How to Dial In "Mojo Hand" by Lightnin' Hopkins - Guitar Tone Settings
What Lightnin' Hopkins Actually Used on "Mojo Hand"
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.
Cut in one marathon November 1960 session at Beltone Studios in midtown Manhattan for Bobby Robinson's Fire label, with Delmar Donnell on drums and an unidentified bassist; the LP followed in 1962 (Fire FLP 104). Guitar Player documents Hopkins as often playing 'a Gibson J-50 outfitted with a DeArmond soundhole pickup', plus a small Harmony flat-top and a Stratocaster, but no source ties a specific instrument or amp to this session — the Gibson J-45 here is a stand-in for the J-50 (the same guitar in a different finish) and ampId is null because the amp is unverified. The sound is a thin, wiry amplified flat-top with the pickup's single coil doing the work: very little gain, midrange forward, and the thumb driving a loose one-man bass line under snapped treble-string fills. Hopkins bent time freely, so the bar counts are not regular.
Common Questions About the "Mojo Hand" Tone
What guitar did Lightnin' Hopkins use on "Mojo Hand"?
Lightnin' Hopkins tracked "Mojo Hand" on a Gibson J-45 Standard (released 1962). Tuned to standard (E A D G B E).
What amp settings does "Mojo Hand" need?
On the original amp: Gain 2.5, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 6, Presence 5, Volume 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 "Mojo Hand" 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 "Mojo Hand" 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 "Mojo Hand" by Lightnin' Hopkins are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.