Fork in the Road album cover - Neil Young
Guitar tone settings

How to Dial In "Off the Road" by Neil Young - Guitar Tone Settings

The rig

Gear for "Off the Road"

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.

Gain6.5
Bass5.5
Mid6
Treble6.5
Presence5.5
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.

Pickup selector
NeckNk+MdMiddleBr+MdBridge
Guitar knobs
Tone9
Volume10
Recording notes

From Fork in the Road (2009). Fork in the Road is the thirty-first studio album by Canadian / American musician Neil Young, released April 7, 2009, on Reprise Records. No source we found ties a guitar or amp to this recording, so a Gibson 1957 Les Paul Goldtop Reissue through a Fender '57 Custom Deluxe, the nearest rig we use for Neil Young's other songs, stands in. Set the amp to a medium-gain crunch and use the bridge pickup.

FAQ

Common Questions About the "Off the Road" Tone

  1. What guitar did Neil Young use on "Off the Road"?

    The guitar on "Off the Road" (released 2009) isn't documented; the Gibson 1957 Les Paul Goldtop Reissue (Custom Shop) above gets the sound. Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar.

  2. What amp settings does "Off the Road" need?

    Settings for this sound: Gain 6.5, Bass 5.5, Mid 6, Treble 6.5, Presence 5.5, 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 "Off the Road" without the original gear?

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

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