How to Dial In "Your Ex-Lover Is Dead" by Stars - Guitar Tone Settings
The Gear Behind "Your Ex-Lover Is Dead"
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 Fender Deluxe Reverb (Blackface). On your amp, they won't sound the same.
Get the settings for my ampHow the artist had their guitar configured for this take.
A staple of mid-2000s indie playlists, built on a spoken-word intro and clean, arpeggiated electric guitar that stays understated beneath the male-female vocal trade-off. Keep the amp fully clean throughout — the song's drama comes from the string arrangement and vocal interplay, not guitar dynamics, so resist adding grit even as the arrangement swells.
Common Questions About the "Your Ex-Lover Is Dead" Tone
What guitar did Stars use on "Your Ex-Lover Is Dead"?
Stars tracked "Your Ex-Lover Is Dead" on a Telecaster (released 2004). The Fender Player Telecaster named above is a modern equivalent, not the guitar on the record. Pickup selector: neck pickup on the guitar. Tuned to standard (E A D G B E).
What amp settings does "Your Ex-Lover Is Dead" need?
On Fender Deluxe Reverb (Blackface): Gain 1.5, Bass 5, Mid 5.5, Treble 6, Presence 5, Volume 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 "Your Ex-Lover Is Dead" without a Fender Deluxe Reverb (Blackface)?
Yes. ToneMirror takes the original recipe above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "Your Ex-Lover Is Dead" 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 "Your Ex-Lover Is Dead" by Stars are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.