Back to the Barrooms album cover - Merle Haggard
Guitar tone settings

How to Dial In "I Think I'll Just Stay Here and Drink" by Merle Haggard - Guitar Tone Settings

Merle Haggard·1980·Back to the Barrooms
The rig

Gear for "I Think I'll Just Stay Here and Drink"

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.

Gain2.5
Bass5
Mid6
Treble7
Presence6.5
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
Volume9
Recording notes

From Back to the Barrooms (1980). Back to the Barrooms is the thirty-first studio album by American country music singer Merle Haggard, released in October 1980. No source we found ties a guitar or amp to this recording, so a Fender American Vintage II 1951 Telecaster through a Fender '65 Twin Reverb Reissue, the nearest rig we use for Merle Haggard's other songs, stands in. Keep the amp clean, just at the edge of breakup, and use the bridge pickup. Standard tuning.

FAQ

Common Questions About the "I Think I'll Just Stay Here and Drink" Tone

  1. What guitar did Merle Haggard use on "I Think I'll Just Stay Here and Drink"?

    The guitar on "I Think I'll Just Stay Here and Drink" (released 1980) isn't documented; the Fender American Vintage II 1951 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 "I Think I'll Just Stay Here and Drink" need?

    Settings for this sound: Gain 2.5, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 7, Presence 6.5, 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 "I Think I'll Just Stay Here and Drink" without the original gear?

    Yes. ToneMirror takes the settings above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "I Think I'll Just Stay Here and Drink" 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 "I Think I'll Just Stay Here and Drink" by Merle Haggard are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.

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