How to Dial In "If We Make It Through December" by Merle Haggard - Guitar Tone Settings
Gear for "If We Make It Through December"
Suggested rig · the original isn't documented.
Knob Positions, Pickup, and Tuning
Where to set the knobs for this tone. Each value is on the standard 0–10 amp scale.
On your amp, these numbers won't sound the same.
Get the settings for my ampHow the artist had their guitar configured for this take.
From If We Make It Through December (1974). If We Make It Through December is the sixteenth studio album by American country music singer Merle Haggard and the Strangers, released in 1974. 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.
Common Questions About the "If We Make It Through December" Tone
What guitar did Merle Haggard use on "If We Make It Through December"?
The guitar on "If We Make It Through December" (released 1974) 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).
What amp settings does "If We Make It Through December" 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.
Can I play "If We Make It Through December" without the original gear?
Yes. ToneMirror takes the settings above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "If We Make It Through December" 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.
More Tones You Can Dial In
Tone references for "If We Make It Through December" by Merle Haggard are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.