Artist
Weezer amp settings and guitar tones
2 songs, each with a starting point and the rig from its sources
What amp settings do you need for Weezer?
Tonelify's library has 2 Weezer songs, each with the rig reported in interviews and articles and a reference starting point on a generic five-knob amp. Both songs start at the same position, Gain 6, Bass 5, Middle 6, Treble 6, Presence 5, Reverb 1, because a starting point follows the style of the part and these share one, so the effects and the playing are what set them apart.
The numbers below are the same ones each song page gives. The rig for each song is on its own page with the sources it comes from.
Weezer songs and their starting points
A circular picked riff under talky verses, then thick distortion in the chorus.
Start at Gain 6, Bass 5, Middle 6, Treble 6, Presence 5, Reverb 1, with the bridge pickup.
- Guitar
- Ric Ocasek's Les Paul Junior and Special (album rig)
- Amp
- Mesa/Boogie Mark I into a Marshall cab (album rig)
Undone: full settings, rig and sources →A loud, poppy wall of guitar and a solo that ends on a high-pitched lick.
Start at Gain 6, Bass 5, Middle 6, Treble 6, Presence 5, Reverb 1, with the bridge pickup.
- Guitar
- Ric Ocasek's Les Paul Junior and Special (album rig)
- Amp
- Mesa/Boogie Mark I into a Marshall cab (album rig)
Buddy Holly: full settings, rig and sources →These are positions on a generic five-knob amp with gain, bass, middle, treble and presence, each running 0 to 10. They are a starting point, not the settings used on the record, and they will not transfer unchanged to an amp with a different gain structure or EQ voicing.
What gear did Weezer use?
| Song | Guitar and amp |
|---|
| Undone | Ric Ocasek's Les Paul Junior and Special (album rig)Mesa/Boogie Mark I into a Marshall cab (album rig) |
|---|
| Buddy Holly | Ric Ocasek's Les Paul Junior and Special (album rig)Mesa/Boogie Mark I into a Marshall cab (album rig) |
|---|
Tonelify reads each of these chains and translates it to the amp and guitar you already own. Adapt one to your gear →
Weezer tone questions
What amp settings do you need for Weezer?
On a generic five-knob amp, Undone and Buddy Holly both start at Gain 6, Bass 5, Middle 6, Treble 6, Presence 5, Reverb 1: a starting point follows the style of the part, and these share one. These are starting points, not the settings used on the records.
What gear did Weezer use on these songs?
Undone: Ric Ocasek's Les Paul Junior and Special (album rig); Mesa/Boogie Mark I into a Marshall cab (album rig). Buddy Holly: Ric Ocasek's Les Paul Junior and Special (album rig); Mesa/Boogie Mark I into a Marshall cab (album rig). Each song page lists the sources behind its rig.
Can you get the Weezer tone without the original gear?
Yes. What carries these sounds is the gain structure, the EQ curve, the pickup position and the order of the effects, and all four can be rebuilt on other equipment. Tonelify rewrites each starting point for the amp and guitar you own.