The Soft Bulletin album cover - The Flaming Lips
Guitar tone settings

How to Dial In "Race for the Prize" by The Flaming Lips - Guitar Tone Settings

The rig

Gear for "Race for the Prize"

Suggested rig · the original isn't documented.

The settings

Knob Positions, Pickup, and Tuning

Amp settings

Where to set the knobs for this tone. Each value is on the standard 0–10 amp scale.

Gain5.5
Bass5
Mid5.5
Treble6.5
Presence5.5
Volume6.5

On your amp, these numbers won't sound the same.

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Guitar setup

How the artist had their guitar configured for this take.

Pickup selector
NeckNk+MdMiddleBr+MdBridge
Guitar knobs
Tone9
Volume10
Recording notes

From The Soft Bulletin (1999). The Soft Bulletin is the ninth studio album by American rock band the Flaming Lips, released by Warner Bros. Records on May 17, 1999, in the United Kingdom, and on June 22, 1999, in the United States. No source we found ties a guitar or amp to this recording, so a Fender American Professional II Stratocaster through a Marshall JCM800 2203, the rig we use for The Flaming Lips' other songs from The Soft Bulletin, stands in. Set the amp to a medium-gain crunch and use the bridge pickup.

FAQ

Common Questions About the "Race for the Prize" Tone

  1. What guitar did The Flaming Lips use on "Race for the Prize"?

    The guitar on "Race for the Prize" (released 1999) isn't documented; the Fender American Professional II Stratocaster above gets the sound. Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar.

  2. What amp settings does "Race for the Prize" need?

    Settings for this sound: Gain 5.5, Bass 5, Mid 5.5, Treble 6.5, Presence 5.5, 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.

  3. Can I play "Race for the Prize" without the original gear?

    Yes. ToneMirror takes the settings above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "Race for the Prize" 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.

Related tones

Tone references for "Race for the Prize" by The Flaming Lips are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.

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