How to Dial In "Radio Cure" by Wilco - Guitar Tone Settings
Gear for "Radio Cure"
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 Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2002). A slow, ghostly, spacious track with a clean, gently overdriven guitar. Nels Cline joined in 2004, after Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, so the album predates the rig that Premier Guitar documents. No source documents the guitar or amp on this track, so a Fender American Professional II Telecaster into a Fender Deluxe Reverb (Blackface) stands in. Keep the amp clean, just on the edge of breakup, and play the neck pickup. The rest of the album is in standard tuning, so that is assumed here.
Common Questions About the "Radio Cure" Tone
What guitar did Wilco use on "Radio Cure"?
The guitar on "Radio Cure" (released 2002) isn't documented; the Fender American Professional II Telecaster above gets the sound. Pickup selector: neck pickup on the guitar. Tuned to standard (E A D G B E).
What amp settings does "Radio Cure" need?
Settings for this sound: Gain 2.5, Bass 5, Mid 5.5, Treble 6, Presence 5, Volume 4.5. 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.
Can I play "Radio Cure" without the original gear?
Yes. ToneMirror takes the settings above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "Radio Cure" 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 "Radio Cure" by Wilco are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.