Guitar tone · country
Merle Haggard guitar tone: gear & amp settings
The gear and amp settings behind 3 Merle Haggard songs, researched from rig rundowns, interviews and gear forums. The rig that shows up most: Fender Telecaster into Fender Twin Reverb (blackface or silverface era, common for country studio recordings in late 1970s/early 1980s).
Guitars Merle Haggard used
- Fender Telecaster2 songs
- Fender Telecaster (likely 1960s or 1970s, as used by Roy Nichols in Merle Haggard's band for studio recordings)1 song
- Fender Precision Bass1 song
Amps Merle Haggard used
- Fender Twin Reverb (blackface or silverface era, common for country studio recordings in late 1970s/early 1980s)1 song
- Fender Twin Reverb1 song
- Fender Twin Reverb (likely, based on era, genre, and Merle Haggard's typical studio setup; no direct source for this song's session amp)1 song
- Ampeg B-15N Portaflex (likely, era-correct studio amp for country, no explicit source for this song, but Ampeg B-15N was standard for Nashville/California country studios in 1980)1 song
4 Merle Haggard tones
| Song | Gain |
|---|---|
| I Think I'll Just Stay Here and Drink · solo | 0 |
| I Think I'll Just Stay Here and Drink · clean | 0 |
| Ramblin' Fever · riff | 0 |
| Workin' Man Blues · riff | 2 |
Get Merle Haggard's tone on your gear
Pick any Merle Haggard song and ToneAdapt adapts the original rig to your own guitar, amp, pickups and pedals.
Frequently asked questions
What amp did Merle Haggard use?
Across 3 researched songs, the amps that come up most are Fender Twin Reverb (blackface or silverface era, common for country studio recordings in late 1970s/early 1980s) (1 song), Fender Twin Reverb (1 song), Fender Twin Reverb (likely, based on era, genre, and Merle Haggard's typical studio setup; no direct source for this song's session amp) (1 song), Ampeg B-15N Portaflex (likely, era-correct studio amp for country, no explicit source for this song, but Ampeg B-15N was standard for Nashville/California country studios in 1980) (1 song).
What guitar did Merle Haggard use?
Most often: Fender Telecaster (2 songs), Fender Telecaster (likely 1960s or 1970s, as used by Roy Nichols in Merle Haggard's band for studio recordings) (1 song), Fender Precision Bass (1 song).
How do I get Merle Haggard's tone on my amp?
Open any Merle Haggard song below to see the original gear and settings, then use ToneAdapt to adapt them to your own guitar, amp, pickups and pedals.