How to Dial In "Night Patrol" by Robert Cray - Guitar Tone Settings
The Gear Behind "Night Patrol"
Original Knob Positions, Pickup, and Tuning
Where to set the knobs for this tone. Each value is on the standard 0–10 amp scale.
These numbers are for a Super Reverb. On your amp, they won't sound the same.
Get the settings for my ampHow the artist had their guitar configured for this take.
From Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (1988). Don't Be Afraid of the Dark is an album by the American blues guitarist Robert Cray and the follow-up to Strong Persuader, released on 8 August 1988 by Mercury Records. A 1989 Guitar World interview, quoted by Blues Guitar Unleashed, says Cray recorded most of Don't Be Afraid of the Dark on his green 1964 Stratocaster, alternating with a 1957 sunburst Strat, and that in the studio he uses a Fender Super Reverb together with a Twin Reverb. A Fender American Professional II Stratocaster stands in for the 1964 Strat here, through a Super Reverb; no source gives the settings, so the knob values are approximate. Set the amp to a light crunch and use the middle+bridge pickups together.
Common Questions About the "Night Patrol" Tone
What guitar did Robert Cray use on "Night Patrol"?
Robert Cray tracked "Night Patrol" on a Stratocaster (released 1988). The Fender American Professional II Stratocaster named above is a modern equivalent, not the guitar on the record. Pickup selector: middle + bridge (position 4) on the guitar.
What amp settings does "Night Patrol" need?
On a Super Reverb: Gain 3, Bass 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.
Can I play "Night Patrol" without a Super Reverb?
Yes. ToneMirror takes the original recipe above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "Night Patrol" 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 "Night Patrol" by Robert Cray are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.