Happy Songs for Happy People album cover - Mogwai
Guitar tone settings

How to Dial In "Ratts of the Capital" by Mogwai - Guitar Tone Settings

The rig

Gear for "Ratts of the Capital"

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
Mid5
Treble5
Presence5
Volume6

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
Tone6
Volume6
Recording notes

From Happy Songs for Happy People (2003). Happy Songs for Happy People is the fourth studio album by Scottish post-rock band Mogwai, released on 17 June 2003 by Play It Again Sam and Matador. No source we found ties a guitar or amp to this recording, so a Fender American Professional II Jazzmaster through a Vox AC30HW2X Hand-Wired, the rig we use for Mogwai's other songs from Happy Songs for Happy People, stands in. Set the amp to a light crunch and use the bridge pickup.

FAQ

Common Questions About the "Ratts of the Capital" Tone

  1. What guitar did Mogwai use on "Ratts of the Capital"?

    The guitar on "Ratts of the Capital" (released 2003) isn't documented; the Fender American Professional II Jazzmaster above gets the sound. Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar.

  2. What amp settings does "Ratts of the Capital" need?

    Settings for this sound: Gain 3, Bass 5, Mid 5, Treble 5, Presence 5, Volume 6. 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 "Ratts of the Capital" without the original gear?

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

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