Stairway to Heaven (Led Zeppelin) guitar tone and amp settings
Stairway to Heaven guitar tone on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3: Pushed amp type, low gain (Gain 4.5), bright top (Treble 6.5), even mids (Middle 6), bridge pickup.
Settings for your amp
The song has distinct sounds: Acoustic intro, Interlude, Solo. Each rig below lists what to change for them.
Stairway to Heaven settings on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3
BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3 settings for every songThese settings play the solo.
AmpBOSS Katana 50 Gen 3
GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers
The same settings in text
Amp
- Variation
- Off
- Amp Type
- Pushed
- Gain
- 4.5
- Volume
- 6
- Bass
- 4.5
- Middle
- 6
- Treble
- 6.5
- Booster
- 0
- Mod
- 0
- FX
- 0
- Delay
- 0
- Reverb
- 0
- Master
- Set to your room
- Power Control
- Set to your room
Electric guitar with two humbuckers
- Pickup Selector
- Bridge
- Volume
- 10
- Tone
- 8
An acoustic guitar and 12-string would better reproduce the recorded layers.
Stairway to Heaven settings on a Positive Grid Spark 40
Positive Grid Spark 40 settings for every songThese settings play the solo.
AmpPositive Grid Spark 40
GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers
The same settings in text
Amp
- Amp Type
- Glassy
- Gain
- 5.5
- Bass
- 4.5
- Mid
- 6
- Treble
- 6.5
- Master
- Set to your room
- Mod
- 0
- Delay
- 0
- Reverb
- 2
- Output
- Set to your room
- App Amp Model
- Tweed Bass
Electric guitar with two humbuckers
- Pickup Selector
- Bridge
- Volume
- 10
- Tone
- 8
A steel-string acoustic and 12-string are needed to reproduce those parts closely.
Stairway to Heaven settings on a Fender Mustang LT25
Fender Mustang LT25 settings for every songThese settings play the solo.
AmpFender Mustang LT25
GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers
The same settings in text
Amp
- Amp Model
- CHAMP
- Gain
- 4.8
- Volume
- 6.5
- Treble
- 6.5
- Bass
- 4.5
- Middle
- 6.5
- Master
- Set to your room
- Stomp
- None
- Mod
- None
- Delay
- None
- Reverb
- SMALL ROOM
Electric guitar with two humbuckers
- Pickup Selector
- Bridge
- Volume
- 10
- Tone
- 8
A steel-string acoustic is needed to reproduce the intro authentically.
Stairway to Heaven settings on any amp with Gain, Bass, Mid, Treble
Amp
GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers
The same settings in text
Amp
- Gain
- 5.5
- Bass
- 4.5
- Mid
- 6.5
- Treble
- 6.5
Electric guitar with two humbuckers
- Pickup Selector
- Bridge
- Volume
- 10
- Tone
- 7
Add an acoustic guitar and 12-string for the recorded layered textures.
Song parts
BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3
Acoustic intro:
Amp Type Acoustic, Gain 2, Bass 4, Middle 5, Treble 6, Pickup Selector Neck, Volume 8, Tone 6
.Fingerpick gently for the intro’s softer attack.
Interlude:
Amp Type Clean, Gain 3, Bass 4, Middle 5, Pickup Selector Neck + Bridge
.Keep the clean voicing clear and lightly articulated.
Song parts
Positive Grid Spark 40
Acoustic intro:
Amp Type Acoustic, Gain 2, App Amp Model Pure Acoustic, Pickup Selector Neck, Tone 6
.Fingerpick gently for the intro’s softer attack.
Interlude:
Gain 2.5, Pickup Selector Neck + Bridge
.Keep the chords clean and let them ring.
Song parts
Fender Mustang LT25
Acoustic intro:
Amp Model SUPER CLEAN, Gain 1.5, Treble 5.5, Bass 5, Middle 5.5, Pickup Selector Neck, Volume 8, Tone 5.5
.Fingerpick gently and let the notes ring.
Interlude:
Amp Model 60S UK CLN, Gain 2.2, Pickup Selector Neck + Bridge
.Strum the clean part evenly for a layered feel.
Song parts
Any amp with Gain, Bass, Mid, Treble
Acoustic intro:
Gain 2, Bass 4, Mid 5, Treble 7.5, Pickup Selector Neck, Tone 8
.Fingerpick gently for the intro’s softer attack.
Interlude:
Gain 3.5, Bass 4, Mid 5.5, Treble 7, Pickup Selector Neck + Bridge, Tone 8
.Play evenly to suggest the layered 12-string fanfare.
Solo:
Gain 6.5, Treble 7.5
.Pick firmly for the solo’s bright, biting attack.
