Flaming Pie album cover - Paul McCartney
Guitar tone settings

How to Dial In "Young Boy" by Paul McCartney - Guitar Tone Settings

The rig

Gear for "Young Boy"

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
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.

TuningStandard(E A D G B E)
Pickup selector
NeckNk+MdMiddleBr+MdBridge
Guitar knobs
Tone8
Volume9
Recording notes

From Flaming Pie (1997). Flaming Pie is the eleventh solo studio album by the English musician Paul McCartney, released on 5 May 1997 by Parlophone in the UK and Capitol Records in the US. No source we found ties a guitar or amp to this recording, so a Gibson Les Paul Standard '60s through a Vox AC30 C2, the rig we use for Paul McCartney's other songs from Flaming Pie, stands in. Set the amp to a medium-gain crunch and use the bridge pickup. Standard tuning.

FAQ

Common Questions About the "Young Boy" Tone

  1. What guitar did Paul McCartney use on "Young Boy"?

    The guitar on "Young Boy" (released 1997) isn't documented; the Gibson Les Paul Standard '60s above gets the sound. Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar. Tuned to standard (E A D G B E).

  2. What amp settings does "Young Boy" need?

    Settings for this sound: Gain 6, 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 "Young Boy" without the original gear?

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

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