Guitar tone · rock
Sonic Youth guitar tone: gear & amp settings
The gear and amp settings behind 5 Sonic Youth songs, researched from rig rundowns, interviews and gear forums. The rig that shows up most: Fender Jazzmaster (custom, alternate F#F#F#F#BE tuning) into Peavey Roadmaster head into Marshall 4x12 cabinet.
Guitars Sonic Youth used
- Fender Jazzmaster (custom, alternate F#F#F#F#BE tuning)1 song
- Fender Jazz Bass (likely, Kim Gordon's main bass for this era)1 song
- Fender Jazzmaster (late 1950s/early 1960s, likely stock pickups, alternate tuning)1 song
- Fender Telecaster Deluxe1 song
- Early 1970s Fender Telecaster Deluxe (Lee Ranaldo, likely 'Tele 3')1 song
- Fender Jazzmaster (Thurston Moore signature or modified, likely with stock or Seymour Duncan Antiquity pickups)1 song
- Fender Jazzmaster (likely 1960s or 1970s, as used by Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo on 'Sister' era recordings)1 song
Amps Sonic Youth used
- Peavey Roadmaster head into Marshall 4x12 cabinet2 songs
- Peavey Roadmaster Amplifier (Thurston), Marshall Jubilee Bass Series head with Dietz 2x15 cab (Kim, for bass)1 song
- Ampeg SVT Classic (probable, based on era and band history)1 song
- Fender Super Reverb (likely, based on era and forum consensus for Lee Ranaldo studio use)1 song
- Mesa/Boogie Mark III head into Marshall 4x12 cab1 song
- Fender Twin Reverb (silverface, tube amp, as typical for Sonic Youth's 1987 studio recordings)1 song
7 Sonic Youth tones
| Song | Gain |
|---|---|
| Sugar Kane · riff | 6 |
| Incinerate · distorted | 6 |
| Incinerate · solo | 6 |
| Incinerate · riff | 6.5 |
| Kool Thing · riff | 6.5 |
| Schizophrenia · riff | 4.5 |
| Teen Age Riot (2012 Remastered Version) · riff | 5 |
Sonic Youth songs on popular amps
Exact settings ToneAdapt players use for these songs on their own amps.
Get Sonic Youth's tone on your gear
Pick any Sonic Youth song and ToneAdapt adapts the original rig to your own guitar, amp, pickups and pedals.
Frequently asked questions
What amp did Sonic Youth use?
Across 5 researched songs, the amps that come up most are Peavey Roadmaster head into Marshall 4x12 cabinet (2 songs), Peavey Roadmaster Amplifier (Thurston), Marshall Jubilee Bass Series head with Dietz 2x15 cab (Kim, for bass) (1 song), Ampeg SVT Classic (probable, based on era and band history) (1 song), Fender Super Reverb (likely, based on era and forum consensus for Lee Ranaldo studio use) (1 song).
What guitar did Sonic Youth use?
Most often: Fender Jazzmaster (custom, alternate F#F#F#F#BE tuning) (1 song), Fender Jazz Bass (likely, Kim Gordon's main bass for this era) (1 song), Fender Jazzmaster (late 1950s/early 1960s, likely stock pickups, alternate tuning) (1 song), Fender Telecaster Deluxe (1 song).
How do I get Sonic Youth's tone on my amp?
Open any Sonic Youth song below to see the original gear and settings, then use ToneAdapt to adapt them to your own guitar, amp, pickups and pedals.