Guitar tone · rock
The Cult guitar tone: gear & amp settings
The gear and amp settings behind 7 The Cult songs, researched from rig rundowns, interviews and gear forums. The rig that shows up most: 1980s Gretsch White Falcon into Roland JC-120 (with built-in chorus, used in studio in combination with a valve amp, likely Ampeg VT-22 or Marshall; JC-120 is primary for riff section).
Guitars The Cult used
- 1980s Gretsch White Falcon2 songs
- Gretsch White Falcon (mid-70s single-cut mono Falcon, stock Filter'Tron pickups)1 song
- Gretsch White Falcon (single cutaway, mid-1970s, likely Filter'Tron pickups)1 song
- Gibson Les Paul Custom 'Woodie' (1979, natural wood front, humbuckers)1 song
- Gibson Les Paul Standard (likely late 1970s or early 1980s, rented for Electric sessions)1 song
- Gretsch White Falcon1 song
- Gretsch White Falcon (mid-1970s, double-cutaway, Filter'Tron pickups)1 song
- Gibson Les Paul Custom 'Woodie' (1979, finish removed from front)1 song
Amps The Cult used
- Roland JC-120 (with built-in chorus, used in studio in combination with a valve amp, likely Ampeg VT-22 or Marshall; JC-120 is primary for riff section)1 song
- Marshall JCM800 (likely 2203 or 2204 head, as used by Billy Duffy on 'Electric' album sessions)1 song
- Marshall (likely JCM800 or JMP) + Matchless DC-30 (studio blend, no JC-120 on this track)1 song
- Marshall JCM800 2203 head with 4x12 cabinet (rented for Electric sessions)1 song
- Roland JC-120 (with built-in chorus) blended with Marshall (likely JCM800 or JMP) in studio1 song
- Marshall JCM800 2203 head with 4x12 cabinet1 song
- Marshall JCM800 2203 head into Marshall 4x12 cabinet1 song
- Roland JC-120 (chorus on) + Marshall (likely JCM800 or JMP, exact model not specified for studio recording)1 song
9 The Cult tones
| Song | Gain |
|---|---|
| She Sells Sanctuary · riff | 6.5 |
| Wild Flower · riff | 7 |
| She Sells Sanctuary · riff | 0 |
| Electric Ocean · riff | 7.5 |
| Fire Woman · riff | 7 |
| Fire Woman · solo | 7.5 |
| Lil' Devil · riff | 5 |
| Peace Dog · riff | 7 |
| She Sells Sanctuary (Long Version) · riff | 6 |
The Cult songs on popular amps
Exact settings ToneAdapt players use for these songs on their own amps.
Get The Cult's tone on your gear
Pick any The Cult song and ToneAdapt adapts the original rig to your own guitar, amp, pickups and pedals.
Frequently asked questions
What amp did The Cult use?
Across 7 researched songs, the amps that come up most are Roland JC-120 (with built-in chorus, used in studio in combination with a valve amp, likely Ampeg VT-22 or Marshall; JC-120 is primary for riff section) (1 song), Marshall JCM800 (likely 2203 or 2204 head, as used by Billy Duffy on 'Electric' album sessions) (1 song), Marshall (likely JCM800 or JMP) + Matchless DC-30 (studio blend, no JC-120 on this track) (1 song), Marshall JCM800 2203 head with 4x12 cabinet (rented for Electric sessions) (1 song).
What guitar did The Cult use?
Most often: 1980s Gretsch White Falcon (2 songs), Gretsch White Falcon (mid-70s single-cut mono Falcon, stock Filter'Tron pickups) (1 song), Gretsch White Falcon (single cutaway, mid-1970s, likely Filter'Tron pickups) (1 song), Gibson Les Paul Custom 'Woodie' (1979, natural wood front, humbuckers) (1 song).
How do I get The Cult's tone on my amp?
Open any The Cult song below to see the original gear and settings, then use ToneAdapt to adapt them to your own guitar, amp, pickups and pedals.