Tone library / Eagles / Hotel California

Hotel California amp settings — Peavey Rage-158

The Eagles guitar tone for “Hotel California”, dialed in for a Peavey Rage-158 with a Squier Affinity Telecaster. Studio version, Hotel California album (1976), Criteria Studios Miami — dual harmony solo (Walsh Tele + Felder LP)

Original rig

Don Felder: 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard (PAF humbuckers) → Fender Tweed Deluxe 5E3 cranked. Joe Walsh: late-50s Fender Telecaster → Fender Tweed Deluxe cranked. Effects: MXR Phase 90 (subtle), Echoplex EP-3 delay

Warm, singing midrange crunch with bloom and sustain — Walsh's Tele cuts brighter against Felder's darker LP

Amp settings — Peavey Rage-158

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

Don’t have a Peavey Rage-158? See this song on other amps → Match your own rig →

Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE7 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Ibanez TS Mini

Essential — the Rage 158 cannot produce the cranked-tweed saturation and midrange bloom alone. TS adds the compression and mid-hump that mimics a pushed 5E3

Drive 4 · Tone 6 · Level 6

Why these settings

The Peavey Rage 158 is a solid-state practice amp with only Gain/Low/High/Master — no mid or presence controls (set to null). Original tone came from a cranked tube Deluxe at natural breakup; the Rage cannot replicate this saturation alone, so the TS Mini provides the compressed, mid-forward crunch character. Gain at 7 with the TS pushing it gets into singing sustain territory. Your Squier Tele matches Walsh's guitar choice perfectly — brighter single coils suit this tone.

PRO TIPRoll your Tele's tone knob to 7 to tame the ice-pick highs and add warmth closer to the recorded sound — Walsh's vintage Tele pickups were darker than modern Squier ceramics. Pick near the neck pickup for the solo's liquid sustain.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Peavey Rage-158. 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

Hotel California on other ampsSAME SONG, YOUR AMP Eagles tonesALL SONGS Squier Affinity Telecaster 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.