Amp Settings for Blue on Black by Kenny Wayne Shepherd (guitars and tone)

1. Volume

• Set your guitar’s volume knob close to maximum (8–10) to drive amp input.
• Control dynamics with feel and picking intensity rather than rolling off volume mid-performance.
• Use volume swells for expressive solo phrasing, similar to blues-rock techniques.

2. Tone

• Keep the tone knob around 6–8 for a warmer, smoother feel while maintaining definition.
• Lower it slightly for rhythm parts or cleaner bluesy textures.
• Raise it slightly toward full (10) for lead parts to cut through the mix with clarity.

3. Pickup Selector

• Use the bridge pickup or bridge-mid combo for sharp, biting overdrive leads.
• Switch to the neck pickup for smoother, sustained solo tones with a rounder edge.
• The middle pickup alone is less common, but can be used for a slightly scooped blues rhythm tone.

4. Humbucker or Single Coil Preferred?

• Humbuckers are preferred for achieving the thicker, warmer gain tones heard in the studio version.
• However, single coils can replicate the tone live with appropriate amp and pedal settings, especially if using a hotter single coil or mini humbucker.
• Consider using a Strat with a humbucker in the bridge position (HSS setup) for versatility.

5. Ideal Guitar Type – Fender Stratocaster

• A Fender Stratocaster, preferably with a humbucker in the bridge (HSS), closely matches Shepherd’s tone for this song.
• Maple or rosewood fingerboard can both work, with personal preference guiding feel and brightness.
• Use medium-jumbo frets for easier bending and bluesy vibrato techniques.

• Gibson Les Paul Standard: Offers thick, warm sustain ideal for Kenny Wayne Shepherd’s lead tones.
• Dumble Overdrive Special amp (or clone like the Fuchs ODS): Key to achieving that smooth, responsive overdrive tone.
• Ibanez TS808 Tube Screamer: Used to push the amp for subtle mid boost and creamy overdrive.
• Boss DD-3 Digital Delay: For slapback and subtle ambient delays on lead parts.
• Vox Wah (V847): Used occasionally for expressive phrasing in solos.
• Fender Stratocaster (for alternate tonal option): Great for cleaner lines and glassy neck pickup tones.

• Use moderate gain for gritty but defined tone on rhythm guitar.
• Set amp EQ to emphasize mids and slightly cut highs (e.g., Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 4).
• Prefer bridge humbucker pickup for main riff and solos.
• Use delay with short feedback and mix at ~25% for solos.
• Keep reverb subtle to maintain clarity.
• Use a blues overdrive pedal (e.g., Tube Screamer) for lead boost.
• Volume roll-off on guitar for cleaner verses without changing amp settings.
• Set compressor for light sustain enhancement (low ratio, medium threshold).
• Tune guitar to standard E; use medium-gauge strings for full tone.
• Palm mute power chords in verse sections for dynamic contrast.