Tone library / Deep Purple / Smoke On the Water

Smoke On the Water amp settings — Spider Line 6

The Deep Purple guitar tone for “Smoke On the Water”, dialed in for a Spider Line 6 with a Ibanez GIO GRG170DX. Studio version, Machine Head (1972) — main riff

Original rig

1968 Fender Stratocaster (single-coils) into Hornby-Skewes Treble Booster into modified 200W Marshall Major

Raw, punchy vintage British crunch with biting upper midrange and tight low end
Amp settings — Spider Line 6
CHANNELCrunch voice (Amber/Green)BOOSToff
GAIN 6 BASS 5 MID 7 TREBLE 8 REVERB 2 MASTER 5
KnobSetting (0–10)
Gain6
Bass5
Mid7
Treble8
Reverb2
Master5
Don’t have a Spider Line 6? See this song on other amps → Match your own rig →
Guitar
PICKUPneck+middle TONE10 VOLUME10
Signal chain

01Treble Booster / Overdrive (e.g. Hornby-Skewes style or Rangemaster clone)

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned

Boost 7
Why these settings

The Spider's Crunch model emulates vintage Marshall breakup, but its preamp gain runs hotter than Blackmore's power-amp saturation, so gain is dialed to 6 for classic edge without fizz. Using the humbucker/single-coil middle split on the GRG170DX captures the chime and dynamic attack of Blackmore's Stratocaster single-coils. Treble and mids are pushed to compensate for the absence of the Hornby-Skewes treble booster front-end.

PRO TIPPluck the iconic fourth-interval double stops using your thumb and index fingers rather than a pick to achieve Blackmore's distinct percussive snap and round string attack.

Get this tone on your amp

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

Get ToneAdapt on Google Play
Find your amp
Browse
Smoke On the Water on other ampsSAME SONG, YOUR AMP Deep Purple tonesALL SONGS Ibanez GIO GRG170DX 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.

Get ToneAdapt — first match free