How to Dial In "Fire Brigade" by The Move - Guitar Tone Settings
Gear for "Fire Brigade"
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.
Roy Wood wrote it overnight, alone in a hotel room, after manager Tony Secunda told the band he had booked a session for the next morning and they needed a single. Its riff is derived from Eddie Cochran's "Somethin' Else". Sessions began at Olympic Studios on 16 November 1967, and Regal Zonophone released it on 26 January 1968 with "Walk Upon the Water" on the B-side. It reached number 3 in the UK and is on the band's debut album, Move. The fire-engine sound effects at the start were overdubbed late in the sessions. No source names the guitar, amp or effects. The guitar riff is a twangy low-string figure: play it on the bridge pickup with the amp clean and loud, and pick the low notes hard. No transcription could be checked, so no tuning is given.
Common Questions About the "Fire Brigade" Tone
What guitar did The Move use on "Fire Brigade"?
The guitar on "Fire Brigade" (released 1968) isn't documented; the Fender American Vintage II 1961 Stratocaster above gets the sound. Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar.
What amp settings does "Fire Brigade" need?
Settings for this sound: Gain 3.5, Bass 6, Mid 5.5, Treble 6, 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.
Can I play "Fire Brigade" without the original gear?
Yes. ToneMirror takes the settings above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "Fire Brigade" 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 "Fire Brigade" by The Move are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.