How to Dial In "Three Days" by Jane's Addiction - Guitar Tone Settings
What Jane's Addiction Actually Used on "Three Days"
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 numbers are for a Marshall JCM800 2203. On your amp, they won't sound the same.
Get the settings for my ampHow the artist had their guitar configured for this take.
Eleven minutes in three distinct movements, and widely considered Dave Navarro's finest recorded playing — so treat this as three settings rather than one. It opens quiet and clean with heavily delayed arpeggios, builds through a mid-gain middle section, and ends in a long sustained solo over a driving riff. The practical approach is a mid-gain amp setting you can clean up with the guitar volume, plus delay and phaser used as textures rather than always-on effects. Navarro's tone across Ritual is much wetter and more processed than most hard-rock playing of the period, with the phaser and long delays doing as much work as the amp. Recorded 1989-90 in Los Angeles with Dave Jerden. Do not over-drive it — the sustain in the outro is volume and vibrato, not saturation.
Common Questions About the "Three Days" Tone
What guitar did Jane's Addiction use on "Three Days"?
Jane's Addiction tracked "Three Days" on a PRS Custom 24 (released 1990). Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar. Tuned to standard (E A D G B E).
What amp settings does "Three Days" need?
On Marshall JCM800 2203: Gain 5.5, 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.
Can I play "Three Days" without a Marshall JCM800 2203?
Yes. ToneMirror takes the original recipe above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "Three Days" 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.
What pedals are on "Three Days"?
The original signal chain for "Three Days" runs through MXR Phase 90, Boss DD-3 Digital Delay. Whether you own those exact units or close substitutes, ToneMirror maps the pedal voicings onto the pedalboard you actually have.
More Tones You Can Dial In
Tone references for "Three Days" by Jane's Addiction are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.