How to Dial In "The Savage" by The Shadows - Guitar Tone Settings
The Gear Behind "The Savage"
- GuitarStratocasterModern equivalent: Fender American Vintage II 1961 Stratocaster
- AmpAC30Modern equivalent: Vox AC30 C2
- EffectDrum echoVox Echo (SEP drum echo)
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 an AC30. On your amp, they won't sound the same.
Get the settings for my ampHow the artist had their guitar configured for this take.
Written by Norrie Paramor for The Young Ones, the Cliff Richard film, and released as a double A-side with "Peace Pipe" on 10 November 1961. It reached number 10 in the UK, and it is also on the soundtrack album. The Shadows recorded it at EMI Studios on 25 May 1961: Hank Marvin on lead, Bruce Welch on acoustic rhythm guitar, Jet Harris on bass and Tony Meehan on drums. Marvin later called it "a mediocre record" that never should have been a single; the band tried to stop the release from Australia, but 100,000 copies had already been pressed. By the spring of 1961 Jennings was supplying the band with rosewood-board Stratocasters, and Marvin's original maple Strat went back to Cliff. The amp is an AC30. From January 1961 Marvin's echo was a Vox-badged SEP drum unit, which he used in the studio and on stage until it gave out in 1964. On the fast, twangy runs it's mostly the last repeat you hear. Bridge pickup, guitar volume up, the amp clean with some bite. Standard tuning.
Common Questions About the "The Savage" Tone
What guitar did The Shadows use on "The Savage"?
The Shadows tracked "The Savage" on a Stratocaster (released 1961). The Fender American Vintage II 1961 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 "The Savage" need?
On an AC30: Gain 2.5, Bass 4.5, Mid 6.5, Treble 7, Presence 6, Volume 5.5. 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 "The Savage" without an AC30?
Yes. ToneMirror takes the original recipe above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "The Savage" 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 effects are on "The Savage"?
The recording has drum echo on it. ToneMirror maps each effect onto your rig - a pedal you own, your amp's own controls, or a block on a modeler - and says plainly when your rig can't make one.
More Tones You Can Dial In
Tone references for "The Savage" by The Shadows are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.