How to Dial In "Happenings Ten Years Time Ago" by The Yardbirds - Guitar Tone Settings
Gear for "Happenings Ten Years Time Ago"
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.
The first Yardbirds record with both Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page on lead guitar, and one of their most progressive. Page had joined in June 1966 on bass, and here John Paul Jones played the bass part instead. Sources disagree on when the basic track was cut in London, but Beck added his guitar parts and a spoken passage at De Lane Lea between 20 September and 2 October 1966. Columbia released it in the UK on 21 October with "Psycho Daisies" on the B-side; it reached number 43 there and number 30 on the Billboard Hot 100. It opens on droning feedback from the guitar's bass strings, and the instrumental breaks pile up overdubbed guitars, including a guitar imitating a police siren (credited to Page by one writer and to Beck by another). No source names the guitars, amps or effects. Use the bridge pickup with the amp loud and saturated, let the low strings feed back, and layer harsh, sustaining lines over the rhythm. Standard tuning.
Common Questions About the "Happenings Ten Years Time Ago" Tone
What guitar did The Yardbirds use on "Happenings Ten Years Time Ago"?
The guitar on "Happenings Ten Years Time Ago" (released 1966) isn't documented; the Fender Custom Shop 1959 Esquire above gets the sound. Pickup selector: single pickup on the guitar. Tuned to standard (E A D G B E).
What amp settings does "Happenings Ten Years Time Ago" need?
Settings for this sound: Gain 7, Bass 5, Mid 6.5, Treble 6.5, Presence 6.5, Volume 7. 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 "Happenings Ten Years Time Ago" without the original gear?
Yes. ToneMirror takes the settings above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "Happenings Ten Years Time Ago" 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.
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Tone references for "Happenings Ten Years Time Ago" by The Yardbirds are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.