How to Dial In "You Can Make It If You Try" by Sly and the Family Stone - Guitar Tone Settings
Gear for "You Can Make It If You Try"
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 Stand! (1969). Stand! is the fourth album by American soul-funk band Sly and the Family Stone, released on May 3, 1969. No source we found ties a guitar or amp to this recording, so a Fender Vintera '60s Stratocaster through a Fender '65 Twin Reverb Reissue, the rig we use for Sly and the Family Stone's other songs from Stand!, stands in. Set the amp to a light crunch and use the middle+bridge pickups together. Standard tuning.
Common Questions About the "You Can Make It If You Try" Tone
What guitar did Sly and the Family Stone use on "You Can Make It If You Try"?
The guitar on "You Can Make It If You Try" (released 1969) isn't documented; the Fender Vintera '60s Stratocaster above gets the sound. Pickup selector: middle + bridge (position 4) on the guitar. Tuned to standard (E A D G B E).
What amp settings does "You Can Make It If You Try" need?
Settings for this sound: Gain 0.5, Bass 5, Mid 5.5, Treble 6.5, Presence 5, Volume 4. 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 "You Can Make It If You Try" without the original gear?
Yes. ToneMirror takes the settings above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "You Can Make It If You Try" 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 "You Can Make It If You Try" by Sly and the Family Stone are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.