Goodbye Yellow Brick Road album cover - Elton John
Guitar tone settings

How to Dial In "Candle in the Wind" by Elton John - Guitar Tone Settings

The rig

Gear for "Candle in the Wind"

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.

Gain6.5
Bass5.5
Mid6
Treble7
Presence6
Volume7

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
Tone8.5
Volume9.5
Recording notes

From Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973). Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is the seventh studio album by British singer, pianist and composer Elton John. No source we found ties a guitar or amp to this recording, so a Gibson 1957 Les Paul Goldtop Reissue through a Marshall 1987X 50W Plexi Reissue, the rig we use for Elton John's other songs from Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, stands in. Set the amp to a medium-gain crunch and use the bridge pickup. Standard tuning.

FAQ

Common Questions About the "Candle in the Wind" Tone

  1. What guitar did Elton John use on "Candle in the Wind"?

    The guitar on "Candle in the Wind" (released 1973) isn't documented; the Gibson 1957 Les Paul Goldtop Reissue (Custom Shop) 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 "Candle in the Wind" need?

    Settings for this sound: Gain 6.5, Bass 5.5, Mid 6, 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.

  3. Can I play "Candle in the Wind" without the original gear?

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

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