505 amp settings — Hughes & Kettner Black Spirit 200

The Arctic Monkeys guitar tone for “505”, dialed in for a Hughes & Kettner Black Spirit 200 with a Fender American Professional II Stratocaster. Studio version, Favourite Worst Nightmare (2007) — clean/ambient intro and verse tone

Original rig

Fender Stratocaster → Boss DSD-3 delay → Ibanez TS-808 (light drive) → Selmer Zodiac Twin 30 and/or 1960s Magnatone with built-in spring reverb and vibrato

Dark, haunting clean with lush spring reverb, subtle grit on note attack, atmospheric short delay, smooth single-coil clarity, slightly scooped mids, moody and withheld sustain

Amp settings — Hughes & Kettner Black Spirit 200

CHANNELCleanBRIGHToffBOOSToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	2
Bass	5
Mid	4
Treble	5
Presence	4
Reverb	7
Master	5

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Guitar

PICKUPneck TONE7 VOLUME8

Signal chain

01Delay (RECOMMENDED — Boss DD-7 or similar digital delay)

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned. Short slapback delay around 300-400ms, low feedback for atmosphere without wash. Run into amp front input.

E.Level 4 · F.Back 3 · D.Time 3 · Mode ANALOG or STANDARD

Why these settings

The Black Spirit 200's Clean channel is voiced modern and tight compared to the vintage Selmer Zodiac's looser, warmer response. Gain at 2 adds the subtle grit Turner got from the Magnatone's natural breakup without pushing into crunch. Mid scooped to 4 (vs typical 5-6) compensates for the H&K's more present midrange voicing. Rolling tone knob to 7 and volume to 8 on your Strat darkens the top end and softens attack to match the moody, withheld character of the original. The built-in reverb at 7 approximates the lush spring reverb from Turner's vintage amps.

PRO TIPUse your Strat's vibrato arm for subtle pitch wobbles on sustained chords — Turner accents chord strikes with arm vibrato throughout the track, which is central to the haunting atmosphere. Keep the movements slow and shallow, not dive-bombs.

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These settings are for a Hughes & Kettner Black Spirit 200. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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