🎸 Rock · 2010s+

Speaking With a Ghost by Citizen (Riff · Clean) — Guitar Tone

by Citizen · riff

The Speaking With a Ghost by Citizen guitar tone is built on a Marshall JCM800 2210, dialed in at gain 0/10, bass 6, mid 6.5, 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)

GAIN

BASS

6.5

MID

6.5

TREBLE

5.5

PRESENCE

2.5

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 0 sits well below the rock average (4.8) — cleaner and more dynamic than typical rock; mids at 6.5 are right around average (6.2).

Guitar controls

8-9

VOLUME

7-8

TONE

Original gear

Guitar: Fender Telecaster MIM · Amp: Marshall JCM800 2210

Studio recording, 2013 album 'Youth'. Guitarist Nick Hamm used a MIM Fender Telecaster tuned to Drop C and a Marshall JCM800 2210 for the album. No explicit mention of alternative guitars or amps for the clean section. No studio-specific pedalboard photos for this song's clean part.

Gear used on this tone

🎚️ Marshall JCM800 songs & tones →🎚️ Marshall songs & tones →🎚️ Fender Telecaster songs & tones →🎚️ single-coil guitars songs & tones →

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

Pickups

Bridge pickup

Signal chain

Fender Telecaster MIM → Marshall JCM800 2210

Effects

reverb

Amp effects: Reverb (spring, level 3)

Tone character

bright and articulate, clear and chimey, tight low end, slightly compressed attack, dynamic response, present top end, distinct Telecaster spank, no audible drive or fuzz, mild amp breakup at peaks, no chorus or modulation effects

Recording context

studio

How it’s played

straight, medium tempo, medium dynamics · clean distortion. This shapes how hard the amp is pushed and where the EQ sits for the Speaking With a Ghost sound.

Difficulty

2.5/5 · Riff

The riff requires precise picking and dynamic control to maintain clarity and articulation, but does not involve advanced techniques or fast tempo.

Worth knowing

Gain adjusted to 0 for clean tone
No explicit studio amp settings or pedalboard photos for the clean section of 'Speaking With a Ghost'.
Amp settings estimated based on typical JCM800 clean tone for Telecaster in modern rock context.
No evidence of chorus, delay, or modulation effects in the clean riff section; only mild reverb is audible.
Pedal use for clean section is not confirmed; EQD Palisades overdrive is associated with album but not used for clean tone.
Pickup choice inferred from typical Telecaster clean usage and audible tone.
Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Citizen's 'Speaking With a Ghost' riff features a saturated, punchy modern emo/post-hardcore tone with strong midrange presence, moderate bass for clarity, and restrained reverb for tightness. The gain is set for a crunchy, dynamic drive typical of the genre and era, reflecting their likely use of Orange or Marshall-style amps with mid-forward settings.

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

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Speaking With a Ghost guitar tone — FAQ

What amp settings do I need for the Speaking With a Ghost guitar tone?

Set your amp to roughly: gain 0, bass 6, mid 6.5, treble 6.5, presence 5.5, reverb 2.5. These are community-researched baselines — GuitarToneAdapt re-dials them for your exact guitar and amp.

What gear was used for the Speaking With a Ghost tone?

Original gear/effects: Guitar: Fender Telecaster MIM · Amp: Marshall JCM800 2210; reverb.

Can I get the Speaking With a Ghost 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 Citizen on Speaking With a Ghost — what gear and pedals?

Start with Bridge pickup, the amp EQ above (gain 0, bass 6, mid 6.5, treble 6.5, presence 5.5, reverb 2.5), and reverb. Then let GuitarToneAdapt compensate for the guitar, amp and pedals you actually own so it sits like the record.

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