How to Dial In "City with No Children" by Arcade Fire - Guitar Tone Settings
Gear for "City with No Children"
Suggested rig · the original isn't documented.
Knob Positions, Pickup, and Tuning
Where to set the knobs for this tone. Each value is on the standard 0–10 amp scale.
On your amp, these numbers won't sound the same.
Get the settings for my ampHow the artist had their guitar configured for this take.
From The Suburbs (2010). The Suburbs is the third studio album by the Canadian indie rock band Arcade Fire, released on 3 August 2010 by Merge Records. No source we found ties a guitar or amp to this recording, so a Fender American Professional II Stratocaster through a Fender '65 Twin Reverb Reissue, the rig we use for Arcade Fire's other songs from The Suburbs, stands in. Set the amp to a light crunch and use the middle+bridge pickups together.
Common Questions About the "City with No Children" Tone
What guitar did Arcade Fire use on "City with No Children"?
The guitar on "City with No Children" (released 2010) isn't documented; the Fender American Professional II Stratocaster above gets the sound. Pickup selector: middle + bridge (position 4) on the guitar.
What amp settings does "City with No Children" need?
Settings for this sound: Gain 2.5, Bass 5, Mid 6, 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.
Can I play "City with No Children" without the original gear?
Yes. ToneMirror takes the settings above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "City with No Children" 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.
More Tones You Can Dial In
Tone references for "City with No Children" by Arcade Fire are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.