A Senile Animal album cover - Melvins
Guitar tone settings

How to Dial In "Civilized Worm" by Melvins - Guitar Tone Settings

The rig

Gear for "Civilized Worm"

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.

Gain6.5
Bass6
Mid5.5
Treble6
Presence5.5
Volume6.5

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
Tone8
Volume10
Recording notes

From A Senile Animal (2006). (A) Senile Animal is the fifteenth album by the American rock band Melvins, released on October 10, 2006 on Ipecac Recordings. No source we found ties a guitar or amp to this recording, so a Gibson Les Paul Standard '50s through a Sunn Model T, the rig we use for Melvins' other songs from (A) Senile Animal, stands in. Set the amp to a medium-gain crunch and use the bridge pickup. Standard tuning.

FAQ

Common Questions About the "Civilized Worm" Tone

  1. What guitar did Melvins use on "Civilized Worm"?

    The guitar on "Civilized Worm" (released 2006) isn't documented; the Gibson Les Paul Standard '50s 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 "Civilized Worm" need?

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

  3. Can I play "Civilized Worm" without the original gear?

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

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