Broken Machine album cover - Nothing But Thieves
Guitar tone settings

How to Dial In "I'm Not Made by Design" by Nothing But Thieves - Guitar Tone Settings

The rig

Gear for "I'm Not Made by Design"

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
Presence6
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.

Pickup selector
NeckNk+MdMiddleBr+MdBridge
Guitar knobs
Tone8
Volume10
Recording notes

From Broken Machine (2017). An alternative-rock track with a driving, overdriven guitar part. No source available here confirms the exact guitar and amp on this recording, so a Fender American Professional II Jazzmaster through an Orange Rockerverb 100 MkIII stands in. Set the amp at a medium-gain crunch and use the bridge pickup. Tuning isn't documented here.

FAQ

Common Questions About the "I'm Not Made by Design" Tone

  1. What guitar did Nothing But Thieves use on "I'm Not Made by Design"?

    The guitar on "I'm Not Made by Design" (released 2017) 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 "I'm Not Made by Design" need?

    Settings for this sound: Gain 6.5, Bass 5.5, Mid 6, Treble 6.5, Presence 6, 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'm Not Made by Design" 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 Not Made by Design" 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 Not Made by Design" by Nothing But Thieves are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.

Adapt to my gear