How to Dial In "Blowin' Free" by Wishbone Ash - Guitar Tone Settings
The Gear Behind "Blowin' Free"
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 numbers are for a Super Lead. On your amp, they won't sound the same.
Get the settings for my ampHow the artist had their guitar configured for this take.
Wishbone Ash largely invented the harmonised twin-lead guitar approach that Thin Lizzy and Iron Maiden later made famous, and Argus is the record where it is fully formed — Andy Powell and Ted Turner play in harmony rather than one leading, so this recipe describes one of two voices and a single-guitar version loses the entire point. Standard tuning. Recorded 1972 at De Lane Lea in London with Derek Lawrence. Keep the mids well up and the gain moderate: harmonised thirds collapse into mush in a scooped or saturated tone, and every subsequent band that copied this approach ran into the same constraint.
Common Questions About the "Blowin' Free" Tone
What guitar did Wishbone Ash use on "Blowin' Free"?
Wishbone Ash tracked "Blowin' Free" on a Gibson Flying V (released 1972). Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar. Tuned to standard (E A D G B E).
What amp settings does "Blowin' Free" need?
On a Super Lead: Gain 5.5, Bass 5, Mid 7, Treble 7, Presence 6, 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 "Blowin' Free" without a Super Lead?
Yes. ToneMirror takes the original recipe above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "Blowin' Free" 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 "Blowin' Free" by Wishbone Ash are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.