How to Dial In "Space Guitar" by Johnny "Guitar" Watson - Guitar Tone Settings
Gear for "Space Guitar"
Suggested rig · the original isn't documented.
- GuitarFender Esquire (Original)Suggested
- AmpFender '57 Custom Deluxe (Tweed Deluxe)Suggested
- EffectReverbAdded in the studio
- EffectEchoAdded in the studio
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.
Johnny "Guitar" Watson recorded it in Los Angeles in February 1954 with Ralph Bass producing, and Federal released it that April under the name Young John Watson. He was 19, and his earlier singles had him singing and playing piano with other guitarists on the records; this was the first to showcase his guitar. It didn't chart, but it has come to be heard as well ahead of its time, and Bo Diddley, Ike Turner, Frank Zappa, Jimmy Page and Jimi Hendrix have been named among the players it influenced. Over a stop-time jump-blues backing he fingerpicks the electric guitar rather than using a pick: furious bursts of notes, exaggerated bends, slides up and down the neck, a quote of the Dragnet theme, and blasts of echo and reverb that jump in and out of the mix. No source names the guitar, amp or effects units. Use a single bright pickup with the amp turned up hard, play with your fingers, and throw heavy reverb on the breaks only. No transcription could be checked, so no tuning is given.
Common Questions About the "Space Guitar" Tone
What guitar did Johnny "Guitar" Watson use on "Space Guitar"?
The guitar on "Space Guitar" (released 1954) isn't documented; the Fender Esquire (Original) above gets the sound. Pickup selector: single pickup on the guitar.
What amp settings does "Space Guitar" need?
Settings for this sound: Gain 5, Bass 5, Mid 6.5, Treble 7, Presence 6.5, Volume 7. 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 "Space Guitar" without the original gear?
Yes. ToneMirror takes the settings above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "Space Guitar" 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 effects are on "Space Guitar"?
The recording has reverb and echo on it. No source names the unit behind them, so this page doesn't guess one. ToneMirror maps each effect onto your rig - a pedal you own, your amp's own controls, or a block on a modeler - and says plainly when your rig can't make one.
More Tones You Can Dial In
Tone references for "Space Guitar" by Johnny "Guitar" Watson are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.