Tone library / Gary Moore / Empty Rooms (1985 Version)

Empty Rooms (1985 Version) amp settings — Victory V 40 deluxe

The Gary Moore guitar tone for “Empty Rooms (1985 Version)”, dialed in for a Victory V 40 deluxe with a Gibson Les Paul Standard 60s. Studio version, Run for Cover (1985) - Lead solo tone

Original rig

Marshall 1959 Super Lead / JCM800, 1961 Fiesta Red Fender Stratocaster / Gibson Les Paul Standard, