How to Dial In "Medicine Bottle" by Red House Painters - Guitar Tone Settings
Gear for "Medicine Bottle"
Suggested rig · the original isn't documented.
Knob Positions, Pickup, and Tuning
Where to set the knobs for this tone. Each value is on the standard 0–10 amp scale.
On your amp, these numbers won't sound the same.
Get the settings for my ampHow the artist had their guitar configured for this take.
From Down Colorful Hill (1992). Down Colorful Hill is the debut studio album by American band Red House Painters, released in 1992 by 4AD. No source we found ties a guitar or amp to this recording, so a Fender American Professional II Jazzmaster through a Fender '65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue, a jangly clean-to-light-crunch indie pairing, stands in. Keep the amp clean, just at the edge of breakup, and use the bridge pickup. Published transcriptions put it in D standard (D G C F A D), a whole step below standard.
Common Questions About the "Medicine Bottle" Tone
What guitar did Red House Painters use on "Medicine Bottle"?
The guitar on "Medicine Bottle" (released 1992) isn't documented; the Fender American Professional II Jazzmaster above gets the sound. Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar. The track is in D Standard (D G C F A D), so retune before you dial anything in.
What amp settings does "Medicine Bottle" need?
Settings for this sound: Gain 3, Bass 5, Mid 5, Treble 6, Presence 4.5, Volume 5.5. 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.
Can I play "Medicine Bottle" without the original gear?
Yes. ToneMirror takes the settings above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "Medicine Bottle" 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.
More Tones You Can Dial In
Tone references for "Medicine Bottle" by Red House Painters are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.