🎸 Rock · 2000s

505 by Arctic Monkeys (Solo · Clean) — Guitar Tone

by Arctic Monkeys · solo

The 505 by Arctic Monkeys guitar tone is built on a Selmer Zodiac, dialed in at gain 3.5/10, bass 6, mid 7, treble 6.5, presence 5.5 (community-researched baseline). Full breakdown below — then adapt every knob to your exact guitar and amp, free.

🎛️ These settings are for the original rig — re-dial them for YOUR amp in 10 seconds. Free, no signup →

Amp settings (0–10)

3.5

GAIN

BASS

MID

6.5

TREBLE

5.5

PRESENCE

REVERB

Community-researched baseline. Your rig is different — GuitarToneAdapt re-dials every knob for your specific guitar, amp and pickups.

How these settings compare

Measured against the 540 rock tones in our researched catalog: Gain 3.5 sits below the rock average (4.8) — cleaner and more dynamic than typical rock; mids at 7 are right around average (6.2).

Guitar controls

8-9

VOLUME

7-8

TONE

Original gear

Guitar: Fender Bronco · Amp: Selmer Zodiac (crocodile-skin) and/or 1960s Magnatone (studio recording, Favourite Worst Nightmare era)

Studio recording, 2006-2007. Alex Turner primarily used his Fender Bronco through a Selmer Zodiac and/or 1960s Magnatone amp for the Favourite Worst Nightmare album. Vox AC30 was also used live, but studio sources confirm the Selmer/Magnatone pairing for this era and album. Settings estimated due to lack of explicit numbers in sources.

Gear used on this tone

🎚️ Vox AC30 songs & tones →🎚️ single-coil guitars songs & tones →

Don’t own this gear? GuitarToneAdapt re-creates the sound on the rig you actually have.

Pickups

Neck pickup

Signal chain

Fender Bronco → Delay pedal (model unknown) → Selmer Zodiac (crocodile-skin) and/or 1960s Magnatone (studio recording, Favourite Worst Nightmare era)

Effects

delay, reverb

Amp effects: Reverb (spring, level 7.5)

Tone character

clean and shimmery, ambient and atmospheric, bright but not harsh, lush spring reverb, short, fast delay repeats, slightly scooped mids, smooth single-coil clarity, subtle modulation/vibrato, open and airy, not compressed or saturated

Recording context

studio

How it’s played

straight, medium tempo, soft dynamics · clean distortion. This shapes how hard the amp is pushed and where the EQ sits for the 505 sound.

Difficulty

2.5/5 · Solo

The solo is not technically demanding in terms of speed or advanced techniques, but requires careful control of clean tone, timing with delay, and expressive phrasing to maintain the song's atmospheric feel.

Worth knowing

No explicit numeric amp settings found for '505' solo; settings estimated based on typical Selmer/Magnatone clean tones and forum advice.
Pedal/effect models not confirmed for this specific song/section; delay and reverb are clearly audible and universally agreed upon.
Vox AC30 is often cited for live, but studio sources for Favourite Worst Nightmare confirm Selmer Zodiac and Magnatone as primary amps.
No evidence of chorus, flanger, or phaser in the solo; only reverb, delay, and possibly subtle vibrato/modulation.
Pickup choice inferred from 'single coil' and 'warm, clean' tone descriptors.
Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. The '505' solo has a mid-forward, British-voiced crunch typical of Alex Turner's Vox/Marshall setups from this era, with moderate gain, warm bass, and slightly restrained treble to avoid harshness. The reverb is subtle, likely added in post, and the overall tone is classic indie/alt rock with a smooth, singing lead.

⚡ Same tone, YOUR gear — re-dials the gain & EQ for your amp and pickups, free →

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505 guitar tone — FAQ

What amp settings do I need for the 505 guitar tone?

Set your amp to roughly: gain 3.5, bass 6, mid 7, treble 6.5, presence 5.5, reverb 5. These are community-researched baselines — GuitarToneAdapt re-dials them for your exact guitar and amp.

What gear was used for the 505 tone?

Original gear/effects: Guitar: Fender Bronco · Amp: Selmer Zodiac (crocodile-skin) and/or 1960s Magnatone (studio recording, Favourite Worst Nightmare era); delay, reverb.

Can I get the 505 tone on a different guitar or amp?

Yes. Different guitars and amps need different knob positions to sound the same. GuitarToneAdapt models pickup output and wood brightness, then compensates so you match the record on your own rig.

How do I sound like Arctic Monkeys on 505 — what gear and pedals?

Start with Neck pickup, the amp EQ above (gain 3.5, bass 6, mid 7, treble 6.5, presence 5.5, reverb 5), and delay, reverb. Then let GuitarToneAdapt compensate for the guitar, amp and pedals you actually own so it sits like the record.

Share this tone

Sources

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More like this

🎸 How to get Arctic Monkeys’s guitar tone → · 🎸 more Rock guitar tones → · 🎛️ best rock amp settings → · 🎸 more iconic guitar solos → · 🎚️ Delay tone guide → · 🎯 more scooped mids tones → · 📖 New to amp settings? What every knob does →

Settings are community-researched estimates, not official. GuitarToneAdapt adapts them to your gear. guitartoneadapt.com