How to Dial In "Key to the Highway" by B.B. King - Guitar Tone Settings
Gear for "Key to the Highway"
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 Riding with the King (2000). Riding with the King is a 2000 collaborative album by B.B. King and Eric Clapton, their first together. The album's track list credits the song to Big Bill Broonzy and Charlie Segar, so it is a blues standard rather than a new composition, and it ties no guitar or amp to this recording, so a Gibson ES-355 through a Fender '65 Twin Reverb Reissue, the nearest rig we use for B.B. King's other songs, stands in. Set the amp to a light crunch and use the neck pickup. Standard tuning.
Common Questions About the "Key to the Highway" Tone
What guitar did B.B. King use on "Key to the Highway"?
The guitar on "Key to the Highway" (released 2000) isn't documented; the Gibson ES-355 above gets the sound. Pickup selector: neck pickup on the guitar. Tuned to standard (E A D G B E).
What amp settings does "Key to the Highway" need?
Settings for this sound: Gain 3.5, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 6, Presence 5.5, Volume 6. 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 "Key to the Highway" without the original gear?
Yes. ToneMirror takes the settings above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "Key to the Highway" 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 "Key to the Highway" by B.B. King are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.