XTC Guitar Tone - Settings for Every Signature Song
Browse every XTC song we've broken down into amp settings, pickup choice, and pedal chain - then adapt the recipe to whatever rig you actually own.
Translate any XTC tone to your gear
The Gear That Turns Up Most
XTC Albums We've Broken Down
All 34 XTC Tones
- Making Plans for NigelXTC · 1979 · bass
- Making Plans for NigelXTC · 1979
- The Ballad of Peter PumpkinheadXTC · 1992
- Ball and ChainXTC · 1982
- Day In Day OutXTC · 1979
- Dear Madam BarnumXTC · 1992
- Earn Enough for UsXTC · 1986
- Garden of Earthly DelightsXTC · 1989
- Here Comes President Kill AgainXTC · 1989
- King for a DayXTC · 1989
- RunawaysXTC · 1982
- Scissor ManXTC · 1979
- That's Really Super, SupergirlXTC · 1986
- The DisappointedXTC · 1992
- Then She AppearedXTC · 1992
- Senses Working OvertimeXTC · 1982
- Generals and MajorsXTC · 1980
- Mayor of SimpletonXTC · 1989
- Respectable StreetXTC · 1980
- Jason and the ArgonautsXTC · 1982
- Sgt. Rock (Is Going to Help Me)XTC · 1980
- Complicated GameXTC · 1979
- No Thugs in Our HouseXTC · 1982
- Towers of LondonXTC · 1980
- Dear GodXTC · 1986
- HelicopterXTC · 1979
- Life Begins at the HopXTC · 1979
- No Language in Our LungsXTC · 1980
- Outside WorldXTC · 1979
- Real by ReelXTC · 1979
- Roads Girdle the GlobeXTC · 1979
- Ten Feet TallXTC · 1979
- That WaveXTC · 1992
- When You're Near Me I Have DifficultyXTC · 1979
XTC Tone Evolution
- 1979Complicated GameDrums and Wires
- 1979Day In Day OutDrums and Wires
- 1979HelicopterDrums and Wires
- 1979Life Begins at the HopDrums and Wires
- 1979Making Plans for NigelDrums and Wires
- 1979Making Plans for NigelDrums and Wires · bass
- 1979Outside WorldDrums and Wires
- 1979Real by ReelDrums and Wires
- 1979Roads Girdle the GlobeDrums and Wires
- 1979Scissor ManDrums and Wires
- 1979Ten Feet TallDrums and Wires
- 1979When You're Near Me I Have DifficultyDrums and Wires
- 1980Generals and MajorsBlack Sea
- 1980No Language in Our LungsBlack Sea
- 1980Respectable StreetBlack Sea
- 1980Sgt. Rock (Is Going to Help Me)Black Sea
- 1980Towers of LondonBlack Sea
- 1982Ball and ChainEnglish Settlement
- 1982Jason and the ArgonautsEnglish Settlement
- 1982No Thugs in Our HouseEnglish Settlement
- 1982RunawaysEnglish Settlement
- 1982Senses Working OvertimeEnglish Settlement
- 1986Dear GodSkylarking
- 1986Earn Enough for UsSkylarking
- 1986That's Really Super, SupergirlSkylarking
- 1989Garden of Earthly DelightsOranges & Lemons
- 1989Here Comes President Kill AgainOranges & Lemons
- 1989King for a DayOranges & Lemons
- 1989Mayor of SimpletonOranges & Lemons
- 1992Dear Madam BarnumNonsuch
- 1992That WaveNonsuch
- 1992
- 1992The DisappointedNonsuch
- 1992Then She AppearedNonsuch
Common Questions About XTC's Tone
What guitar does XTC play?
Across the 34 XTC songs in our catalog, the Telecaster (modern equivalent: Fender American Professional II Telecaster) appears most often. Our breakdowns are calibrated to the recorded tone, so the settings translate cleanly to whatever guitar you actually own.
What amp does XTC use?
Across the 34 XTC songs in our catalog, the AC30 (modern equivalent: Vox AC30 C2) shows up most often. ToneMirror translates those amp settings for whatever amp you have - Marshall, Fender, Boss Katana, Helix, etc.
What pedals does XTC use?
The Boss CE-2 Chorus is the pedal that appears on the most XTC recordings in our catalog, alongside the Boss DD-3 Digital Delay (a modern equivalent). Every per-song breakdown lists the full signal chain.
How many XTC songs can I dial in here?
ToneMirror has tone breakdowns for 34 XTC songs, including "Ball and Chain", "Complicated Game", "Day In Day Out". Each one comes with the original amp settings, pickup position, tuning, and pedal chain - plus a per-rig adaptation so you can play it on your own gear.