Bass tone · r&b, funk
Earth, Wind & Fire bass tone: gear & amp settings
The gear and amp settings behind 3 Earth, Wind & Fire songs, researched from rig rundowns, interviews and gear forums. The rig that shows up most: Fender Jazz Bass into Ampeg SVT (likely blue-line or black-line, 1970s tube head).
Basss Earth, Wind & Fire used
- Fender Jazz Bass1 song
- Music Man StingRay (likely 4-string, early 1980s model)1 song
- 1972 Gibson ES-335 (left-handed, vintage, as used by Al McKay)1 song
Amps Earth, Wind & Fire used
- Ampeg SVT (likely blue-line or black-line, 1970s tube head)1 song
- Ampeg SVT (classic tube head, likely with matching 8x10 cab)1 song
- Roland JC-120 (modified, as used by Al McKay on studio recordings in late 1970s)1 song
3 Earth, Wind & Fire tones
| Song | Gain |
|---|---|
| September · riff | 0 |
| After the Love Has Gone · clean | 0 |
| Let's Groove · distorted | 5 |
Earth, Wind & Fire songs on popular amps
Exact settings ToneAdapt players use for these songs on their own amps.
Get Earth, Wind & Fire's tone on your gear
Pick any Earth, Wind & Fire song and ToneAdapt adapts the original rig to your own bass, amp, pickups and pedals.
Frequently asked questions
What amp did Earth, Wind & Fire use?
Across 3 researched songs, the amps that come up most are Ampeg SVT (likely blue-line or black-line, 1970s tube head) (1 song), Ampeg SVT (classic tube head, likely with matching 8x10 cab) (1 song), Roland JC-120 (modified, as used by Al McKay on studio recordings in late 1970s) (1 song).
What bass did Earth, Wind & Fire use?
Most often: Fender Jazz Bass (1 song), Music Man StingRay (likely 4-string, early 1980s model) (1 song), 1972 Gibson ES-335 (left-handed, vintage, as used by Al McKay) (1 song).
How do I get Earth, Wind & Fire's tone on my amp?
Open any Earth, Wind & Fire song below to see the original gear and settings, then use ToneAdapt to adapt them to your own bass, amp, pickups and pedals.