Business as Usual album cover - Men at Work
Guitar tone settings

How to Dial In "Touching the Untouchables" by Men at Work - Guitar Tone Settings

The rig

Gear for "Touching the Untouchables"

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
Mid6
Treble6.5
Presence6
Volume7

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.

Pickup selector
NeckNk+MdMiddleBr+MdBridge
Guitar knobs
Tone7
Volume8
Recording notes

From Business as Usual (1981). Business as Usual is the debut studio album by the Australian new wave band Men at Work. No source we found ties a guitar or amp to this recording, so a Fender American Professional II Stratocaster through a Fender '65 Twin Reverb Reissue, the rig we use for Men at Work's other songs from Business as Usual, stands in. Set the amp to a light crunch and use the bridge pickup.

FAQ

Common Questions About the "Touching the Untouchables" Tone

  1. What guitar did Men at Work use on "Touching the Untouchables"?

    The guitar on "Touching the Untouchables" (released 1981) isn't documented; the Fender American Professional II Stratocaster above gets the sound. Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar.

  2. What amp settings does "Touching the Untouchables" need?

    Settings for this sound: Gain 4, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 6.5, Presence 6, 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.

  3. Can I play "Touching the Untouchables" without the original gear?

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

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