Make It Big album cover - Wham!
Guitar tone settings

How to Dial In "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" by Wham! - Guitar Tone Settings

The rig

Gear for "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go"

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.

Gain2.5
Bass5
Mid5
Treble6.5
Presence5
Volume5.5

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 Make It Big (1984). Make It Big is the second studio album by English pop duo Wham!, released in 1984. No source we found ties a guitar or amp to this recording, so a Fender American Professional II Stratocaster through a Fender '65 Twin Reverb Reissue, a bright, clean pop-rock pairing, stands in. Keep the amp clean, just at the edge of breakup, and use the bridge pickup. Standard tuning.

FAQ

Common Questions About the "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" Tone

  1. What guitar did Wham! use on "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go"?

    The guitar on "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" (released 1984) isn't documented; the Fender American Professional II Stratocaster 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 "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" need?

    Settings for this sound: Gain 2.5, Bass 5, Mid 5, Treble 6.5, Presence 5, Volume 5.5. 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 "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" without the original gear?

    Yes. ToneMirror takes the settings above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" 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 "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" by Wham! are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.

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