Guitar tone · rock
Talking Heads guitar tone: gear & amp settings
The gear and amp settings behind 3 Talking Heads songs, researched from rig rundowns, interviews and gear forums. The rig that shows up most: Fender Mustang Bass into Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus.
Guitars Talking Heads used
- Fender Mustang Bass2 songs
- Fender Mustang1 song
- Fender Stratocaster (likely late 1970s or early 1980s, black finish, as used by Jerry Harrison)1 song
- 1970s Fender Stratocaster1 song
Amps Talking Heads used
- Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus1 song
- Unknown exact model; likely Fender Twin Reverb or similar clean Fender amp (studio recording, 1982-1983 era)1 song
- Fender Twin Reverb (Silverface era, late 1970s)1 song
- Acoustic 360 Bass Amp1 song
- Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus (live), likely Ampeg B-15 or similar in studio1 song
5 Talking Heads tones
| Song | Gain |
|---|---|
| Burning Down the House · riff | 3.5 |
| Found a Job · riff | 2.5 |
| Psycho Killer · riff | 4.5 |
| Psycho Killer · clean | 0 |
| Psycho Killer · distorted | 5 |
Get Talking Heads's tone on your gear
Pick any Talking Heads song and ToneAdapt adapts the original rig to your own guitar, amp, pickups and pedals.
Frequently asked questions
What amp did Talking Heads use?
Across 3 researched songs, the amps that come up most are Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus (1 song), Unknown exact model; likely Fender Twin Reverb or similar clean Fender amp (studio recording, 1982-1983 era) (1 song), Fender Twin Reverb (Silverface era, late 1970s) (1 song), Acoustic 360 Bass Amp (1 song).
What guitar did Talking Heads use?
Most often: Fender Mustang Bass (2 songs), Fender Mustang (1 song), Fender Stratocaster (likely late 1970s or early 1980s, black finish, as used by Jerry Harrison) (1 song), 1970s Fender Stratocaster (1 song).
How do I get Talking Heads's tone on my amp?
Open any Talking Heads song below to see the original gear and settings, then use ToneAdapt to adapt them to your own guitar, amp, pickups and pedals.