Tone library / B.B. King / The Thrill Is Gone

The Thrill Is Gone amp settings — Fender Champion 50XL

The B.B. King guitar tone for “The Thrill Is Gone”, dialed in for a Fender Champion 50XL with a Fender Player Stratocaster. Studio version, Completely Well (1969)

Original rig

Gibson ES-355TD-SV (both pickups, Varitone switch in position 2) plugged straight into a Fender Twin Reverb amp with onboard spring reverb

Clean, punchy, midrange-forward with a slightly nasal honk, bright attack but rolled-off high treble, vocal-like sustain with signature hummingbird vibrato

Amp settings — Fender Champion 50XL

CHANNELChannel 1 (Clean / 65 Twin Reverb voice)BRIGHToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	3
Bass	5
Treble	4
Reverb	3
Master	5

Don’t have a Fender Champion 50XL? See this song on other amps → Match your own rig →

Guitar

PICKUPneck+middle TONE6 VOLUME9

Why these settings

The Fender Champion 50XL faceplate features a 2-band Bass/Treble EQ (no dedicated mid knob or presence knob), so Treble is pulled back to 4 to round off single-coil glassiness. Using the neck+middle position on the Strat combined with the tone knob rolled down to 6 simulates the nasal, hollow honk of B.B. King's ES-355 Varitone position 2. Your Cry Baby wah pedals should remain bypassed for this authentic studio tone.

PRO TIPPick with the meat of your thumb and index finger rather than a hard pick attack, and apply fast, tight horizontal vibrato from the wrist only when sustaining notes after the initial stroke.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Fender Champion 50XL. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

Get ToneAdapt on Google Play

More tones for the Fender Champion 50XL

MIRROR TUNEZUTOMAYO EverlongFoo fighters Nothing Is foreverCaliban Sweet Child O' MineGuns N' Roses The WagonDinosaur Jr.Smeel teen spiritNirvana

Find your amp

Browse

Fender Champion 50XL settingsALL SONGS FOR THIS AMP The Thrill Is Gone on other ampsSAME SONG, YOUR AMP Fender Player Stratocaster tonesSAME GUITAR Tone libraryEVERYTHING

Song, artist and gear names are used to identify the tone being matched; ToneAdapt is not affiliated with or endorsed by the artists or manufacturers mentioned. Settings are AI-generated starting points — trust your ears.