Truth album cover - Robben Ford
Guitar tone settings

How to Dial In "Riley B. King" by Robben Ford - Guitar Tone Settings

The rig

Gear for "Riley B. King"

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.

Gain3
Bass5
Mid6
Treble6
Presence5
Volume6

On your amp, these numbers won't sound the same.

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Guitar setup

How the artist had their guitar configured for this take.

Pickup selector
NeckNk+MdMiddleBr+MdBridge
Guitar knobs
Tone6
Volume7
Recording notes

From Truth (2007). Truth is an album by the American guitarist Robben Ford, released on August 7, 2007 on Concord Records. No source we found ties a guitar or amp to this recording, so a Gibson ES-335 through a Fender '65 Twin Reverb Reissue, the nearest rig we use for Robben Ford's other songs, stands in. Set the amp to a light crunch and use the neck pickup.

FAQ

Common Questions About the "Riley B. King" Tone

  1. What guitar did Robben Ford use on "Riley B. King"?

    The guitar on "Riley B. King" (released 2007) isn't documented; the Gibson ES-335 above gets the sound. Pickup selector: neck pickup on the guitar.

  2. What amp settings does "Riley B. King" need?

    Settings for this sound: Gain 3, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 6, Presence 5, Volume 6. 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 "Riley B. King" without the original gear?

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

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