Iron Fist album cover - Motörhead
Guitar tone settings

How to Dial In "I'm the Doctor" by Motörhead - Guitar Tone Settings

The rig

Gear for "I'm the Doctor"

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.

Gain7
Bass4.5
Mid6.5
Treble8
Presence7.5
Volume8

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.

TuningE♭ Standard(E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ B♭ E♭)
Pickup selector
NeckNk+MdMiddleBr+MdBridge
Guitar knobs
Tone9
Volume10
Recording notes

From Iron Fist (1982). Iron Fist is the fifth studio album by English rock band Motörhead, released in April 1982 by Bronze Records. No source we found ties a guitar or amp to this recording, so a Gibson Les Paul Custom through a Marshall JMP 2203 Master Volume, the rig we use for Motörhead's other songs from Iron Fist, stands in. Set the amp to a driven, high-gain crunch and use the bridge pickup. Published transcriptions put it in E♭ standard (E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ B♭ E♭), a half step below standard.

FAQ

Common Questions About the "I'm the Doctor" Tone

  1. What guitar did Motörhead use on "I'm the Doctor"?

    The guitar on "I'm the Doctor" (released 1982) isn't documented; the Gibson Les Paul Custom above gets the sound. Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar. The track is in E♭ Standard (E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ B♭ E♭), so retune before you dial anything in.

  2. What amp settings does "I'm the Doctor" need?

    Settings for this sound: Gain 7, Bass 4.5, Mid 6.5, Treble 8, Presence 7.5, Volume 8. 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'm the Doctor" 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'm the Doctor" 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'm the Doctor" by Motörhead are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.

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