Tone library / David bowie / The Man Who Sold The World

The Man Who Sold The World amp settings — Line 6 Pod Go

The David bowie guitar tone for “The Man Who Sold The World”, dialed in for a Line 6 Pod Go with a Epiphone Les Paul Studio. Studio version, The Man Who Sold the World (1970)

Original rig

Mick Ronson: Gibson Les Paul Custom → Marshall 200 Major (The Pig) with all knobs at 10, wah pedal used in fixed positions for mid-range boost. Volume controlled from guitar.

Thick, warm British crunch with fat midrange, natural tube saturation from cranked Marshall, slightly compressed sustain
Amp settings — Line 6 Pod Go
CHANNELBrit Plexi (or Plexi Brt)BRIGHToffBOOSToff
GAIN 7 BASS 7 MID 6 TREBLE 6 PRESENCE 5 REVERB 0
KnobSetting (0–10)
Gain7
Bass7
Mid6
Treble6
Presence5
Reverb0
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Guitar
PICKUPneck TONE6 VOLUME10
Why these settings

Ronson ran his Marshall fully cranked with volume control from the guitar. On Pod Go, select the Brit Plexi model to capture that 70s Marshall saturation. Gain at 7 replicates the natural breakup of a dimed Plexi without the excessive fizz of digital clipping. Mid at 6 keeps Ronson's fat, warm character; presence pulled to 5 because the Plexi model runs brighter than the original 200 Major head.

PRO TIPRonson used a wah pedal locked in a fixed heel-down position as a midrange filter — on Pod Go, add a wah block and leave it static around 20-30% for that nasal, focused thickness on rhythm parts.

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These settings are for a Line 6 Pod Go. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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