How to Dial In "Fascination Street" by The Cure - Bass Tone Settings
What The Cure Actually Used on "Fascination Street"
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 Gallien-Krueger 800RB. On your amp, they won't sound the same.
Get the settings for my ampHow the artist had their bass configured for this take.
Simon Gallup's descending four-note arpeggio carries the song alone for the first eighty seconds, so the tone has to be a lead voice, not a foundation. The key is aggressive, bright fingerstyle attack with a growly midrange edge and audible modulation swirl — a flanger over a slightly overdriven amp, not a clean bass sound. Keep the eighth notes tight and even and let the string noise and pick-up bite through; softening the attack or scooping the mids makes the riff disappear.
Common Questions About the "Fascination Street" Tone
What bass did The Cure use on "Fascination Street"?
The Cure tracked "Fascination Street" on a Music Man StingRay Special (released 1989). Pickup selector: single pickup on the bass. Tuned to standard (bass) (E A D G).
What amp settings does "Fascination Street" need?
On Gallien-Krueger 800RB: Gain 6, Bass 7, 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 "Fascination Street" without a Gallien-Krueger 800RB?
Yes. ToneMirror takes the original recipe above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "Fascination Street" 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.
What pedals are on "Fascination Street"?
The original signal chain for "Fascination Street" runs through Boss BF-2 Flanger. Whether you own those exact units or close substitutes, ToneMirror maps the pedal voicings onto the pedalboard you actually have.
More Tones You Can Dial In
Tone references for "Fascination Street" by The Cure are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.