Against the Grain album cover - Bad Religion
Guitar tone settings

How to Dial In "Turn On the Light" by Bad Religion - Guitar Tone Settings

The rig

Gear for "Turn On the Light"

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
Mid6
Treble7
Presence6.5
Volume7

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

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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
Tone10
Volume10
Recording notes

From Against the Grain (1990). Against the Grain is the fifth album (and seventh release overall) by American punk rock band Bad Religion, released on November 23, 1990. No source we found ties a guitar or amp to this recording, so a Fender American Professional II Stratocaster through a Marshall JCM800 2203, the rig we use for Bad Religion's other songs from Against the Grain, stands in. Set the amp to a driven, high-gain crunch and use the bridge pickup. Standard tuning.

FAQ

Common Questions About the "Turn On the Light" Tone

  1. What guitar did Bad Religion use on "Turn On the Light"?

    The guitar on "Turn On the Light" (released 1990) isn't documented; the Fender American Professional II Stratocaster 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 "Turn On the Light" need?

    Settings for this sound: Gain 7, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 7, Presence 6.5, Volume 7. 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 "Turn On the Light" without the original gear?

    Yes. ToneMirror takes the settings above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "Turn On the Light" 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 "Turn On the Light" by Bad Religion are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.

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