How to Dial In "The Boy" by The Smashing Pumpkins - Guitar Tone Settings
Gear for "The Boy"
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.
From The Aeroplane Flies High (1996). The Aeroplane Flies High is a five-disc box set released by American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins in 1996, collecting the singles and B-sides from Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. No source we found ties a guitar or amp to this recording, so a Fender American Professional II Stratocaster through a Marshall JCM900 4100 Dual Reverb, the rig we use for The Smashing Pumpkins' other songs from The Aeroplane Flies High, stands in. Set the amp to a medium-gain crunch and use the bridge pickup. Published transcriptions put it in a tuning that is not one of the standard names: D♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ B♭ E♭, low to high.
Common Questions About the "The Boy" Tone
What guitar did The Smashing Pumpkins use on "The Boy"?
The guitar on "The Boy" (released 1996) isn't documented; the Fender American Professional II Stratocaster above gets the sound. Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar. The track is in Custom tuning, so retune before you dial anything in.
What amp settings does "The Boy" need?
Settings for this sound: Gain 5.5, Bass 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 "The Boy" without the original gear?
Yes. ToneMirror takes the settings above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "The Boy" 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 "The Boy" by The Smashing Pumpkins are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.