Layla (Derek and the Dominos) guitar tone and amp settings
Layla guitar tone on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3: Pushed amp type, medium gain (Gain 5.5), forward mids (Middle 6.5), balanced lows (Bass 4.5), bridge pickup.
Settings for your amp
Layla settings on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3
BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3 settings for every songAmpBOSS Katana 50 Gen 3
GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers
The same settings in text
Amp
- Variation
- Off
- Amp Type
- Pushed
- Gain
- 5.5
- Volume
- 5
- Bass
- 4.5
- Middle
- 6.5
- Treble
- 5.5
- Booster
- 0
- Mod
- 0
- FX
- 0
- Delay
- 0
- Reverb Color
- Green
- Reverb
- 1.5
- Master
- Set to your room
- Power Control
- Set to your room
Electric guitar with two humbuckers
- Pickup Selector
- Bridge
- Volume
- 9
- Tone
- 7
Layla settings on a Positive Grid Spark 40
Positive Grid Spark 40 settings for every songAmpPositive Grid Spark 40
GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers
The same settings in text
Amp
- Amp Type
- Glassy
- Gain
- 5
- Bass
- 4.5
- Mid
- 6.5
- Treble
- 6
- Master
- Set to your room
- Mod
- 0
- Delay
- 0
- Reverb
- 0
- Output
- Set to your room
- App Amp Model
- Tweed Bass
- App Drive
- Off
- App Comp/Wah
- Off
- App Mod/EQ
- Off
- App Delay
- Off
- App Reverb
- Room Studio A
Electric guitar with two humbuckers
- Pickup Selector
- Bridge
- Volume
- 8.5
- Tone
- 7
A Stratocaster would better match Clapton's bright single-coil parts.
Layla settings on a Fender Mustang LT25
Fender Mustang LT25 settings for every songAmpFender Mustang LT25
GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers
The same settings in text
Amp
- Amp Model
- CHAMP
- Gain
- 4.5
- Volume
- 6
- Treble
- 6
- Bass
- 5
- Middle
- 6
- Master
- Set to your room
- Stomp
- None
- Mod
- None
- Delay
- None
- Reverb
- SMALL ROOM
Electric guitar with two humbuckers
- Pickup Selector
- Bridge
- Volume
- 8
- Tone
- 7
Layla settings on any amp with Gain, Bass, Mid, Treble
Amp
GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers
The same settings in text
Amp
- Gain
- 5
- Bass
- 4
- Mid
- 6.5
- Treble
- 6.5
Electric guitar with two humbuckers
- Pickup Selector
- Bridge
- Volume
- 8.5
- Tone
- 7.5
Add a rotary/Leslie simulator for the session’s distinctive guitar swirl.
Why it sounds like that
Clapton's guitar on Layla is a 1956 Fender Stratocaster he called Brownie, which he used as his main Strat by the time of the recording. Allman played guitar on the album with a 1957 Gibson Les Paul goldtop. Both guitarists used Champ amps in the studio, and the sessions added a Fender guitar Leslie that Clapton was fond of. The amps were miked with Shure SM57s and Electrovoice 635s. Allman suggested the title track's opening lick, and the outro is built on piano and slide guitar.
- Use a bottleneck slide for Allman's parts, the technique he showed Clapton during a jam.
- Let the slide guitar carry the outro over the piano.
What amp did Eric Clapton use on Layla?
- Sound On Sound says Clapton and Duane Allman both contributed virtuoso guitar to the song. (on this song)[1]
- Guitar Player says Brownie had become Clapton's main guitar by the time he recorded Layla. (on the album Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs)[2]
- Guitar.com says Brownie was again Clapton's main Strat for recording Layla. (on the album Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs)[3]
- A Guitar Player caption names Clapton's guitar as Brownie, a 1956 Fender Stratocaster. (on the album Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs)[4]
- Engineer Howard Albert said Clapton and Allman both used the Champ amps in the studio. (on the album Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs)[1]
- Engineer Ron Albert said the little Champ amps were used because they would not make much sound in the room. (on the album Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs)[1]
- Guitar Player says the Champ is the amp Clapton reputedly used on Layla. (on the album Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs)[2]
- Guitar Player says Duane Allman played a 1957 Les Paul goldtop on numerous sessions, including Layla. (on the album Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs)[2]
- Vintage Guitar says the goldtop's present owner believes the guitar was featured on the bulk of Duane Allman's work. (on the album Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs)[5]
- Vintage Guitar says Bobby Whitlock wrote that the goldtop was Duane Allman's main instrument in that period. (on the album Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs)[5]
- Accounts differ: Vintage Guitar dates Allman's trade of the goldtop to September 1969, while Guitar Player dates it to September 16, 1970. (in a later era)[5][2]
- Intro: Bobby Whitlock says Duane Allman suggested the title track's opening lick and came up with it. (on this song)[4]
- Intro: Sound On Sound says Allman adapted a T-Bone Walker vocal riff for the classic guitar lick that kicks off the song. (on this song)[1]
- Outro: Sound On Sound describes the song's outro as piano and slide guitar. (on this song)[1]
- Tom Dowd said Duane Allman showed Clapton the bottleneck technique during a jam. (on the album Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs)[1]
- Engineers miked the guitar amps with Shure SM57s and Electrovoice 635s. (on the album Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs)[1]
- Engineer Ron Albert said the Fender guitar Leslie was unique to the Layla sessions and Clapton was enamoured with it. (on the album Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs)[1]
Questions
What amp did Eric Clapton use on Layla?
The sources on this page document Eric Clapton's gear on Layla by Derek and the Dominos: guitar, 1956 Fender Stratocaster [4]; amp, Champ [2]. Each value cites the numbered source it comes from, listed at the foot of the page.
What are the Layla settings on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3?
For the Layla guitar tone on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3, set Amp Type Pushed, Gain 5.5, Volume 5, Bass 4.5, Middle 6.5, Treble 5.5, Booster 0, Mod 0, FX 0, Delay 0, Reverb Color Green, Reverb 1.5; on the electric guitar with two humbuckers, Pickup Selector Bridge, Volume 9, Tone 7. Set Master and Power Control to your room. They are AI-assisted starting points; adjust them by ear on your own amp.
What are the Layla settings on a Positive Grid Spark 40?
For the Layla guitar tone on a Positive Grid Spark 40, set Amp Type Glassy, Gain 5, Bass 4.5, Mid 6.5, Treble 6, Mod 0, Delay 0, Reverb 0, App Amp Model Tweed Bass, App Reverb Room Studio A; on the electric guitar with two humbuckers, Pickup Selector Bridge, Volume 8.5, Tone 7. Set Master and Output to your room. They are AI-assisted starting points; adjust them by ear on your own amp.
What are the Layla settings on a Fender Mustang LT25?
For the Layla guitar tone on a Fender Mustang LT25, set Amp Model CHAMP, Gain 4.5, Volume 6, Treble 6, Bass 5, Middle 6, Stomp None, Mod None, Delay None, Reverb SMALL ROOM; on the electric guitar with two humbuckers, Pickup Selector Bridge, Volume 8, Tone 7. Set Master to your room. They are AI-assisted starting points; adjust them by ear on your own amp.
Can I get the Layla tone on my own amp?
Yes. The settings above cover 3 reference amps and any amp with the basic controls. For your exact rig, KnobMaster, an iPhone app, sets every knob of your own amp, guitar and pedals for Layla, using only the controls your gear has.
Get it for your exact rig
KnobMaster sets every knob of your own amp, guitar and pedals for this song.
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