Guitar tone · rock

Bruce Springsteen guitar tone: gear & amp settings

The gear and amp settings behind 29 Bruce Springsteen songs, researched from rig rundowns, interviews and gear forums. The rig that shows up most: 1973-74 Fender Telecaster (heavily modified, Esquire body, Tele neck, with added neck pickup) into Fender 'Narrow Panel Tweed' Bassman 5F6 (1958-1960).

Guitars Bruce Springsteen used

1973-74 Fender Telecaster (heavily modified, Esquire body, Tele neck, with added neck pickup)1 song
1950s Fender Esquire/Telecaster hybrid (Springsteen's main guitar, often referred to as a Telecaster but actually a heavily modified Esquire with a Tele neck pickup added)1 song
1950s Fender Esquire (heavily modded, Telecaster neck pickup added)1 song
Fender Telecaster (likely 1952 or '63 Reissue, single-cut, as used by Springsteen live in 2009)1 song
Fender Telecaster (likely 1950s/60s vintage, Springsteen's main electric for this era)1 song
Takamine EF381C 12-String Acoustic-Electric Cutaway Guitar1 song
Fender Telecaster (likely 50s or 60s reissue, as used by Springsteen live in 2000)1 song
Fender Telecaster (likely 1950s Esquire/Telecaster hybrid, as used by Springsteen on early albums)1 song

Amps Bruce Springsteen used

Fender 'Narrow Panel Tweed' Bassman 5F6 (1958-1960)6 songs
Fender Bassman (pre-CBS, ca. 1958, 4x10 combo, blackface circuit, likely with Jensen speakers)1 song
Fender Bassman (tweed, 4x10 combo, vintage 1950s/early 60s model, or Peavey 4x10 Bassman-style amp as used in the studio)1 song
Fender Bassman 5F6-A (1958-1962 Narrow Panel Tweed)1 song
Fender Twin Reverb (live rig, 2009 Giants Stadium)1 song
Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ or Mesa Boogie Electra Dyne head into Marshall 4x12 cabinet (studio recording, 1992)1 song
Mesa Boogie Mark 31 song
Fender Twin Reverb (blackface, as used by Springsteen for clean/rhythm tones live in this era)1 song

