How to Dial In "I Can't Control Myself" by The Troggs - Guitar Tone Settings
Gear for "I Can't Control Myself"
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.
Reg Presley wrote it, and after several days of rehearsal in their home town of Andover, the Troggs recorded it at Olympic Studios in London on 24 August 1966. It came out a month later as the first single on Page One, the label their manager and producer Larry Page had co-founded, and it was a top-ten hit in several countries. Radio and TV in the UK, the US and Australia banned it for the line about slacks being low and hips being shown, which hurt it only in the US, where Billboard's chart counted airplay. Chris Britton played guitar. No source names the guitar, amp or effects. Play the heavy, swaggering chord riff on the bridge pickup with the amp pushed into a fat crunch. No transcription could be checked, so no tuning is given.
Common Questions About the "I Can't Control Myself" Tone
What guitar did The Troggs use on "I Can't Control Myself"?
The guitar on "I Can't Control Myself" (released 1966) isn't documented; the Gibson ES-335 above gets the sound. Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar.
What amp settings does "I Can't Control Myself" need?
Settings for this sound: Gain 5, Bass 5.5, Mid 6.5, Treble 6, 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 "I Can't Control Myself" without the original gear?
Yes. ToneMirror takes the settings above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "I Can't Control Myself" 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 "I Can't Control Myself" by The Troggs are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.