My War album cover - Black Flag
Guitar tone settings

How to Dial In "I Love You" by Black Flag - Guitar Tone Settings

The rig

Gear for "I Love You"

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.

Gain8
Bass6
Mid5.5
Treble6.5
Presence6.5
Volume7

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

Get the settings for my amp
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
Tone7
Volume9
Recording notes

From My War (1984). My War is the second studio album by American band Black Flag, released in March 1984 by SST Records and the first of three full-length albums the band released that year. No source we found ties a guitar or amp to this recording, so a Gibson SG Standard through a Marshall JCM800 2203, the rig we use for Black Flag's other songs from My War, stands in. Set the amp to a driven, high-gain crunch and use the bridge pickup. Standard tuning.

FAQ

Common Questions About the "I Love You" Tone

  1. What guitar did Black Flag use on "I Love You"?

    The guitar on "I Love You" (released 1984) isn't documented; the Gibson SG Standard 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 "I Love You" need?

    Settings for this sound: Gain 8, Bass 6, Mid 5.5, 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.

  3. Can I play "I Love You" without the original gear?

    Yes. ToneMirror takes the settings above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "I Love You" 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 "I Love You" by Black Flag are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.

Adapt to my gear