How to Dial In "Mistreated" by Deep Purple - Guitar Tone Settings
The Gear Behind "Mistreated"
- GuitarStratocasterModern equivalent: Fender American Vintage II 1973 Stratocaster
- AmpMarshall Major (200W) - 'The Pig'
- EffectBoostAn AIWA reel-to-reel tape recorder used as a preamp
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 Marshall Major (200W) - 'The Pig'. On your amp, they won't sound the same.
Get the settings for my ampHow the artist had their guitar configured for this take.
Standard tuning. A slow minor blues and the emotional centre of Burn, the first album with David Coverdale and Glenn Hughes. Two things about Blackmore's rig here are easy to get wrong. The Strat has a scalloped fingerboard, which is why his vibrato is so wide — the fingers never touch wood, so the string can be pushed much further than the same grip would allow on a flat board; if your bends sound tame next to the record, that is the reason, not the amp. And he drove Marshall Major heads through an AIWA reel-to-reel tape recorder used as a preamp, which is where the compressed, slightly furry edge on the sustained notes comes from. Substitute any clean boost with the level well up and the tone slightly dark. Gain lower than you expect: this tone is loud rather than saturated, and the long notes have to decay naturally rather than being held up by distortion.
Common Questions About the "Mistreated" Tone
What guitar did Deep Purple use on "Mistreated"?
Deep Purple tracked "Mistreated" on a Stratocaster (released 1974). The Fender American Vintage II 1973 Stratocaster 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 "Mistreated" need?
On Marshall Major (200W) - 'The Pig': Gain 6, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 7, 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.
Can I play "Mistreated" without a Marshall Major (200W) - 'The Pig'?
Yes. ToneMirror takes the original recipe above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "Mistreated" 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 effects are on "Mistreated"?
The recording has boost on it. ToneMirror maps each effect onto your rig - a pedal you own, your amp's own controls, or a block on a modeler - and says plainly when your rig can't make one.
More Tones You Can Dial In
Tone references for "Mistreated" by Deep Purple are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.