Guitar tone · rock, metal

Incubus guitar tone: gear & amp settings

The gear and amp settings behind 18 Incubus songs, researched from rig rundowns, interviews and gear forums. The rig that shows up most: PRS McCarty Archtop into Mesa/Boogie Tremoverb.

Guitars Incubus used

PRS McCarty Archtop2 songs
Fender American Vintage '65 Jazzmaster2 songs
PRS Custom 242 songs
PRS CE24 (1990s, likely stock pickups)2 songs
PRS CE24 (1990s model, maple neck, rosewood fretboard)1 song
PRS CE 24 (early 2000s, likely used on 'Stellar' studio recording)1 song
PRS CE 24 (likely 2000-2001 model, as used by Mike Einziger during Morning View era)1 song
PRS CE24 (early 2000s, likely used on 'Morning View')1 song

Amps Incubus used

Mesa/Boogie Tremoverb2 songs
Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier (early 2-channel version, 1990s)2 songs
Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier 100W 3-channel Solo Head1 song
Mesa/Boogie Tremoverb Combo1 song
Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier Trem-O-Verb1 song
Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier (studio recording, Morning View era)1 song
Mesa/Boogie Trem-O-Verb (dual rectifier variant, used in studio for 'Morning View')1 song
Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier1 song

29 Incubus tones

Song	Part	Guitar	Amp	Gain
New Skin · riff	Riff · distorted	PRS CE24 (1990s, likely stock pickups)	Marshall Plexi (likely 1959SLP or similar, studio recording era)	6
Wish You Were Here · riff	Riff · distorted	PRS CE24 (early 2000s, likely used on 'Morning View')	Mesa/Boogie Trem-O-Verb (dual rectifier variant, used in studio for 'Morning View')	5.5
Echo · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender 60s Thinline Telecaster	Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier Head into 2x12 Mesa cabinets with Celestion Vintage 30s	5
Pardon Me · riff	Riff · clean	PRS CE24 (1990s model, maple neck, rosewood fretboard)	Mesa/Boogie Tremoverb Combo	0
Pardon Me · riff	Riff · distorted	PRS CE24 (1990s model, maple neck, alder body)	Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier (early 2-channel version, 1990s)	6.5
Circles · riff	Riff · distorted	PRS McCarty Archtop	Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier 100W 3-channel Solo Head (Multi-Watt) into Mesa 2x12 cabinets with Celestion Vintage 30s	5
Echo · riff	Riff · clean	PRS CE 24 (1990s model, likely alder body, maple neck, rosewood fretboard)	Mesa/Boogie Tremoverb (Dual Rectifier series, clean channel)	0
11 Am · riff	Riff · distorted	PRS CE 24 (likely 2000-2001 model, as used by Mike Einziger during Morning View era)	Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier (studio recording, Morning View era)	5
A Certain Shade of Green · riff	Riff · distorted	PRS CE24 (1990s, bolt-on maple neck, alder body, 24 frets, HFS/Vintage Bass pickups)	Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier (early 2-channel version, 1990s)	7
Anna Molly · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender Jazzmaster (likely 1965 reissue, as used by Mike Einziger in this era)	Top Hat amplifier (exact model not specified, but likely Top Hat Club Royale or King Royale as used by Einziger in this era)	5.5
Drive · riff	Riff · distorted	PRS McCarty Archtop	Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier 100W 3-channel Solo Head	4
Drive · riff	Riff · clean	Fender American Vintage '65 Jazzmaster	Mesa/Boogie Tremoverb	0
Idiot Box (Live at Bukit Kiara Equestarian Park, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - March 2004) · riff	Riff · clean	PRS CE24 (early 2000s, maple neck, rosewood fretboard)	Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier (clean channel, live 2004 setup)	0
Idiot Box (Live at Bukit Kiara Equestarian Park, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - March 2004) · riff	Riff · distorted	PRS CE24 (early 2000s, likely black finish, as used by Mike Einziger live in this era)	Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier (live rig, early 2000s)	6.5
Idiot Box (Live at Bukit Kiara Equestarian Park, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - March 2004) · clean	Clean · clean	Warwick Streamer Stage II	Ampeg SVT (likely Classic or SVT-4 Pro, era-appropriate for Incubus live 2004)	0
Idiot Box (Live at Nippon Budokan, Tokyo, Japan - March 2004) · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender American Vintage '65 Jazzmaster	Vox AC30 (reissue, live rig 2004)	6
New Skin · clean	Clean · clean	Warwick Streamer Stage II 5-string	Eden WT-800	0
Nice to Know You (Rerecorded) · riff	Riff · clean	PRS CE 24 (likely 2023/2024 reissue, as used by Mike Einziger for Morning View XXIII sessions)	Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier (clean channel, as used in studio for Morning View era and likely for XXIII rerecording)	0
Nice to Know You (Rerecorded) · riff	Riff · distorted	PRS CE 24 (likely 2023 reissue, as used by Mike Einziger for 'Morning View XXIII')	Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier (likely 2023 model, as used for rerecorded album sessions)	6
Privilege · riff	Riff · distorted	PRS CE 24 (likely 1997-1999 model, as used by Mike Einziger on 'Make Yourself')	Mesa/Boogie Tremoverb (Dual Rectifier Trem-O-Verb head, as used on 'Make Yourself' sessions)	6
Stellar · solo	Solo · distorted	PRS CE 24 (early 2000s, likely used on 'Stellar' studio recording)	Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier Trem-O-Verb	6.5
Stellar · riff	Riff · distorted	PRS CE24 (1990s, likely stock pickups)	Mesa/Boogie Tremoverb (Dual Rectifier variant)	6.5
Stellar · riff	Riff · clean	PRS Custom 24	Mesa/Boogie Tremoverb	0
Talk Shows On Mute · riff	Riff · distorted	PRS Custom 24	Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier	4.5
Warning · riff	Riff · distorted	PRS CE24 (likely 2000-2001 model, as used by Mike Einziger on 'Morning View')	Mesa/Boogie Trem-O-Verb (Dual Rectifier series)	5.5
When It Comes · riff	Riff · distorted	PRS McCarty Archtop (semi-hollow, likely 1999-2000 era)	Mesa/Boogie Trem-O-Verb	5.5
Wish You Were Here · riff	Riff · clean	PRS CE 24 (early 2000s, maple neck, rosewood fretboard, 24 frets)	Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier Trem-O-Verb 2x12 combo	3.5
You Will Be a Hot Dancer · distorted	Distorted · distorted	Unknown	Unknown	6.5
You Will Be a Hot Dancer · clean	Clean · clean	Fender Jazz Bass (1960s) and Warwick Streamer Stage II (used by Dirk Lance)	Eden bi‑amped rig (Eden D410XLTs, D118XLs, WP‑100 Navigators, WT‑1000 power amps)	0

Incubus songs on popular amps

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

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Frequently asked questions

What amp did Incubus use?

Across 18 researched songs, the amps that come up most are Mesa/Boogie Tremoverb (2 songs), Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier (early 2-channel version, 1990s) (2 songs), Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier 100W 3-channel Solo Head (1 song), Mesa/Boogie Tremoverb Combo (1 song).

What guitar did Incubus use?

Most often: PRS McCarty Archtop (2 songs), Fender American Vintage '65 Jazzmaster (2 songs), PRS Custom 24 (2 songs), PRS CE24 (1990s, likely stock pickups) (2 songs).

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

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