Green Mind album cover - Dinosaur Jr.
Guitar tone settings

How to Dial In "Water" by Dinosaur Jr. - Guitar Tone Settings

The rig

Gear for "Water"

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.

Gain7.5
Bass6
Mid5
Treble6
Presence6.5
Volume8.5

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
Tone6
Volume9
Recording notes

From Green Mind (1991). Green Mind is the fourth studio album by alternative rock band Dinosaur Jr., released in 1991. No source we found ties a guitar or amp to this recording, so a Fender American Professional II Jazzmaster through a Marshall JCM800 2203, the rig we use for Dinosaur Jr.'s other songs from Green Mind, stands in. Set the amp to a driven, high-gain crunch and use the bridge pickup. Standard tuning.

FAQ

Common Questions About the "Water" Tone

  1. What guitar did Dinosaur Jr. use on "Water"?

    The guitar on "Water" (released 1991) isn't documented; the Fender American Professional II Jazzmaster 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 "Water" need?

    Settings for this sound: Gain 7.5, Bass 6, Mid 5, Treble 6, Presence 6.5, Volume 8.5. 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 "Water" without the original gear?

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

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