Riff · clean	Martin D-45 (acoustic, primary riff guitar), possible additional acoustic 6-string and 12-string guitars	None (acoustic guitars recorded direct with microphones in studio)	0

America songs on popular amps

Exact settings ToneAdapt players use for these songs on their own amps.

Sister Golden Hair on Fender Mustang LT25

Get America's tone on your gear

Pick any America song and ToneAdapt adapts the original rig to your own guitar, amp, pickups and pedals.

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Frequently asked questions

What amp did America use?

Across 3 researched songs, the amps that come up most are Fender Twin Reverb (Silverface, 1970s) (1 song), None (direct mic'd acoustic, no amp used on studio recording) (1 song), Fender Twin Reverb (Silverface, 1970s studio recording) (1 song), Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus (1 song).

What guitar did America use?

Most often: 1970s Fender Telecaster (likely Rosewood or Maple neck, standard single coils) (1 song), Martin D-18 12-string acoustic (1971 studio recording) (1 song), Gibson Les Paul Standard (1970s, likely Goldtop or Sunburst, as used by Gerry Beckley in studio) (1 song), Martin D-45 (acoustic, likely used for rhythm and harmony), Fender Stratocaster (for solo electric part, as per era and audible tone) (1 song).

How do I get America's tone on my amp?

Open any America song below to see the original gear and settings, then use ToneAdapt to adapt them to your own guitar, amp, pickups and pedals.