Tone library / Chris Stapleton / Tennessee Whiskey

Tennessee Whiskey amp settings — Donner Arena 2000

The Chris Stapleton guitar tone for “Tennessee Whiskey”, dialed in for a Donner Arena 2000 with a Squier Classic Vibe 50s Telecaster. Studio version, Traveller (2015) — signature intro lead and fills

Original rig

1962 Fender Jazzmaster reissue (neck pickup) → Fender '62 Princeton 12W tube combo (edge-of-breakup) with onboard spring reverb

Warm, smooth, vocal sustain with rich low-mids and soft edge-of-breakup saturation

Amp settings — Donner Arena 2000

CHANNELUS DLX / '65 Princeton model + 1x12 cab IRBRIGHToffBOOSToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	5
Bass	6
Mid	6
Treble	5
Presence	4
Reverb	5
Master	7

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Guitar

PICKUPneck TONE7 VOLUME9

Signal chain

01Compressor Block (Comp)

Placed first to add vocal bloom and sustain without harsh clipping

Sustain 5 · Attack 4 · Level 6

02Transparent OD Block (Pure Boost / Blues OD)

Set as a light clean boost to push the amp model right to the edge of breakup

Gain 3 · Tone 5 · Level 7

03Spring Reverb Block (Spring)

Emulates the Princeton's lush vintage tube spring reverb

Decay 4 · Tone 5 · Mix 4

Why these settings

The Squier 50s Telecaster neck pickup is naturally tighter and slightly brighter than a wide-bobbin '62 Jazzmaster pickup, so roll your guitar tone back to 7 and push the Donner's mid EQ to 6 to restore that thick vocal warmth. We use the Donner Arena 2000's American blackpanel model at moderate gain paired with a subtle transparent boost block to nail the tactile edge-of-breakup compression of a cranked 12W Princeton.

PRO TIPPick with the meat of your thumb or the side of your pick over the 15th fret rather than down near the bridge; this softens your initial transient attack and gives you the warm, round horn-like bloom Chris gets on the opening triad licks.

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These settings are for a Donner Arena 2000. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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