Very Proud of Ya album cover - AFI
Guitar tone settings

How to Dial In "He Who Laughs Last" by AFI - Guitar Tone Settings

The rig

Gear for "He Who Laughs Last"

Suggested rig · the original isn't documented.

The settings

Knob Positions, Pickup, and Tuning

Amp settings

Where to set the knobs for this tone. Each value is on the standard 0–10 amp scale.

Gain7
Bass5.5
Mid5.5
Treble6.5
Presence6
Volume6.5

On your amp, these numbers won't sound the same.

Get the settings for my amp
Guitar setup

How the artist had their guitar configured for this take.

TuningStandard(E A D G B E)
Pickup selector
NeckNk+MdMiddleBr+MdBridge
Guitar knobs
Tone8
Volume9
Recording notes

From Very Proud of Ya (1996). Very Proud of Ya is the second studio album by American rock band AFI. No source we found ties a guitar or amp to this recording, so a Gibson Les Paul Custom through a Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier, the rig we use for AFI's other songs from Very Proud of Ya, stands in. Set the amp to a driven, high-gain crunch and use the bridge pickup. Standard tuning.

FAQ

Common Questions About the "He Who Laughs Last" Tone

  1. What guitar did AFI use on "He Who Laughs Last"?

    The guitar on "He Who Laughs Last" (released 1996) isn't documented; the Gibson Les Paul Custom above gets the sound. Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar. Tuned to standard (E A D G B E).

  2. What amp settings does "He Who Laughs Last" need?

    Settings for this sound: Gain 7, Bass 5.5, Mid 5.5, Treble 6.5, Presence 6, Volume 6.5. Each value is on the standard 0–10 amp scale; match them on your amp first, then nudge to taste. ToneMirror can translate these positions for whatever amp you actually own.

  3. Can I play "He Who Laughs Last" without the original gear?

    Yes. ToneMirror takes the settings above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "He Who Laughs Last" tone on a Katana, a Helix, a tube combo, or anything else. The translation accounts for EQ curve, gain structure, and pickup type so the result actually sounds like the record, not just the same knob numbers on different gear.

Related tones

Tone references for "He Who Laughs Last" by AFI are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.

Adapt to my gear