Garth Brooks album cover - Garth Brooks
Guitar tone settings

How to Dial In "If Tomorrow Never Comes" by Garth Brooks - Guitar Tone Settings

Garth Brooks·1989·Garth Brooks
The rig

Gear for "If Tomorrow Never Comes"

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
Treble6.5
Presence6
Volume6.5

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.

Pickup selector
NeckNk+MdMiddleBr+MdBridge
Guitar knobs
Tone8
Volume9
Recording notes

From Garth Brooks (1989). Chris Leuzinger, who plays electric guitar on Garth Brooks' studio albums, told Vintage Guitar in 2022 that his 1963 Stratocaster, loaded with EMG pickups through most of its studio life, is heard on "If Tomorrow Never Comes". No source we found names the amp, so a Fender Custom Shop 1963 Stratocaster Closet Classic stands in for that guitar, through a Fender '65 Twin Reverb Reissue. Set the amp to a light crunch and use the bridge pickup.

FAQ

Common Questions About the "If Tomorrow Never Comes" Tone

  1. What guitar did Garth Brooks use on "If Tomorrow Never Comes"?

    The guitar on "If Tomorrow Never Comes" (released 1989) isn't documented; the Fender Custom Shop 1963 Stratocaster Closet Classic above gets the sound. Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar.

  2. What amp settings does "If Tomorrow Never Comes" need?

    Settings for this sound: Gain 4, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 6.5, Presence 6, 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.

  3. Can I play "If Tomorrow Never Comes" without the original gear?

    Yes. ToneMirror takes the settings above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "If Tomorrow Never Comes" 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 "If Tomorrow Never Comes" by Garth Brooks are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.

Adapt to my gear