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

Smoke On The Water guitar tone on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3: Crunch amp type, low gain (Gain 4.5), forward mids (Middle 6.5), bright top (Treble 6.5), bridge pickup.

Settings for your amp

Pick a reference amp

The song has distinct sounds: Echo solo. Each rig below lists what to change for them.

Smoke On The Water settings on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3

BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3 settings for every song

AmpBOSS Katana 50 Gen 3

VariationOff
Amp TypeCrunch
Gain4.5
Volume6Sets the amp section level and drive balance.
Bass4
Middle6.5
Treble6.5
Booster ColorGreen
Booster2
Mod0
FX0
Delay0
Reverb ColorGreen
Reverb1.5
Set to your roomMaster
Set to your roomPower Control

GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers

Pickup SelectorBridge
Volume10Full output gives the amp a firm, lively drive.
Tone8
The same settings in text

Amp

Variation
Off
Amp Type
Crunch
Gain
4.5
Volume
6
Bass
4
Middle
6.5
Treble
6.5
Booster Color
Green
Booster
2
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
10
Tone
8

Smoke On The Water settings on a Positive Grid Spark 40

Positive Grid Spark 40 settings for every song

AmpPositive Grid Spark 40

Amp TypeCrunch
Gain5.5
Bass4.5
Mid6.5
Treble7.5
Set to your roomMaster
Mod0
Delay0
Reverb2
Set to your roomOutput
App Amp ModelPlexiglasin the app, optional
App DriveBoosterin the app, optional
App Comp/WahOffin the app, optional
App Mod/EQOffin the app, optional
App DelayEcho Tapein the app, optional
App ReverbRoom Studio Bin the app, optional

GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers

Pickup SelectorBridge
Volume8Back off slightly to tame humbucker output into the boost.
Tone8
The same settings in text

Amp

Amp Type
Crunch
Gain
5.5
Bass
4.5
Mid
6.5
Treble
7.5
Master
Set to your room
Mod
0
Delay
0
Reverb
2
Output
Set to your room
App Amp Model
Plexiglas
App Drive
Booster
App Comp/Wah
Off
App Mod/EQ
Off
App Delay
Echo Tape
App Reverb
Room Studio B

Electric guitar with two humbuckers

Pickup Selector
Bridge
Volume
8
Tone
8

A Strat-style single-coil guitar would better match Blackmore’s bright attack.

Smoke On The Water settings on a Fender Mustang LT25

Fender Mustang LT25 settings for every song

AmpFender Mustang LT25

Amp Model70S ROCKin the menu
Gain5.5
Volume5Set the preset level without changing the room loudness.
Treble6.5
Bass4.5
Middle6.5in the menu
Set to your roomMaster
Stomp5-BAND EQin the menu
ModNonein the menu
DelayNonein the menu
ReverbSMALL ROOMin the menu

GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers

Pickup SelectorBridge
Volume10Full output gives the amp model a firm drive.
Tone8
The same settings in text

Amp

Amp Model
70S ROCK
Gain
5.5
Volume
5
Treble
6.5
Bass
4.5
Middle
6.5
Master
Set to your room
Stomp
5-BAND EQ
Mod
None
Delay
None
Reverb
SMALL ROOM

Electric guitar with two humbuckers

Pickup Selector
Bridge
Volume
10
Tone
8

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

Amp

Gain5.5
Bass4.5
Mid7
Treble6

GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers

Pickup SelectorBridge
Volume8.5Backed off slightly to keep the amp crunchy, not overly saturated.
Tone8
The same settings in text

Amp

Gain
5.5
Bass
4.5
Mid
7
Treble
6

Electric guitar with two humbuckers

Pickup Selector
Bridge
Volume
8.5
Tone
8

Add a tape-style delay for the solo echo.

Song parts

BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3

  1. Echo solo:

    Delay Color Red, Delay 3, Pickup Selector Neck

    .

    Use the neck pickup; let the echo bloom.

Song parts

Positive Grid Spark 40

  1. Echo solo:

    Delay 4, Reverb 3.5, Pickup Selector Neck

    .

    Use neck pickup; let the tape echo bloom.

Song parts

Fender Mustang LT25

  1. Echo solo:

    Delay ECHO, Pickup Selector Neck

    .

    Switch to the neck pickup and use the echo.

Song parts

Any amp with Gain, Bass, Mid, Treble

  1. Echo solo:

    Pickup Selector Neck

    .