32 Bruce Springsteen tones

Song	Part	Guitar	Amp	Gain
Adam Raised a Cain (Live at the Roxy Theatre, W. Hollywood, CA - July 1978) · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender Telecaster (likely 1950s/60s, stock single coils)	Fender Bassman (tweed, 4x10, late 1950s model, likely original circuit)	6
Atlantic City (Live at Warner Hollywood Studios, Los Angeles, CA - September 1992) · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender 'The Mutt' Partscaster Esquire/Telecaster	Fender 'Narrow Panel Tweed' Bassman 5F6 (1958-1960)	4
Backstreets · riff	Riff · distorted	1973-74 Fender Telecaster (heavily modified, Esquire body, Tele neck, with added neck pickup)	Fender Bassman (pre-CBS, ca. 1958, 4x10 combo, blackface circuit, likely with Jensen speakers)	5
Blinded By the Light · riff	Riff · clean	Fender Telecaster (likely 1950s Esquire/Telecaster hybrid, as used by Springsteen on early albums)	Fender 'Narrow Panel Tweed' Bassman 5F6 (1958-1960)	2.5
Born In the U.S.A. · riff	Riff · distorted	1950s Fender Esquire/Telecaster hybrid (Esquire neck, Telecaster body)	Fender Bassman (studio recording, possibly Marshall Plexi type also referenced)	5.5
Born to Run · riff	Riff · distorted	1950s Fender Esquire (heavily modified, Telecaster neck pickup added)	Peavey Mace 4x10 combo (tweed, Bassman-style, used in studio for Born to Run)	4
Cover Me · riff	Riff · distorted	1950s Fender Esquire/Telecaster hybrid (Springsteen's main guitar, often referred to as a Telecaster but actually a heavily modified Esquire with a Tele neck pickup added)	Fender Bassman (tweed, 4x10 combo, vintage 1950s/early 60s model, or Peavey 4x10 Bassman-style amp as used in the studio)	5.5
Cover Me · solo	Solo · distorted	Fender Esquire (heavily modified, Telecaster-style, single bridge pickup)	Fender Bassman (blackface or tweed, likely studio version, possibly with added preamp or boost)	6
Dancing In the Dark · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender Esquire (heavily modded, Telecaster-style, single bridge pickup)	Fender Twin Reverb (likely Silverface, studio recording)	4.5
Darlington County · riff	Riff · distorted	1950s Fender Esquire (heavily modded, Telecaster neck pickup added)	Fender Bassman 5F6-A (1958-1962 Narrow Panel Tweed)	4.5
Downbound Train · riff	Riff · clean	1950s Fender Esquire (heavily modified, Telecaster-style, single bridge pickup)	Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC head into Marshall 4x12 cabinet	3
Downbound Train · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender Telecaster (likely 50s or 60s model, as used by Springsteen on Born in the U.S.A. sessions)	Fender Bassman (1959 reissue or original, as used in Born in the U.S.A. era studio sessions)	4
Downbound Train (Live at Giants Stadium, E. Rutherford, NJ - 8/22/1985) · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender Esquire (heavily modified, often referred to as a Telecaster, used by Springsteen live in 1985)	Fender Twin Reverb (blackface, typical for Springsteen's 1980s live rig)	5
Ghosts · riff	Riff · distorted	1950s Fender Esquire/Telecaster hybrid	Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ head into Marshall 4x12 cabinet	5.5
Glory Days · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender 'The Mutt' Partscaster Esquire (Telecaster body, Esquire neck, single-coil bridge pickup)	Fender 'Narrow Panel Tweed' Bassman 5F6 (1958-1960)	3
Glory Days · riff	Riff · clean	1950s Fender Esquire (heavily modified to Telecaster spec)	Fender Bassman or Fender Twin Reverb (studio recording, likely Twin Reverb based on era and tone)	0
Human Touch · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender Telecaster (likely 1950s/60s vintage, Springsteen's main electric for this era)	Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ or Mesa Boogie Electra Dyne head into Marshall 4x12 cabinet (studio recording, 1992)	5
I'm Goin' Down · riff	Riff · distorted	1950s Fender Esquire (modded with neck pickup, but likely bridge pickup used for riff)	Fender Bassman (tweed, 4x10, late 1950s model, studio recording)	4.5
I'm On Fire · riff	Riff · clean	Fender 'The Mutt' Partscaster Esquire (Telecaster body, Esquire neck, 1950s)	Fender 'Narrow Panel Tweed' Bassman 5F6 (1958-1960)	0
If I Should Fall Behind (Live at Madison Square Garden, New York, NY - June/July 2000) · riff	Riff · clean	Fender Telecaster (Bruce Springsteen's main Esquire/Tele hybrid, likely the 1950s model he is known for using live)	Fender Twin Reverb (blackface, likely 1965 reissue or original, standard for Springsteen live in this era)	0
Jungleland · solo	Solo · distorted	Fender 'The Mutt' Esquire/Telecaster Partscaster	Fender 'Narrow Panel Tweed' Bassman 5F6 (1958-1960)	4.5
Land of Hope and Dreams (Live at Madison Square Garden, New York, NY - June/July 2000) · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender Telecaster (likely 50s or 60s reissue, as used by Springsteen live in 2000)	Fender Twin Reverb (blackface, as used by Springsteen for clean/rhythm tones live in this era)	4
Long Walk Home · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender Telecaster (vintage, likely 50s/60s, Springsteen's main studio guitar for Magic era)	Mesa Boogie (exact model unknown, likely Lone Star or Mark series, used in studio for Magic era)	4.5
Lucky Town · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender Esquire (1950s, heavily modified, single bridge pickup)	Fender blackface amp (likely Twin Reverb or Princeton Reverb, studio recording)	4
Nebraska · riff	Riff · clean	Gibson J-200	Direct to TEAC TASCAM 144 Portastudio (no guitar amp used)	0
One Step Up · riff	Riff · clean	Takamine EF381C 12-String Acoustic-Electric Cutaway Guitar	Mesa Boogie Mark 3	0
Purple Rain (Live at Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY - 04/23/16) · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender Telecaster (Bruce Springsteen's main live guitar, likely his vintage Esquire/Tele hybrid)	Fender Bassman (vintage reissue, most commonly used by Springsteen live in this era)	5
Radio Nowhere · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender Telecaster (likely American Vintage or Esquire, as used by Springsteen in studio)	Fender Bassman (studio, 2007 recording era)	6
This Hard Land · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender 'The Mutt' Partscaster Esquire (50s Esquire neck, Telecaster body, heavily modified)	Fender 'Narrow Panel Tweed' Bassman 5F6 (1958-1960)	3.5
Thunder Road · riff	Riff · distorted	1950s Fender Esquire (heavily modified, single pickup Tele-style)	Fender Bassman (1959 tweed, likely studio original)	3.5
Wrecking Ball (Live at Giants Stadium, E. Rutherford, NJ - October 2009) · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender Telecaster (likely 1952 or '63 Reissue, single-cut, as used by Springsteen live in 2009)	Fender Twin Reverb (live rig, 2009 Giants Stadium)	4
Youngstown (Live at Madison Square Garden, New York, NY - June/July 2000) · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender Stratocaster (likely early 1970s, Nils Lofgren's main guitar for this era and song)	Mesa/Boogie Mark I (commonly used by Nils Lofgren for high-gain live tones in this era, especially for 'Youngstown')	6.5

Bruce Springsteen songs on popular amps

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

Cover Me on Line 6 POD Go / POD Go Wireless

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Frequently asked questions

What amp did Bruce Springsteen use?

Across 29 researched songs, the amps that come up most are Fender 'Narrow Panel Tweed' Bassman 5F6 (1958-1960) (6 songs), Fender Bassman (pre-CBS, ca. 1958, 4x10 combo, blackface circuit, likely with Jensen speakers) (1 song), Fender Bassman (tweed, 4x10 combo, vintage 1950s/early 60s model, or Peavey 4x10 Bassman-style amp as used in the studio) (1 song), Fender Bassman 5F6-A (1958-1962 Narrow Panel Tweed) (1 song).

What guitar did Bruce Springsteen use?

Most often: 1973-74 Fender Telecaster (heavily modified, Esquire body, Tele neck, with added neck pickup) (1 song), 1950s Fender Esquire/Telecaster hybrid (Springsteen's main guitar, often referred to as a Telecaster but actually a heavily modified Esquire with a Tele neck pickup added) (1 song), 1950s Fender Esquire (heavily modded, Telecaster neck pickup added) (1 song), Fender Telecaster (likely 1952 or '63 Reissue, single-cut, as used by Springsteen live in 2009) (1 song).

How do I get Bruce Springsteen's tone on my amp?

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