Guitar tone · rock
Placebo guitar tone: gear & amp settings
The gear and amp settings behind 4 Placebo songs, researched from rig rundowns, interviews and gear forums. The rig that shows up most: Fender Jazz Bass into Ampeg SVT Classic (likely, based on era and genre).
Guitars Placebo used
- Fender Jazz Bass1 song
- Gibson Thunderbird IV1 song
- Gibson Les Paul Custom (likely 1990s/2000s, as used by Brian Molko in studio)1 song
- Gibson SG-X1 song
- Fender Jaguar1 song
Amps Placebo used
- Ampeg SVT Classic (likely, based on era and genre)1 song
- Ampeg SVT-CL Classic + Ampeg SVT-810E 8x10 Cabinet1 song
- Marshall JCM900 (most commonly used by Placebo for studio recordings in this era)1 song
- Unknown (not specified in sources; likely Marshall or Hughes & Kettner based on era and genre, but not confirmed for this recording)1 song
- Unknown (likely Marshall or similar British high-gain amp, but not confirmed for this recording)1 song
5 Placebo tones
| Song | Gain |
|---|---|
| Nancy Boy · riff | 7.5 |
| Second Sight · distorted | 7 |
| Special Needs · riff | 6 |
| The Bitter End · distorted | 6.5 |
| The Bitter End · riff | 7 |
Get Placebo's tone on your gear
Pick any Placebo song and ToneAdapt adapts the original rig to your own guitar, amp, pickups and pedals.
Frequently asked questions
What amp did Placebo use?
Across 4 researched songs, the amps that come up most are Ampeg SVT Classic (likely, based on era and genre) (1 song), Ampeg SVT-CL Classic + Ampeg SVT-810E 8x10 Cabinet (1 song), Marshall JCM900 (most commonly used by Placebo for studio recordings in this era) (1 song), Unknown (not specified in sources; likely Marshall or Hughes & Kettner based on era and genre, but not confirmed for this recording) (1 song).
What guitar did Placebo use?
Most often: Fender Jazz Bass (1 song), Gibson Thunderbird IV (1 song), Gibson Les Paul Custom (likely 1990s/2000s, as used by Brian Molko in studio) (1 song), Gibson SG-X (1 song).
How do I get Placebo's tone on my amp?
Open any Placebo song below to see the original gear and settings, then use ToneAdapt to adapt them to your own guitar, amp, pickups and pedals.