Guitar tone · rock
Steppenwolf guitar tone: gear & amp settings
The gear and amp settings behind 3 Steppenwolf songs, researched from rig rundowns, interviews and gear forums. The rig that shows up most: Gibson ES-335 (likely, based on era and Steppenwolf's known gear for first album) into Fender Bassman (likely, based on Steppenwolf's typical studio amps for first album; no explicit source for The Pusher, but consistent with period and tone).
Guitars Steppenwolf used
- Gibson ES-335 (likely, based on era and Steppenwolf's known gear for first album)1 song
- Fender Esquire (single pickup, likely bridge position)1 song
- 1967 Hagstrom H-III1 song
- Fender Precision Bass1 song
- Fender Esquire (candy-apple-red, single pickup, 1960s)1 song
Amps Steppenwolf used
- Fender Bassman (likely, based on Steppenwolf's typical studio amps for first album; no explicit source for The Pusher, but consistent with period and tone)1 song
- Fender Concert Amp (brown Tolex, 4x10, no reverb)1 song
- 1967 Fender Twin Reverb (blackface)1 song
- Fender Bassman (likely 100 or 50 watt, late 1960s tube head)1 song
- Fender Concert Amp (brown Tolex, 4x10, no reverb, early 1960s)1 song
5 Steppenwolf tones
| Song | Gain |
|---|---|
| Born to Be Wild · riff | 6 |
| Born to Be Wild · distorted | 5.5 |
| Born to Be Wild · solo | 7.5 |
| Magic Carpet Ride · riff | 7.5 |
| The Pusher · riff | 6 |
Get Steppenwolf's tone on your gear
Pick any Steppenwolf song and ToneAdapt adapts the original rig to your own guitar, amp, pickups and pedals.
Frequently asked questions
What amp did Steppenwolf use?
Across 3 researched songs, the amps that come up most are Fender Bassman (likely, based on Steppenwolf's typical studio amps for first album; no explicit source for The Pusher, but consistent with period and tone) (1 song), Fender Concert Amp (brown Tolex, 4x10, no reverb) (1 song), 1967 Fender Twin Reverb (blackface) (1 song), Fender Bassman (likely 100 or 50 watt, late 1960s tube head) (1 song).
What guitar did Steppenwolf use?
Most often: Gibson ES-335 (likely, based on era and Steppenwolf's known gear for first album) (1 song), Fender Esquire (single pickup, likely bridge position) (1 song), 1967 Hagstrom H-III (1 song), Fender Precision Bass (1 song).
How do I get Steppenwolf's tone on my amp?
Open any Steppenwolf song below to see the original gear and settings, then use ToneAdapt to adapt them to your own guitar, amp, pickups and pedals.