How to Dial In "Driven to Tears" by The Police - Guitar Tone Settings
The Gear Behind "Driven to Tears"
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 Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus. On your amp, they won't sound the same.
Get the settings for my ampHow the artist had their guitar configured for this take.
Standard tuning. Andy Summers's solo here is the most abrasive thing on Zenyatta Mondatta and one he has described as largely improvised in a single pass — it is angular and deliberately unresolved, closer to free playing than to a rock lead. The rhythm parts are the opposite: sparse, chorus-soaked add9 voicings with the low strings avoided entirely so Sting's bass has the bottom to itself. That register discipline is the real lesson of this tone. Summers ran a Telecaster or Strat into a Roland JC-120 and Marshall combination with an Electric Mistress flanger and an Echoplex. Keep the amp mostly clean and let the modulation do the shaping; a saturated tone loses the shimmer these voicings depend on.
Common Questions About the "Driven to Tears" Tone
What guitar did The Police use on "Driven to Tears"?
The Police tracked "Driven to Tears" on a Stratocaster (released 1980). The Fender American Professional II Stratocaster 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 "Driven to Tears" need?
On Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus: Gain 4.5, Bass 4.5, Mid 6, Treble 7, Presence 6.5, 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 "Driven to Tears" without a Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus?
Yes. ToneMirror takes the original recipe above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "Driven to Tears" 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 "Driven to Tears"?
The original signal chain for "Driven to Tears" runs through an Electric Mistress. The Electro-Harmonix Stereo Electric Mistress named above is a modern equivalent - it came out after the record. 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 "Driven to Tears" by The Police are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.