Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun. album cover - The Smashing Pumpkins
Guitar tone settings

How to Dial In "Silvery Sometimes (Ghosts)" by The Smashing Pumpkins - Guitar Tone Settings

The rig

Gear for "Silvery Sometimes (Ghosts)"

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.

Gain7.5
Bass5
Mid6
Treble6
Presence5
Volume6

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

Get the settings for my amp
Guitar setup

How the artist had their guitar configured for this take.

Pickup selector
NeckNk+MdMiddleBr+MdBridge
Guitar knobs
Tone7
Volume10
Recording notes

From Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun. (2018), produced by Rick Rubin. Billy Corgan's layered, fuzzy guitars carry chiming melodies. No source available here confirms the exact guitar and amp on this recording, so a Fender American Professional II Stratocaster through a Marshall JCM900 4100 Dual Reverb stands in. Use the bridge pickup and set the amp to a thick, fuzzy overdrive. Tuning isn't documented here.

FAQ

Common Questions About the "Silvery Sometimes (Ghosts)" Tone

  1. What guitar did The Smashing Pumpkins use on "Silvery Sometimes (Ghosts)"?

    The guitar on "Silvery Sometimes (Ghosts)" (released 2018) isn't documented; the Fender American Professional II Stratocaster above gets the sound. Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar.

  2. What amp settings does "Silvery Sometimes (Ghosts)" need?

    Settings for this sound: Gain 7.5, 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 "Silvery Sometimes (Ghosts)" without the original gear?

    Yes. ToneMirror takes the settings above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "Silvery Sometimes (Ghosts)" 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 "Silvery Sometimes (Ghosts)" by The Smashing Pumpkins are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.

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