How to Dial In "Some Kind-a Earthquake" by Duane Eddy - Guitar Tone Settings
What Duane Eddy Actually Used on "Some Kind-a Earthquake"
- GuitarGretsch 6120 Chet Atkins Hollow Body (DeArmond)
- EffectEchoThe unit isn't documented
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.
Duane Eddy and Lee Hazlewood wrote it, and Hazlewood and Lester Sill produced it. Jamie released it in October 1959 (Jamie 1130) with "First Love, First Tears" on the B-side. It reached number 37 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 12 in the UK, and at 1:17 it is the shortest record ever to make the Billboard Top 40. It is on the 1960 album $1,000,000 Worth of Twang. Eddy's guitar was the Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins model he bought in Phoenix in 1957. No source names the amp used at this session. The track is a short burst of low-string twang over a pounding beat: play it on the bridge pickup with the amp clean and loud, the bass up, and plenty of echo behind it. No transcription could be checked, so no tuning is given.
Common Questions About the "Some Kind-a Earthquake" Tone
What guitar did Duane Eddy use on "Some Kind-a Earthquake"?
Duane Eddy tracked "Some Kind-a Earthquake" on a Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins Hollow Body (DeArmond) (released 1959). Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar.
What amp settings does "Some Kind-a Earthquake" need?
On the original amp: Gain 3.5, Bass 6.5, Mid 5, Treble 6, Presence 5, Volume 6.5. 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.
Can I play "Some Kind-a Earthquake" 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 "Some Kind-a Earthquake" 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 "Some Kind-a Earthquake"?
The recording has echo on it. No source names the unit behind it, so this page doesn't guess one. 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 "Some Kind-a Earthquake" by Duane Eddy are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.