How to Dial In "Weekend" by Eddie Cochran - Guitar Tone Settings
The Gear Behind "Weekend"
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.
Bill and Doree Post wrote it, and Eddie Cochran recorded it in April 1959, with Conrad "Guybo" Smith or Dave Shriver on electric bass and Gene Riggio on drums. It came out after his death: in the UK on London in June 1961, reaching number 15, and in the US on Liberty that December, where it didn't chart. It is on the UK compilation Never to Be Forgotten. Cochran's guitar was his Gretsch 6120; no source names the amp. Play the chugging rhythm and fills on the bridge pickup with the amp clean and bright, and palm-mute the verses so the open choruses jump out. No transcription could be checked, so no tuning is given.
Common Questions About the "Weekend" Tone
What guitar did Eddie Cochran use on "Weekend"?
Eddie Cochran tracked "Weekend" on a Gretsch 6120 (released 1961). The Gretsch G6120 Eddie Cochran Signature Hollow Body named above is a later replica, not the guitar on the record. Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar.
What amp settings does "Weekend" need?
On the original amp: Gain 3.5, Bass 5.5, Mid 6, Treble 6, Presence 5.5, Volume 6. 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 "Weekend" 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 "Weekend" 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.
More Tones You Can Dial In
Tone references for "Weekend" by Eddie Cochran are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.