Outside album cover - David Bowie
Guitar tone settings

How to Dial In "Strangers When We Meet" by David Bowie - Guitar Tone Settings

The rig

Gear for "Strangers When We Meet"

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
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
Tone10
Volume10
Recording notes

From Outside (1995). Outside (stylised as 1.Outside and subtitled The Nathan Adler Diaries: A Hyper Cycle) is the twentieth studio album by the English musician David Bowie, released on 25 September 1995 through Virgin Records in the United States and Arista Records, BMG and RCA Records in other territories. No source we found ties a guitar or amp to this recording, so a Parker Fly Deluxe through a Marshall JCM800 2203, the rig we use for David Bowie's other songs from Outside, stands in. Set the amp to a driven, high-gain crunch and use the bridge pickup. Standard tuning.

FAQ

Common Questions About the "Strangers When We Meet" Tone

  1. What guitar did David Bowie use on "Strangers When We Meet"?

    The guitar on "Strangers When We Meet" (released 1995) isn't documented; the Parker Fly Deluxe 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 "Strangers When We Meet" need?

    Settings for this sound: Gain 8, Bass 6, Mid 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 "Strangers When We Meet" without the original gear?

    Yes. ToneMirror takes the settings above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "Strangers When We Meet" 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 "Strangers When We Meet" by David Bowie are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.

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