Tone library / Eagles / Hotel California

Hotel California amp settings — Vox VX-15 gt

The Eagles guitar tone for “Hotel California”, dialed in for a Vox VX-15 gt with a Squier Classic Vibe 60s Stratocaster. Studio version, Hotel California album (1977), Criteria Studios Miami

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 5E3 + MXR Phase 90

Warm, midrange-forward lead tone with smooth compression and singing sustain from cranked small-wattage amp

Amp settings — Vox VX-15 gt

CHANNELBoutique Clean (VO CLEAN or DELUXE CL model)BOOSToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	7
Bass	6
Mid	8
Treble	5
Presence	4
Reverb	2
Master	6

Don’t have a Vox VX-15 gt? See this song on other amps → Match your own rig →

Guitar

PICKUPneck TONE7 VOLUME10

Why these settings

Original used PAF humbuckers which are warmer and higher output than your Strat's single coils. Compensated by selecting neck pickup, rolling tone to 7 to cut brittleness, pushing mids to 8 (vs original's effective 7) to replicate the LP's midrange focus, and dropping treble to 5 to avoid ice-pick highs. Gain at 7 approximates the cranked Tweed Deluxe's edge-of-breakup saturation through the VX15's cleaner voicing.

PRO TIPPick over the neck pickup itself and use your thumb-side flesh for the sustained legato phrases—Felder's smooth attack came from picking position as much as gear. Let notes bloom by holding them rather than adding vibrato immediately.

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These settings are for a Vox VX-15 gt. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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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.