Why it sounds like that
The sound is built in layers. The intro is a fingerpicked acoustic, and Page has said the Harmony guitar is the one he played on the song. The electric 12-strings are disputed: a Vox Phantom and Fender Electric XII on one side, Rickenbackers recorded direct on the other. Page panned them left and right, and says both were tracked in the fanfare before the solo. The solo is a Fender Telecaster that Jeff Beck had given him, chosen for its bite. For decades the amp was taken to be a Supro, though Page has also said it could have been a Marshall. An electric rhythm part comes in later, and a bottleneck layer was already recorded under the solo.
- Fingerpick the intro on an acoustic, as the recording does.
- Plan only the first two or three notes of the solo, then play the rest by feel.
What amp did Jimmy Page use on Stairway to Heaven?
- Acoustic intro: Page said he played his Harmony guitar on Stairway to Heaven. (on this song)[1]
- Acoustic intro: Guitar.com reports Page used a Harmony Sovereign H1260 for the fingerpicked intro. (on this song)[2]
- Acoustic intro: Guitar.com reports the song's intro is played by fingerpicking. (on this song)[2]
- Acoustic intro: Andy Johns said Page played the acoustic guitar before the bass was put on the track. (on this song)[3]
- Page said he panned his two electric 12-strings, one to the left and one to the right. (on this song)[4]
- Accounts differ: Andy Johns said the two 12-strings were Rickeys he recorded direct, while Page named a Vox Phantom and a Fender Electric XII. (on this song)[3][5]
- Andy Johns said: ‘because he didn't like 'Stairway to Heaven' because I worked on it.’ (on this song)[3]
- Andy Johns said a main electric rhythm part comes in later in the track. (on this song)[3]
- Solo: Page said he used his Fender Telecaster for the solo because he wanted its bite. (on this song)[6]
- Solo: Page said the solo Telecaster was the one Jeff Beck had given him. (on this song)[6]
- Solo: MusicRadar reports the Telecaster used for the solo was a 1959 model. (on this song)[7]
- Solo: Guitar World reports the amp for the Stairway solo was a Supro with a 12-inch speaker. (on this song)[8]
- Guitar World reports Page's amp was originally a 1959 Supro Coronado 1690T. (on the album Led Zeppelin)[8]
- Solo: Accounts differ: Page is quoted as saying the solo amp could have been a Marshall, which goes against the long-held Supro account. (on this song)[7][8]
- Guitar.com reports Page borrowed Mickie Most's J-200 for some of the song's acoustic. (on this song)[2]
- Page said he got a Gibson double-neck because he needed to play the song live. (on the live performances tour)[6]
- Solo: Page said he worked out only the first two or three notes of the solo and played the rest without planning it. (on this song)[6]
- Solo: Page said the solo was ad-libbed and is more like a stream of consciousness than a worked-out part. (on this song)[6]
- Solo: Page said layers were already recorded under the solo, including a bottleneck part. (on this song)[6]
- Page said he first conceived the song around acoustic 12-strings, a layering of guitars and a six-string solo. (on this song)[6]
- Interlude: Page said both electric 12-strings are tracked in the fanfare that leads into the solo. (on this song)[4]
Questions
What amp did Jimmy Page use on Stairway to Heaven?
The sources on this page document Jimmy Page's gear on Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin: amp, Supro [8]. Each value cites the numbered source it comes from, listed at the foot of the page.
What are the Stairway to Heaven settings on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3?
For the Stairway to Heaven guitar tone on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3, set Amp Type Pushed, Gain 4.5, Volume 6, Bass 4.5, Middle 6, Treble 6.5, Booster 0, Mod 0, FX 0, Delay 0, Reverb 0; on the electric guitar with two humbuckers, Pickup Selector Bridge, Volume 10, Tone 8. Set Master and Power Control to your room. These settings play the solo. They are AI-assisted starting points; adjust them by ear on your own amp.
What are the Stairway to Heaven settings on a Positive Grid Spark 40?
For the Stairway to Heaven guitar tone on a Positive Grid Spark 40, set Amp Type Glassy, Gain 5.5, Bass 4.5, Mid 6, Treble 6.5, Mod 0, Delay 0, Reverb 2, App Amp Model Tweed Bass; on the electric guitar with two humbuckers, Pickup Selector Bridge, Volume 10, Tone 8. Set Master and Output to your room. These settings play the solo. They are AI-assisted starting points; adjust them by ear on your own amp.
What are the Stairway to Heaven settings on a Fender Mustang LT25?
For the Stairway to Heaven guitar tone on a Fender Mustang LT25, set Amp Model CHAMP, Gain 4.8, Volume 6.5, Treble 6.5, Bass 4.5, Middle 6.5, Stomp None, 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. These settings play the solo. They are AI-assisted starting points; adjust them by ear on your own amp.
Can I get the Stairway to Heaven 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 Stairway to Heaven, 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.
Download KnobMaster on the App Store