How to Dial In "Shake, Rattle and Roll" by Bill Haley and His Comets - Guitar Tone Settings
Gear for "Shake, Rattle and Roll"
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.
Jesse Stone wrote it under his pen name Charles Calhoun, and Big Joe Turner's original topped the R&B chart in 1954. Bill Haley and His Comets recorded their cover in New York on 7 June 1954, the same week Turner's version reached number one, and Decca released it that August with "A.B.C. Boogie" on the B-side. It reached number 7 on the Billboard chart and number 4 in the UK, and spent 27 weeks in the US Top 40. Danny Cedrone, the session guitarist who played the "Rock Around the Clock" solo, played on this session too, ten days before his death, but had no solo of note this time; Billy Williamson played rhythm guitar. No source names the guitar, amp or effects. The guitar is a clean, bouncy rhythm part with short fills behind the sax: play it on the bridge pickup with a clean amp and a light touch. No transcription of this version could be checked, so no tuning is given.
Common Questions About the "Shake, Rattle and Roll" Tone
What guitar did Bill Haley and His Comets use on "Shake, Rattle and Roll"?
The guitar on "Shake, Rattle and Roll" (released 1954) isn't documented; the Gibson ES-295 above gets the sound. Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar.
What amp settings does "Shake, Rattle and Roll" need?
Settings for this sound: Gain 3, Bass 5.5, 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 "Shake, Rattle and Roll" without the original gear?
Yes. ToneMirror takes the settings above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "Shake, Rattle and Roll" 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 "Shake, Rattle and Roll" by Bill Haley and His Comets are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.