Tone Settings for Little Black Submarines by The Black Keys (guitar and amp)

1. Volume

• Start low or clean for the intro (acoustic-style part)
• Increase dramatically for the second half – this replicates the dynamic shift
• Use volume knob on the guitar or pedal for transitions

2. Tone

• Warm and mellow for the opening – roll the tone knob back slightly
• Bright and gritty for the electric lead section – turn tone knob all the way up
• Slight overdrive or fuzz for authenticity in the second half

3. Pickup Selector

• Use neck pickup for the clean intro to get a full, round sound
• Switch to bridge pickup for the distorted electric section
• Middle position not recommended for this song

4. Humbucker or Single Coil Preferred?

• Humbuckers preferred for the electric section to capture thick, gritty tone
• Single coil can work for the intro but lacks the needed fullness for second half
• A guitar with coil-splitting options offers extra versatility

5. Ideal Guitar Type: Acoustic / Electric

• Start with an acoustic or acoustic-sounding electric for the intro
• Switch to a solid body electric (e.g., Gibson Les Paul, semi-hollow with humbuckers) for the full band section
• Alternatively, use an electric with clean setting and then engage drive pedal mid-song

• Gibson Les Paul Standard: Provides warm, rich tones ideal for the song’s heavier second half.
• Fender Twin Reverb Amp: Delivers pristine clean tones for the intro section.
• Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi: Classic fuzz pedal to emulate the saturated tones in the solo.
• Cry Baby Wah Pedal: Used for expressive lead work and tonal dynamics.
• Boss DS-1 Distortion: Great for adding gritty crunch during the song’s buildup.
• TC Electronic Hall of Fame Reverb: Adds depth and ambience to clean and solo parts.
• MXR Carbon Copy Analog Delay: Useful for subtle echo during the clean intro.

• Use a warm, overdriven tone for the electric guitar solo section.
• Start with a clean, dynamic acoustic sound; use light reverb.
• Match the transition from clean to dirty tone at the song’s midpoint.
• Set amp gain moderately high; avoid excessive distortion.
• Use a bridge pickup for the riff-heavy second half.
• Dial in midrange frequencies to cut through the mix effectively.
• Keep delay and modulation effects minimal or off.
• Use palm muting strategically for dynamic contrast.
• Match the tempo swell with controlled volume and attack.
• Ensure guitar stays slightly raw to preserve garage rock feel.