How to Dial In "Brown-Eyed Women" by Grateful Dead - Guitar Tone Settings
The Gear Behind "Brown-Eyed Women"
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.
A new song on Europe '72, where it was printed as "Brown-Eyed Woman" on the original release; the album was cut from the band's 1972 tour of Western Europe and polished with overdubs. The album's account puts Jerry Garcia on a 1959 Fender Stratocaster by the start of that tour, having left the Gibson SG behind. No amp is documented in the sources available here. Play it clean on the middle pickup with a light attack, and keep the lead lines short and melodic behind the vocal. No transcription could be checked, so no tuning is given.
Common Questions About the "Brown-Eyed Women" Tone
What guitar did Grateful Dead use on "Brown-Eyed Women"?
Grateful Dead tracked "Brown-Eyed Women" on a Stratocaster (released 1972). The Fender Custom Shop 1959 Stratocaster Journeyman Relic named above is a modern equivalent, not the guitar on the record. Pickup selector: middle pickup on the guitar.
What amp settings does "Brown-Eyed Women" need?
On the original amp: Gain 3, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 6.5, 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 "Brown-Eyed Women" 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 "Brown-Eyed Women" 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 "Brown-Eyed Women" by Grateful Dead are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.