How to Dial In "Sunbather" by Deafheaven - Guitar Tone Settings
The Gear Behind "Sunbather"
- GuitarLes PaulModern equivalent: Gibson Les Paul Standard '60s
- AmpTop Hat Emplexador
- PedalElectro-Harmonix Stereo Memory Man with Hazarai
- PedalElectro-Harmonix Holy Grail Nano
- EffectChorusDelta Labs chorus · On on Kerry McCoy's pedalboard for the Sunbather sessions
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 numbers are for a Top Hat Emplexador. On your amp, they won't sound the same.
Get the settings for my ampHow the artist had their guitar configured for this take.
From Sunbather (2013). Sunbather is the second studio album by the American metal band Deafheaven. Kerry McCoy's guitar-tracking diary for the sessions has him on a Les Paul (the model is not named), with rhythm parts through a Top Hat Emplexador and leads through an Orange Rockerverb 100, both into a Marshall cabinet with Vintage 30 speakers. His board for the record was an Electro-Harmonix Memory Man with Hazarai into a Delta Labs chorus, an Electro-Harmonix Holy Grail reverb and a Digitech Jam Man, and he used the whammy bar heavily for the glide-guitar sound. The catalog's Gibson Les Paul Standard '60s stands in for the Les Paul, and the Emplexador covers the rhythm sound; the Memory Man and Holy Grail are the catalog's closest listings of those units. Set the amp to a driven, high-gain crunch and use the bridge pickup. Standard tuning.
Common Questions About the "Sunbather" Tone
What guitar did Deafheaven use on "Sunbather"?
Deafheaven tracked "Sunbather" on a Les Paul (released 2013). The Gibson Les Paul Standard '60s named above is a modern equivalent, not the guitar on the record. Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar. Tuned to standard (E A D G B E).
What amp settings does "Sunbather" need?
On Top Hat Emplexador: Gain 7, Bass 5, Mid 4, Treble 7, 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.
Can I play "Sunbather" without a Top Hat Emplexador?
Yes. ToneMirror takes the original recipe above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "Sunbather" 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.
What pedals are on "Sunbather"?
The original signal chain for "Sunbather" runs through Electro-Harmonix Stereo Memory Man with Hazarai, Electro-Harmonix Holy Grail Nano. The record also has chorus on it, with no pedal documented for it. Whether you own those exact units or close substitutes, ToneMirror maps the pedal voicings onto the pedalboard you actually have.
More Tones You Can Dial In
Tone references for "Sunbather" by Deafheaven are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.