    Use the neck pickup; add tape-style echo if available.

The control panel of a vintage guitar amplifier, close up

Why it sounds like that

Guitar strings over the frets, close up

Ritchie Blackmore plucked the riff as double-stop fourths in third position rather than strumming it, on a large-headstock, maple-board Fender Stratocaster. For the album he used a Marshall amp, with a Hornby Skewes treble booster adding a more biting top end and a subtle touch of distortion. The bulk of the guitar tracks were cut in an empty theater, which gave the sound a unique ambience. The solo used a Stratocaster neck pickup, and a Revox tape recorder supplied its echo.

  • Play the riff as harmonized parallel fourths, plucked rather than picked, in third position.
  • Pluck the double-stop fourths with your fingers, not a pick.

What amp did Ritchie Blackmore use on Smoke On The Water?

A guitarist’s pedalboard, a dozen pedals cabled together

Ritchie Blackmore

Guitar
Fender Stratocaster[1]
Amp
100-watt Marshall amp[2]
Effects
Hornby Skewes treble booster[2]

Ritchie Blackmore · Echo solo

Guitar
Fender Stratocaster[2]
  • Blackmore used his famous 1968 black Stratocaster to record the song. (on this song)[1]
  • Blackmore described the riff as harmonized parallel fourths, plucked and never picked, in third position. (on this song)[1]
  • Echo solo: The echo on the solo came from a Revox tape recorder. (on this song)[1]
  • Guitar Player says Blackmore plucked the riff's double-stop fourths, rather than strumming them, on a large-headstock CBS-era maple-board Fender Stratocaster. (on this song)[2]
  • Blackmore used both Marshall and Vox amps during the album's sessions. (on the album Machine Head)[2]
  • A Hornby-Skewes Treble Booster added a more biting top end and a subtle touch of distortion during the album's sessions. (on the album Machine Head)[2]
  • Blackmore used a 100-watt Marshall amp with four speakers in the cabinet on the album. (on the album Machine Head)[3]
  • Blackmore used a Hornby Skewes treble booster on the album. (on the album Machine Head)[3]
  • Blackmore plucked the double-stop fourths with his fingers, not a pick. (on this song)[3]
  • The bulk of the guitar tracks were cut in an empty theater in Switzerland, giving the sound a unique ambience. (on this song)[2]
  • Echo solo: Blackmore cut the solo using a Stratocaster neck pickup, with his amp isolated in a separate space. (on this song)[2]
  • Blackmore made up the riff on the spur of the moment. (on this song)[4]
  • On tour, Blackmore usually plugged into a factory-modified 200-watt Marshall Major head and two cabinets. (on tour)[3]

Questions

What amp did Ritchie Blackmore use on Smoke On The Water?

The sources on this page document Ritchie Blackmore's gear on Smoke On The Water by Deep Purple: guitar, Fender Stratocaster [1]; amp, 100-watt Marshall amp [2]; effects, Hornby Skewes treble booster [2]. 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 BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3?

For the Smoke On The Water guitar tone on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3, set Amp Type Crunch, Gain 4.5, Volume 6, Bass 4, Middle 6.5, Treble 6.5, Booster Color Green, Booster 2, Mod 0, FX 0, Delay 0, Reverb Color Green, Reverb 1.5; on the electric guitar with two humbuckers, Pickup Selector Bridge, Volume 10, Tone 8. 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 Smoke On The Water settings on a Positive Grid Spark 40?

For the Smoke On The Water guitar tone on a Positive Grid Spark 40, set Amp Type Crunch, Gain 5.5, Bass 4.5, Mid 6.5, Treble 7.5, Mod 0, Delay 0, Reverb 2, App Amp Model Plexiglas, App Drive Booster, App Delay Echo Tape, App Reverb Room Studio B; on the electric guitar with two humbuckers, Pickup Selector Bridge, Volume 8, Tone 8. Set Master and Output 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 a Fender Mustang LT25?

For the Smoke On The Water guitar tone on a Fender Mustang LT25, set Amp Model 70S ROCK, Gain 5.5, Volume 5, Treble 6.5, Bass 4.5, Middle 6.5, Stomp 5-BAND EQ, Mod None, Delay None, Reverb SMALL ROOM; on the electric guitar with two humbuckers, Pickup Selector Bridge, Volume 10, Tone 8. Set Master 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 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 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, guitar and pedals for this song.

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