Perfect from Now On album cover - Built to Spill
Guitar tone settings

How to Dial In "Kicked It in the Sun" by Built to Spill - Guitar Tone Settings

The rig

Gear for "Kicked It in the Sun"

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.

Gain5.5
Bass5
Mid5.5
Treble6.5
Presence5.5
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 Perfect from Now On (1997). Perfect from Now On is the third studio album released by Built to Spill, and the band's first major label (Warner Bros.) release. 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 Built to Spill's other songs from Perfect from Now On, stands in. Set the amp to a medium-gain crunch and use the bridge pickup. Standard tuning.

FAQ

Common Questions About the "Kicked It in the Sun" Tone

  1. What guitar did Built to Spill use on "Kicked It in the Sun"?

    The guitar on "Kicked It in the Sun" (released 1997) 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 "Kicked It in the Sun" need?

    Settings for this sound: Gain 5.5, Bass 5, Mid 5.5, Treble 6.5, Presence 5.5, 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 "Kicked It in the Sun" without the original gear?

    Yes. ToneMirror takes the settings above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "Kicked It in the Sun" 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 "Kicked It in the Sun" by Built to Spill are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.

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