How to Dial In "Five Years" by David Bowie - Guitar Tone Settings
What David Bowie Actually Used on "Five Years"
Original Knob Positions, Pickup, and Tuning
Where to set the knobs for this tone. Each value is on the standard 0–10 amp scale.
These are the numbers on the record. On your amp, they won't sound the same.
Get the settings for my ampHow the artist had their guitar configured for this take.
The opening track of The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, recorded on 15 November 1971 at Trident Studios and co-produced by David Bowie and Ken Scott with Mick Ronson, Trevor Bolder and Mick Woodmansey as the Spiders from Mars. The arrangement builds from autoharp and acoustic guitar to strings and, by the finale, a wall of amplified guitar. Mick Ronson's Ziggy-era guitar was a 1968 Gibson Les Paul Custom with its finish stripped; no source available here names the amp used on this session, so none is listed. For the finale, push a loud, overdriven amp with the bridge pickup and let it saturate. No transcription could be checked, so no tuning is given.
Common Questions About the "Five Years" Tone
What guitar did David Bowie use on "Five Years"?
David Bowie tracked "Five Years" on a Gibson Custom Shop 1968 Les Paul Custom Reissue (released 1972). Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar.
What amp settings does "Five Years" need?
On the original amp: Gain 4, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 6.5, 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 "Five Years" without the original gear?
Yes. ToneMirror takes the original recipe above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "Five Years" 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 "Five Years" by David Bowie are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.