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Smoke On The Water (Deep Purple) bass tone and bass amp settings

Smoke On The Water bass tone on a Fender Rumble 40 V3: light drive (Drive 3.5), medium gain (Gain 5.5), forward high-mids (High Mid 2), bridge J pickup.

Settings for your amp

Pick a reference amp

Smoke On The Water settings on a Fender Rumble 40 V3

Fender Rumble 40 V3 settings for every song

AmpFender Rumble 40 V3

Gain5.5
BrightOn
ContourOff
VintageOff
OverdriveOn
Drive3.5
Level5.5
Bass+1
Low Mid+1
High Mid+2
Treble+1
Set to your roomMaster

BassPassive P/J bass

Neck Volume (P)5Adds low-mid body beneath the bridge pickup’s clank.
Bridge Volume (J)8Favors the tighter, more aggressive bridge-pickup character.
Tone8
The same settings in text

Amp

Gain
5.5
Bright
On
Contour
Off
Vintage
Off
Overdrive
On
Drive
3.5
Level
5.5
Bass
+1
Low Mid
+1
High Mid
+2
Treble
+1
Master
Set to your room

Passive P/J bass

Neck Volume (P)
5
Bridge Volume (J)
8
Tone
8

Smoke On The Water settings on an Ampeg Rocket Bass RB-108

Ampeg Rocket Bass RB-108 settings for every song

AmpAmpeg Rocket Bass RB-108

SGTOn
Set to your roomVolume
Bass+1
Midrange+2
Treble+1

BassPassive P/J bass

Neck Volume (P)7Blend in body beneath the brighter bridge pickup.
Bridge Volume (J)8Favor the bridge for a tighter, clankier attack.
Tone8
The same settings in text

Amp

SGT
On
Volume
Set to your room
Bass
+1
Midrange
+2
Treble
+1

Passive P/J bass

Neck Volume (P)
7
Bridge Volume (J)
8
Tone
8

Smoke On The Water settings on any bass amp with Bass, Mid, Treble, Drive

Amp

Bass6
Mid7
Treble6
Drive5.5

BassPassive P/J bass

Neck Volume (P)7Adds low-mid body beneath the bridge pickup’s clanky attack.
Bridge Volume (J)9Emphasizes the tighter, growlier bridge-pickup character.
Tone7
The same settings in text

Amp

Bass
6
Mid
7
Treble
6
Drive
5.5

Passive P/J bass

Neck Volume (P)
7
Bridge Volume (J)
9
Tone
7

A Rickenbacker-style bass through a Marshall-type amp would get closer.

The control panel of a vintage guitar amplifier, close up

Why it sounds like that

Guitar strings over the frets, close up

Roger Glover played bass on Machine Head, and Smoke on the Water was the first song he recorded with the Rickenbacker he had bought new. He ran it through a Marshall amp, and it always came out distorted, with a clanky, thunderous tone. Glover later said he felt the tone was too distorted, with not enough bottom, and that he was not happy with the sound at the time.

What amp did Roger Glover use on Smoke On The Water?

A guitarist’s pedalboard, a dozen pedals cabled together

Roger Glover

Bass
Rickenbacker 4001[2]
Amp
Marshall[4]
  • Guitar World says Roger Glover played bass in the classic Machine Head lineup. (on the album Machine Head)[1]
  • Louder says Glover bought a new Rickenbacker 4001 in New York while Purple were on tour in autumn 1971. (on the album Machine Head)[2]
  • Vintage Guitar says Glover played a Rickenbacker 4001 on Machine Head. (on the album Machine Head)[3]
  • Louder says the first song Glover recorded with the new bass was Smoke on the Water. (on this song)[2]
  • Guitar World describes Glover's Rickenbacker and P-Bass tones on Machine Head as thunderously clanky. (on the album Machine Head)[1]
  • Glover said he used a Rick on Machine Head and was not happy with the sound. (on the album Machine Head)[1]
  • Glover said that by the time he got to Purple, he felt his tone was too distorted, with not enough bottom. (on the album Machine Head)[1]
  • Glover said that in the early days he always ran a Rickenbacker bass through a Marshall amplifier, and it was always distorted. (on the album Machine Head)[4]
  • Blackmore said he threw the riff together with Ian Paice, and Roger Glover joined in. (on this song)[5]

Questions

What amp did Roger Glover use on Smoke On The Water?

The sources on this page document Roger Glover's gear on Smoke On The Water by Deep Purple: bass, Rickenbacker 4001 [2]; amp, Marshall [4]. Each value cites the numbered source it comes from, listed at the foot of the page.

What are the Smoke On The Water settings on a Fender Rumble 40 V3?

For the Smoke On The Water bass tone on a Fender Rumble 40 V3, set Gain 5.5, Bright On, Overdrive On, Drive 3.5, Level 5.5, Bass +1, Low Mid +1, High Mid +2, Treble +1; on the passive P/J bass, Neck Volume (P) 5, Bridge Volume (J) 8, Tone 8. Set Master to your room. They are AI-assisted starting points; adjust them by ear on your own amp.

What are the Smoke On The Water settings on an Ampeg Rocket Bass RB-108?

For the Smoke On The Water bass tone on an Ampeg Rocket Bass RB-108, set SGT On, Bass +1, Midrange +2, Treble +1; on the passive P/J bass, Neck Volume (P) 7, Bridge Volume (J) 8, Tone 8. Set Volume to your room. They are AI-assisted starting points; adjust them by ear on your own amp.

Can I get the Smoke On The Water tone on my own amp?

Yes. The settings above cover 2 reference amps and any amp with the basic controls. For your exact rig, KnobMaster, an iPhone app, sets every knob of your own amp, bass and pedals for Smoke On The Water, using only the controls your gear has.

Get it for your exact rig

KnobMaster sets every knob of your own amp, bass and pedals for this song.

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