How to Dial In "Tennessee Jed" by Grateful Dead - Guitar Tone Settings
The Gear Behind "Tennessee Jed"
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.
One of the new songs on Europe '72, the live triple album drawn from the Dead's April and May 1972 tour of Western Europe and polished with studio overdubs, mostly on the vocals. The album's account says Jerry Garcia had moved from the Gibson SG to a 1959 Fender Stratocaster before the tour, and that songs like this one reflect his interest in country and traditional American music. No amp is documented in the sources available here. Keep the tone clean on the middle pickup, and play the short, bouncing fills around the vocal rather than long solos. No transcription could be checked, so no tuning is given.
Common Questions About the "Tennessee Jed" Tone
What guitar did Grateful Dead use on "Tennessee Jed"?
Grateful Dead tracked "Tennessee Jed" 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 "Tennessee Jed" 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 "Tennessee Jed" 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 "Tennessee Jed" 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.
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Tone references for "Tennessee Jed" by Grateful Dead are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.