How to Dial In "The 2,000 Pound Bee" by The Ventures - Guitar Tone Settings
What The Ventures Actually Used on "The 2,000 Pound Bee"
- GuitarFender Jazzmaster (Original)
- EffectFuzzA pedal - which one isn't documented
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 are the numbers on the record. On your amp, they won't sound the same.
Get the settings for my ampHow the artist had their guitar configured for this take.
A two-part single the Ventures recorded in late 1962 and released on Dolton (Dolton 67). It was never on an album, and Part 2 reached number 91 on the Billboard Hot 100. It is one of the earliest records built around a deliberate fuzz-tone guitar: lead guitarist Nokie Edwards played the buzzing, bee-like riff through a fuzz pedal at least three years before Davie Allan made fuzz his trademark. Which fuzz unit he used isn't documented. In 1962-63 the band's guitars were two Fender Jazzmasters with a Precision Bass, before they switched to Mosrites. No source names the amp. Use the Jazzmaster's bridge pickup into a clean amp and let the fuzz do the work: a raspy, thin, gated fuzz rather than a thick sustaining one, with the riff played on the low strings. Standard tuning.
Common Questions About the "The 2,000 Pound Bee" Tone
What guitar did The Ventures use on "The 2,000 Pound Bee"?
The Ventures tracked "The 2,000 Pound Bee" on a Fender Jazzmaster (Original) (released 1962). Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar. Tuned to standard (E A D G B E).
What amp settings does "The 2,000 Pound Bee" need?
On the original amp: Gain 5, Bass 5.5, Mid 6, Treble 6.5, Presence 5.5, Volume 6. 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 2,000 Pound Bee" without the original gear?
Yes. ToneMirror takes the original recipe above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "The 2,000 Pound Bee" 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 2,000 Pound Bee"?
The recording has fuzz on it. No source names the unit behind it, so this page doesn't guess one. 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 2,000 Pound Bee" by The Ventures are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.