Guitar tone · rock

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers guitar tone: gear & amp settings

The gear and amp settings behind 5 Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers songs, researched from rig rundowns, interviews and gear forums. The rig that shows up most: Fender Broadcaster (original, early 1950s) into Vox AC-30 Super Twin Reverb with Top Boost.

Guitars Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers used

Fender Broadcaster (original, early 1950s)2 songs
Gibson Les Paul Standard (Mike Campbell, studio recording)1 song
Ampeg Dan Armstrong Plexi Electric Guitar1 song
Fender Stratocaster (likely early 1960s, as used by Tom Petty in Heartbreakers studio recordings of this era)1 song
Rickenbacker 360/12 (12-string electric)1 song
Rickenbacker 660/12 (main riff), likely Fender Stratocaster or Telecaster for clean rhythm1 song

Amps Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers used

Vox AC-30 Super Twin Reverb with Top Boost2 songs
Fender Twin Reverb (Silverface, 1970s studio version)1 song
Ampeg Rocket (vintage, likely early 1960s model)1 song
Fender Princeton Reverb (blackface, early 1960s vintage, studio recording)1 song
Fender '68 Custom Vibro Champ Reverb1 song
Fender Vibrolux Reverb (blackface, 1960s, studio recording)1 song

7 Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers tones

Song	Part	Guitar	Amp	Gain
Mary Jane's Last Dance · riff	Riff · distorted	Ampeg Dan Armstrong Plexi Electric Guitar	Vox AC-30 Super Twin Reverb with Top Boost	4.5
American Girl · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender Broadcaster (original, early 1950s)	Fender Twin Reverb (Silverface, 1970s studio version)	5
Mary Jane's Last Dance · riff	Riff · clean	Rickenbacker 660/12 (main riff), likely Fender Stratocaster or Telecaster for clean rhythm	Fender Vibrolux Reverb (blackface, 1960s, studio recording)	3
Breakdown · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender Broadcaster (original, early 1950s)	Ampeg Rocket (vintage, likely early 1960s model)	3.5
Here Comes My Girl · riff	Riff · distorted	Rickenbacker 360/12 (12-string electric)	Fender '68 Custom Vibro Champ Reverb	3.5
Mary Jane's Last Dance · solo	Solo · distorted	Gibson Les Paul Standard (Mike Campbell, studio recording)	Vox AC-30 Super Twin Reverb with Top Boost	5
Swingin' · riff	Riff · distorted	Fender Stratocaster (likely early 1960s, as used by Tom Petty in Heartbreakers studio recordings of this era)	Fender Princeton Reverb (blackface, early 1960s vintage, studio recording)	4

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers songs on popular amps

Exact settings ToneAdapt players use for these songs on their own amps.

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Frequently asked questions

What amp did Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers use?

Across 5 researched songs, the amps that come up most are Vox AC-30 Super Twin Reverb with Top Boost (2 songs), Fender Twin Reverb (Silverface, 1970s studio version) (1 song), Ampeg Rocket (vintage, likely early 1960s model) (1 song), Fender Princeton Reverb (blackface, early 1960s vintage, studio recording) (1 song).

What guitar did Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers use?

Most often: Fender Broadcaster (original, early 1950s) (2 songs), Gibson Les Paul Standard (Mike Campbell, studio recording) (1 song), Ampeg Dan Armstrong Plexi Electric Guitar (1 song), Fender Stratocaster (likely early 1960s, as used by Tom Petty in Heartbreakers studio recordings of this era) (1 song).

How do I get Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers's tone on my amp?

Open any Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers song below to see the original gear and settings, then use ToneAdapt to adapt them to your own guitar, amp, pickups and pedals.