So Happy It Hurts album cover - Bryan Adams
Guitar tone settings

How to Dial In "Kick Ass" by Bryan Adams - Guitar Tone Settings

The rig

Gear for "Kick Ass"

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.

Gain6
Bass5
Mid6
Treble6.5
Presence6
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
Tone9
Volume10
Recording notes

From So Happy It Hurts (2022). So Happy It Hurts is the fifteenth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Bryan Adams, released on 11 March 2022 through BMG. 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 Bryan Adams' other songs from So Happy It Hurts, stands in. Set the amp to a medium-gain crunch and use the bridge pickup. Standard tuning.

FAQ

Common Questions About the "Kick Ass" Tone

  1. What guitar did Bryan Adams use on "Kick Ass"?

    The guitar on "Kick Ass" (released 2022) 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 "Kick Ass" need?

    Settings for this sound: Gain 6, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 6.5, Presence 6, 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 "Kick Ass" without the original gear?

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

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