How to Dial In "Rocket 88" by Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats - Guitar Tone Settings
Gear for "Rocket 88"
Suggested rig · the original isn't documented.
Knob Positions, Pickup, and Tuning
Where to set the knobs for this tone. Each value is on the standard 0–10 amp scale.
On your amp, these numbers won't sound the same.
Get the settings for my ampHow the artist had their guitar configured for this take.
Recorded in March 1951 at Sam Phillips' Memphis Recording Service and licensed to Chess, it reached number one on the Billboard R&B chart and is often called the first rock and roll record. It was credited to Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats, but the band was Ike Turner's Kings of Rhythm, with Brenston, Turner's saxophonist, singing. Willie Kizart played guitar, and the record is known for one of the first recorded examples of distortion. The story is that on the drive to Memphis an amplifier fell out of the car when the band stopped for a flat tyre, and it was stuffed with wadded newspaper to hold the speaker cone in place, which made the sound distort; Phillips liked it and kept it. Phillips remembered it as the bass amplifier, with a burst woofer that he packed with paper himself. No source names the guitar or the amp's make. Play the boogie riff on the low strings through a small amp turned up until it breaks up and buzzes. No transcription could be checked, so no tuning is given.
Common Questions About the "Rocket 88" Tone
What guitar did Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats use on "Rocket 88"?
The guitar on "Rocket 88" (released 1951) isn't documented; the Gibson ES-125 above gets the sound. Pickup selector: single pickup on the guitar.
What amp settings does "Rocket 88" need?
Settings for this sound: Gain 7, Bass 6, Mid 6.5, Treble 5, Presence 4.5, 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.
Can I play "Rocket 88" without the original gear?
Yes. ToneMirror takes the settings above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "Rocket 88" 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 "Rocket 88" by Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.