Guitar tone · rock, blues
The Doors guitar tone: gear & amp settings
The gear and amp settings behind 18 The Doors songs, researched from rig rundowns, interviews and gear forums. The rig that shows up most: 1964 Gibson SG Special into c. 1965-66 Fender Twin Reverb.
Guitars The Doors used
- 1964 Gibson SG Special13 songs
- 1967 Gibson SG Standard2 songs
- Gibson SG Special (mid-1960s, P-90 pickups)2 songs
- Gibson SG Special (late 1960s, likely 1967-1968, P-90 pickups, used fingerstyle for riff)1 song
- 1963 Ramirez Flamenco (nylon-string classical guitar)1 song
- Gibson SG Special (1961, likely refinished red, as used by Robby Krieger on L.A. Woman sessions)1 song
- Fender Precision Bass (likely 1960s, session player: Doug Lubahn or Larry Knechtel)1 song
- Gibson SG Special (1967, P-90 equipped)1 song
Amps The Doors used
- c. 1965-66 Fender Twin Reverb5 songs
- Fender 'Black Panel' Twin Reverb (1963-1967)3 songs
- Fender Twin Reverb (Blackface, likely with JBL speakers, live setup)2 songs
- Fender Twin Reverb (Blackface, mid-1960s)2 songs
- Fender Twin Reverb (blackface, studio recording, 1970-71)1 song
- Fender Twin Reverb (blackface, late 1960s, studio recording)1 song
- Fender Twin Reverb (Blackface, mid-1960s, likely with JBL speakers in studio)1 song
- None (recorded direct with microphone, no guitar amp used)1 song
31 The Doors tones
| Song | Gain |
|---|---|
| People Are Strange · riff | 0 |
| Roadhouse Blues · riff | 6.5 |
| Alabama Song (Whisky Bar) · riff | 3.5 |
| Break On Through (To the Other Side) · riff | 4 |
| Cars Hiss By My Window · riff | 2.5 |
| Gloria (Live) [2007 Remaster] · riff | 3.5 |
| Gloria (Live) [2007 Remaster] · solo | 4 |
| Gorgeous Kanye · riff | 5.5 |
| Hello, I Love You · riff | 5 |
| L.A. Woman · riff | 4.5 |
| Light My Fire · riff | 5 |
| Light My Fire · solo | 4 |
| Love Her Madly · riff | 5 |
| Love Me Two Times · riff | 5 |
| Love Me Two Times · riff | 2.5 |
| My Eyes Have Seen You · riff | 5 |
| My Eyes Have Seen You · solo | 4 |
| Peace Frog · riff | 3.5 |
| People Are Strange · solo | 0 |
| People Are Strange · clean | 0 |
| Riders On the Storm · riff | 0 |
| Riders On the Storm · solo | 2.5 |
| Riders On the Storm · riff | 3 |
| Riders On the Storm · solo | 5 |
| Roadhouse Blues · solo | 5.5 |
| Roadhouse Blues · distorted | 5.5 |
| Roadhouse Blues · clean | 0 |
| Spanish Caravan · riff | 0 |
| The End · riff | 5 |
| The End · solo | 3.5 |
| The Spy · riff | 3 |
The Doors songs on popular amps
Exact settings ToneAdapt players use for these songs on their own amps.
Get The Doors's tone on your gear
Pick any The Doors song and ToneAdapt adapts the original rig to your own guitar, amp, pickups and pedals.
Frequently asked questions
What amp did The Doors use?
Across 18 researched songs, the amps that come up most are c. 1965-66 Fender Twin Reverb (5 songs), Fender 'Black Panel' Twin Reverb (1963-1967) (3 songs), Fender Twin Reverb (Blackface, likely with JBL speakers, live setup) (2 songs), Fender Twin Reverb (Blackface, mid-1960s) (2 songs).
What guitar did The Doors use?
Most often: 1964 Gibson SG Special (13 songs), 1967 Gibson SG Standard (2 songs), Gibson SG Special (mid-1960s, P-90 pickups) (2 songs), Gibson SG Special (late 1960s, likely 1967-1968, P-90 pickups, used fingerstyle for riff) (1 song).
How do I get The Doors's tone on my amp?
Open any The Doors song below to see the original gear and settings, then use ToneAdapt to adapt them to your own guitar, amp, pickups and pedals.