Vida album cover - Luis Fonsi
Guitar tone settings

How to Dial In "Despacito" by Luis Fonsi - Guitar Tone Settings

Luis Fonsi·2019·Vida
The rig

Gear for "Despacito"

Suggested rig · the original isn't documented.

The settings

Knob Positions, Pickup, and Tuning

Amp settings

Where to set the knobs for this tone. Each value is on the standard 0–10 amp scale.

Gain4
Bass5
Mid5.5
Treble6.5
Presence5
Volume6

On your amp, these numbers won't sound the same.

Get the settings for my amp
Guitar setup

How the artist had their guitar configured for this take.

TuningStandard(E A D G B E)
Pickup selector
NeckNk+MdMiddleBr+MdBridge
Guitar knobs
Tone9
Volume10
Recording notes

From Vida (2019). Vida (Life) is the tenth studio album by Puerto Rican singer Luis Fonsi, released on February 1, 2019, through Universal Music Latin Entertainment. The song's Wikipedia article says Fonsi co-wrote it on a Gibson Emmylou Harris guitar. No source we found ties a guitar or amp to this recording, so a Fender American Professional II Stratocaster through a Fender '65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue, a spring-reverb Tex-Mex rock pairing, stands in. Set the amp to a light crunch and use the bridge pickup. Standard tuning.

FAQ

Common Questions About the "Despacito" Tone

  1. What guitar did Luis Fonsi use on "Despacito"?

    The guitar on "Despacito" (released 2019) isn't documented; the Fender American Professional II Stratocaster above gets the sound. Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar. Tuned to standard (E A D G B E).

  2. What amp settings does "Despacito" need?

    Settings for this sound: Gain 4, Bass 5, Mid 5.5, Treble 6.5, Presence 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.

  3. Can I play "Despacito" without the original gear?

    Yes. ToneMirror takes the settings above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "Despacito" 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.

Related tones

Tone references for "Despacito" by Luis Fonsi are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.

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