How to Dial In "Treat Me Like Your Mother" by The Dead Weather - Guitar Tone Settings
The Gear Behind "Treat Me Like Your Mother"
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 '65 Twin Reverb Reissue. On your amp, they won't sound the same.
Get the settings for my ampHow the artist had their guitar configured for this take.
Jack White plays drums in this band, not guitar — Dean Fertita of Queens of the Stone Age handles guitar and keys, with Alison Mosshart singing and Jack Lawrence on bass. That is the single most useful fact here, because people reach for a White Stripes approach and get the wrong player entirely. Fertita's tone is thick, fuzzy and keyboard-adjacent, often doubled with organ, and the riff sits low and heavy rather than trebly. Horehound was recorded quickly in 2009 at Third Man in Nashville, analogue and largely live. Standard tuning. Keep the fuzz high and the amp relatively clean underneath, and let the riff sit back in the groove rather than driving it — the drums are the front of this mix.
Common Questions About the "Treat Me Like Your Mother" Tone
What guitar did The Dead Weather use on "Treat Me Like Your Mother"?
The Dead Weather tracked "Treat Me Like Your Mother" on a Jazzmaster (released 2009). The Fender American Professional II Jazzmaster named above is a modern equivalent, not the guitar on the record. Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar. Tuned to standard (E A D G B E).
What amp settings does "Treat Me Like Your Mother" need?
On Fender '65 Twin Reverb Reissue: Gain 7, Bass 5.5, Mid 6, Treble 6.5, Presence 6, Volume 6.5. 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 "Treat Me Like Your Mother" without a Fender '65 Twin Reverb Reissue?
Yes. ToneMirror takes the original recipe above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "Treat Me Like Your Mother" 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 "Treat Me Like Your Mother"?
The original signal chain for "Treat Me Like Your Mother" runs through Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi (NYC). 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 "Treat Me Like Your Mother" by The Dead Weather are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.