Songs of Innocence album cover - U2
Guitar tone settings

How to Dial In "California (There Is No End to Love)" by U2 - Guitar Tone Settings

The rig

Gear for "California (There Is No End to Love)"

Suggested rig · the original isn't documented.

The settings

Knob Positions, Pickup, and Tuning

Amp settings

Where to set the knobs for this tone. Each value is on the standard 0–10 amp scale.

Gain6
Bass5
Mid6
Treble6.5
Presence6
Volume6.5

On your amp, these numbers won't sound the same.

Get the settings for my amp
Guitar setup

How the artist had their guitar configured for this take.

TuningStandard(E A D G B E)
Pickup selector
NeckNk+MdMiddleBr+MdBridge
Guitar knobs
Tone9
Volume10
Recording notes

From Songs of Innocence (2014). Songs of Innocence is the thirteenth studio album by the Irish rock band U2, released on 9 September 2014. No source we found ties a guitar or amp to this recording, so a Gibson Explorer through a Vox AC30 C2, the rig we use for U2's other songs from Songs of Innocence, stands in. Set the amp to a medium-gain crunch and use the bridge pickup. Standard tuning.

FAQ

Common Questions About the "California (There Is No End to Love)" Tone

  1. What guitar did U2 use on "California (There Is No End to Love)"?

    The guitar on "California (There Is No End to Love)" (released 2014) isn't documented; the Gibson Explorer above gets the sound. Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar. Tuned to standard (E A D G B E).

  2. What amp settings does "California (There Is No End to Love)" need?

    Settings for this sound: Gain 6, 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.

  3. Can I play "California (There Is No End to Love)" without the original gear?

    Yes. ToneMirror takes the settings above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "California (There Is No End to Love)" 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.

Related tones

Tone references for "California (There Is No End to Love)" by U2 are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.

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