Holy Fire album cover - Foals
Guitar tone settings

How to Dial In "Bad Habit" by Foals - Guitar Tone Settings

The rig

Gear for "Bad Habit"

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.

Gain4
Bass5
Mid6
Treble7
Presence6
Volume5.5

On your amp, these numbers won't sound the same.

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Guitar setup

How the artist had their guitar configured for this take.

Pickup selector
NeckNk+MdMiddleBr+MdBridge
Guitar knobs
Tone9
Volume10
Recording notes

From Holy Fire (2013). A Holy Fire track with clean, rhythmic guitar over a sparse groove. No source available here confirms the exact guitar and amp on this recording, so a Fender American Professional II Jazzmaster through a Fender '65 Twin Reverb Reissue stands in. Set the amp on the edge of breakup and use the bridge pickup. Tuning isn't documented here.

FAQ

Common Questions About the "Bad Habit" Tone

  1. What guitar did Foals use on "Bad Habit"?

    The guitar on "Bad Habit" (released 2013) isn't documented; the Fender American Professional II Jazzmaster above gets the sound. Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar.

  2. What amp settings does "Bad Habit" need?

    Settings for this sound: Gain 4, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 7, Presence 6, Volume 5.5. 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 "Bad Habit" without the original gear?

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

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