How to Dial In "Hellcats Take the Highway" by Steve Stevens - Guitar Tone Settings
The Gear Behind "Hellcats Take the Highway"
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 Supro Coronado 1690T (Vintage). 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 Memory Crash (2008). Memory Crash is the third studio album by guitarist and songwriter Steve Stevens, released on January 29, 2008, through Magna Carta Records. Stevens told Premier Guitar in 2008 that he tracked this song with one of his Les Pauls plugged into a tiny Valco-made Rex combo with a small elliptical Jensen speaker and only volume and tone controls, turned all the way up, with a mic in front of it and no other amp, aiming for early Led Zeppelin and Yardbirds sounds. A Gibson Les Paul Standard '60s through a Supro Coronado 1690T, a vintage amp from the same maker, stands in for the Rex. Turn the amp's volume nearly all the way up so it breaks up and works hard, keep the tone control near the middle and use the bridge pickup. He tuned the whole record down a half step, so it is in E♭ standard (E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ B♭ E♭), a half step below standard.
Common Questions About the "Hellcats Take the Highway" Tone
What guitar did Steve Stevens use on "Hellcats Take the Highway"?
Steve Stevens tracked "Hellcats Take the Highway" on a Les Paul (released 2008). The Gibson Les Paul Standard '60s named above is a modern equivalent, not the guitar on the record. Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar. The track is in E♭ Standard (E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ B♭ E♭), so retune before you dial anything in.
What amp settings does "Hellcats Take the Highway" need?
On Supro Coronado 1690T (Vintage): Gain 7.5, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 6, Presence 4, Volume 8.5. 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 "Hellcats Take the Highway" without a Supro Coronado 1690T (Vintage)?
Yes. ToneMirror takes the original recipe above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "Hellcats Take the Highway" 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 "Hellcats Take the Highway" by Steve Stevens are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.