One Step Beyond... album cover - Madness
Guitar tone settings

How to Dial In "The Prince" by Madness - Guitar Tone Settings

The rig

Gear for "The Prince"

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.

Gain3
Bass5.5
Mid5.5
Treble6.5
Presence6
Volume5.5

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
Tone7
Volume7
Recording notes

From One Step Beyond... (1979). One Step Beyond... is the debut studio album by the English ska and pop band Madness, released on 19 October 1979 by Stiff Records. No source we found ties a guitar or amp to this recording, so a Fender American Professional II Telecaster through a Vox AC30HW2X Hand-Wired, the rig we use for Madness' other songs from One Step Beyond..., stands in. Keep the amp clean, just at the edge of breakup, and use the bridge pickup. Standard tuning.

FAQ

Common Questions About the "The Prince" Tone

  1. What guitar did Madness use on "The Prince"?

    The guitar on "The Prince" (released 1979) isn't documented; the Fender American Professional II Telecaster 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 "The Prince" need?

    Settings for this sound: Gain 3, Bass 5.5, Mid 5.5, Treble 6.5, Presence 6, Volume 5.5. 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.

  3. Can I play "The Prince" without the original gear?

    Yes. ToneMirror takes the settings above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "The Prince" 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 "The Prince" by Madness are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.

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