Guitar tone · rock
The Smiths guitar tone: gear & amp settings
The gear and amp settings behind 26 The Smiths songs, researched from rig rundowns, interviews and gear forums. The rig that shows up most: 1983 Rickenbacker 330 into Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus.
Guitars The Smiths used
- 1983 Rickenbacker 3305 songs
- Rickenbacker 3304 songs
- Yamaha BB20002 songs
- 1954 Fender Telecaster2 songs
- Rickenbacker 330 (likely 1983-84, as used by Johnny Marr on Meat Is Murder sessions)1 song
- 1954 Fender Telecaster (John Porter’s, used by Johnny Marr on the main riff)1 song
- Gibson Les Paul Standard (mid-80s, cherry, with Bigsby, Seymour Duncan pickups, coil tap)1 song
- 1959 Gibson ES-355 TDSV1 song
Amps The Smiths used
- Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus11 songs
- Fender Twin Reverb (Silverface or early '80s model), paired with Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus (studio stereo setup)1 song
- Fender Twin Reverb (Blackface, studio recording, 1983)1 song
- Fender Twin Reverb (Silverface, early 1980s studio recording)1 song
- Fender Twin Reverb (x4, re-amped in studio, all with tremolo engaged)1 song
- Ampeg SVT (likely, based on era and typical studio gear)1 song
- Fender Twin Reverb (likely Silverface, mid-1980s studio recording)1 song
- Peavey Musician Mark III Amplifier Head1 song
37 The Smiths tones
The Smiths songs on popular amps
Exact settings ToneAdapt players use for these songs on their own amps.
- This Charming Man on Fender Mustang LT25
- This Charming Man on Boss Katana 50 Gen 3
- Back to the Old House on Fender Mustang LT25
- Back to the Old House on Boss Katana 50 Gen 3
- Back to the Old House on Crate GLX1200H
- I Want the One I Can't Have on Fender Frontman 15G
- This Charming Man (John Peel Session 9/14/83) on Boss Katana
- This Charming Man (John Peel Session 9/14/83) on Artist GA10X
Get The Smiths's tone on your gear
Pick any The Smiths song and ToneAdapt adapts the original rig to your own guitar, amp, pickups and pedals.
Frequently asked questions
What amp did The Smiths use?
Across 26 researched songs, the amps that come up most are Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus (11 songs), Fender Twin Reverb (Silverface or early '80s model), paired with Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus (studio stereo setup) (1 song), Fender Twin Reverb (Blackface, studio recording, 1983) (1 song), Fender Twin Reverb (Silverface, early 1980s studio recording) (1 song).
What guitar did The Smiths use?
Most often: 1983 Rickenbacker 330 (5 songs), Rickenbacker 330 (4 songs), Yamaha BB2000 (2 songs), 1954 Fender Telecaster (2 songs).
How do I get The Smiths's tone on my amp?
Open any The Smiths song below to see the original gear and settings, then use ToneAdapt to adapt them to your own guitar, amp, pickups and pedals.