How to Dial In "Merry Xmas Everybody" by Slade - Guitar Tone Settings
Gear for "Merry Xmas Everybody"
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.
Written by Noddy Holder and Jim Lea, produced by Chas Chandler and released on 7 December 1973 as a non-album single. It was the UK Christmas number one and the band's sixth and last number one single. It was recorded at the Record Plant in New York; Lea says the track was built up from bass, acoustic guitar, piano and harmonium, with Holder on rhythm guitar and Dave Hill on lead guitar. Neither guitarist's instrument or amp is documented in the sources available here, so the rig is a suggestion. Keep the electric parts crunchy but cleaner than the band's stompers, and sit them under the vocal. No transcription could be checked, so no tuning is given.
Common Questions About the "Merry Xmas Everybody" Tone
What guitar did Slade use on "Merry Xmas Everybody"?
The guitar on "Merry Xmas Everybody" (released 1973) isn't documented; the Gibson Les Paul Standard '60s above gets the sound. Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar.
What amp settings does "Merry Xmas Everybody" need?
Settings for this sound: Gain 4.5, 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 "Merry Xmas Everybody" without the original gear?
Yes. ToneMirror takes the settings above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "Merry Xmas Everybody" 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 "Merry Xmas Everybody" by Slade are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.