How to Dial In "The Black Angel's Death Song" by The Velvet Underground - Guitar Tone Settings
Gear for "The Black Angel's Death Song"
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 Velvet Underground & Nico (1967). A raw, dissonant avant-garde rock piece with scraping, jangling guitar. No source available here confirms the exact guitar and amp on this recording, so a Fender American Professional II Jazzmaster through a Vox AC30HW2X Hand-Wired stands in. Use the bridge pickup and set the amp to a medium-gain crunch. Tuning isn't documented here.
Common Questions About the "The Black Angel's Death Song" Tone
What guitar did The Velvet Underground use on "The Black Angel's Death Song"?
The guitar on "The Black Angel's Death Song" (released 1967) isn't documented; the Fender American Professional II Jazzmaster above gets the sound. Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar.
What amp settings does "The Black Angel's Death Song" need?
Settings for this sound: Gain 6, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 7, Presence 6, Volume 8. 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 Black Angel's Death Song" 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 Black Angel's Death Song" 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 Black Angel's Death Song" by The Velvet Underground are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.