How to Dial In "Nobody Loves Me but My Mother" by B.B. King - Guitar Tone Settings
Gear for "Nobody Loves Me but My Mother"
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 Indianola Mississippi Seeds (1970). A slow, sparse blues in which Lucille answers B.B.'s vocal with a clean, vibrato-rich tone. King's guitar was a Gibson ES-355 he called Lucille, but no source available here names the guitar or amp for this session, so an ES-355 stands in and no amp is set. Set the amp clean with a little edge and use the neck pickup. Tuning isn't documented here.
Common Questions About the "Nobody Loves Me but My Mother" Tone
What guitar did B.B. King use on "Nobody Loves Me but My Mother"?
The guitar on "Nobody Loves Me but My Mother" (released 1970) isn't documented; the Gibson ES-355 above gets the sound. Pickup selector: neck pickup on the guitar.
What amp settings does "Nobody Loves Me but My Mother" need?
Settings for this sound: Gain 3, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 6.5, 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 "Nobody Loves Me but My Mother" without the original gear?
Yes. ToneMirror takes the settings above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "Nobody Loves Me but My Mother" 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 "Nobody Loves Me but My Mother" by B.B. King are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.