🎸 Blues · 2010s+

The Well by Marcus King (Riff · Distorted) — Guitar Tone

by Marcus King · riff

The Well by Marcus King guitar tone is built on a 1965 Fender Super Reverb, dialed in at gain 4.5/10, bass 5.5, mid 8, treble 6.5, presence 6 (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)

4.5

GAIN

5.5

BASS

MID

6.5

TREBLE

PRESENCE

3.5

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 54 blues tones in our researched catalog: Gain 4.5 sits right around the blues average (4.6); mids at 8 are above average (6.5) — mid-forward, built to cut through a mix.

Guitar controls

8-9

VOLUME

6-7

TONE

Original gear

Guitar: Gibson ES-345 (vintage, likely 1960s, semi-hollow, stereo wiring, stop tailpiece) · Amp: 1965 Fender Super Reverb (modded with Weber Blue Back speakers)

Studio recording for 'The Well' (from 2020's 'El Dorado'), produced by Dan Auerbach. Marcus King is confirmed to use his ES-345 and Super Reverb for core riff tones in the studio. Tube Screamer is always on as a master volume/boost. Settings are for studio, not live.

Gear used on this tone

🎚️ humbucker guitars songs & tones →🎚️ Tube Screamer songs & tones →🎚️ Ibanez RG songs & tones →

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

Pickups

Neck pickup (occasionally middle position for added clarity)

Signal chain

Gibson ES-345 (vintage, likely 1960s, semi-hollow, stereo wiring, stop tailpiece) → Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer → 1965 Fender Super Reverb (modded with Weber Blue Back speakers)

Effects

overdrive, reverb

Amp effects: Reverb (spring, level 4)

Tone character

mid-forward and vocal, warm and thick, edge-of-breakup crunch, touch-sensitive, articulate pick attack, dynamic and expressive, singing sustain, slightly compressed, tight, punchy lows, classic blues-rock bite

Recording context

studio

How it’s played

straight, medium tempo, loud dynamics · crunch distortion. This shapes how hard the amp is pushed and where the EQ sits for the The Well sound.

Difficulty

3.5/5 · Riff

The riff requires intermediate to advanced blues-rock technique, with dynamic picking, muting, and expressive phrasing to achieve the signature Marcus King sound. The edge-of-breakup tone demands careful right-hand control.

Worth knowing

No direct studio knob-by-knob settings for 'The Well' found; amp EQ values estimated from multiple interviews and typical Marcus King settings for Super Reverb.
Pedal settings (TS9) not specified for this song; inferred from Marcus King's typical use as always-on low-gain boost.
Pickup selector not explicitly stated for 'The Well' riff, but neck pickup is Marcus King's default for thick blues-rock rhythm.
Presence control is not on vintage Super Reverb; value estimated for completeness.
No evidence of additional effects (delay, chorus, etc.) on the riff section; only overdrive and amp reverb used.
Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Marcus King favors a thick, blues-rock tone with plenty of midrange and warmth, using vintage-style amps (often Marshall or Dumble-inspired) set at edge-of-breakup to crunchy. The riff in 'The Well' has a saturated, mid-forward sound with strong low end and moderate ambience, matching these settings.

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

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The Well guitar tone — FAQ

What amp settings do I need for the The Well guitar tone?

Set your amp to roughly: gain 4.5, bass 5.5, mid 8, treble 6.5, presence 6, reverb 3.5. These are community-researched baselines — GuitarToneAdapt re-dials them for your exact guitar and amp.

What gear was used for the The Well tone?

Original gear/effects: Guitar: Gibson ES-345 (vintage, likely 1960s, semi-hollow, stereo wiring, stop tailpiece) · Amp: 1965 Fender Super Reverb (modded with Weber Blue Back speakers); overdrive, reverb.

Can I get the The Well 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 Marcus King on The Well — what gear and pedals?

Start with Neck pickup (occasionally middle position for added clarity), the amp EQ above (gain 4.5, bass 5.5, mid 8, treble 6.5, presence 6, reverb 3.5), and overdrive, reverb. Then let GuitarToneAdapt compensate for the guitar, amp and pedals you actually own so it sits like the record.

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Sources

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