How to Dial In "What Can You Do?" by Bad Religion - Guitar Tone Settings
Gear for "What Can You Do?"
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 Suffer (1988). Suffer is the third studio album by American punk rock band Bad Religion, released on the Californian independent record label Epitaph Records on September 8, 1988. 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 Suffer, stands in. Set the amp to a driven, high-gain crunch and use the bridge pickup. Standard tuning.
Common Questions About the "What Can You Do?" Tone
What guitar did Bad Religion use on "What Can You Do?"?
The guitar on "What Can You Do?" (released 1988) 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).
What amp settings does "What Can You Do?" need?
Settings for this sound: Gain 7, Bass 6, Mid 6, Treble 6.5, 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.
Can I play "What Can You Do?" without the original gear?
Yes. ToneMirror takes the settings above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "What Can You Do?" 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 "What Can You Do?" by Bad Religion are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.