How to Adjust the Equalizer on a Guitar Amp

Adjust your amp's equalizer to manipulate your guitar tone.

Although there are hundreds of makes and models of guitar amps, most guitar amps have an equalizer with knobs for adjusting the treble, midrange and bass. To get the most out of these controls, it is important to understand how each control affects the sound of your guitar. Although each control is important and affects your guitar tone in a different way, the midrange control is most influential in defining the sound of your guitar tone. This is because most of a guitar's audible frequencies lie within the midrange.

Instructions

1. Adjust the treble frequency knob on your guitar amp to manipulate the high frequency content of your guitar tone. If your guitar sounds dull or lacks presence, turn up the treble knob on the equalizer to add definition to the guitar tone. If your guitar sounds too bright and harsh, turn down the treble knob on the guitar amp to deemphasize these frequencies in your guitar tone.

2. Adjust the midrange frequency knob on your guitar amp to manipulate the midrange frequency content of your guitar tone. Turn up the midrange knob on the equalizer to make the guitar tone sound more aggressive and have more attack. Turn down the midrange knob on the equalizer to 'scoop' out the mids, giving the guitar tone a more mellow sound with less attack.

3. Adjust the bass frequency knob on your guitar amp to manipulate the low frequency content of your guitar tone. If your guitar is thin sounding, turn up the bass knob on the equalizer to add fullness to your guitar tone. If your guitar has too much bass and sounds boomy, turn down the bass knob on the equalizer to thin out the tone.

Tips & Warnings

• The adjusted sounds are all subjective. There is no right or wrong adjustment, it is whatever sound mix you prefer for the song you are playing.

References

• Learn to Play Rock Guitar: Electric Guitar Amp Sound
• Goodnight Kiss Guitars: Guitar Effects and How to Get a Good Guitar Sound