How to Dial In "Ballrooms of Mars" by T. Rex - Guitar Tone Settings
Gear for "Ballrooms of Mars"
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 The Slider (1972). A lilting glam-rock tune with a warm, slightly overdriven guitar. Guitar World's piece on Marc Bolan lists a Les Paul Custom, a Flying V and a late-1960s Strat as his go-to guitars, with Vampower 100W heads and Vox AC30s as the most-cited amps and a Dallas Rangemaster, WEM Copicat and wah as his core effects; the sources conflict on details and none ties a rig to this song. So a Gibson Les Paul Custom into a Vox AC30HW2X Hand-Wired stands in. Set a light-to-medium crunch on the bridge pickup and dig in harder for the louder sections. The rest of the album is in standard tuning, so that is assumed here.
Common Questions About the "Ballrooms of Mars" Tone
What guitar did T. Rex use on "Ballrooms of Mars"?
The guitar on "Ballrooms of Mars" (released 1972) isn't documented; the Gibson Les Paul Custom above gets the sound. Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar. Tuned to standard (E A D G B E).
What amp settings does "Ballrooms of Mars" need?
Settings for this sound: Gain 5, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 7, Presence 6, Volume 7. 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 "Ballrooms of Mars" without the original gear?
Yes. ToneMirror takes the settings above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "Ballrooms of Mars" 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 "Ballrooms of Mars" by T. Rex are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.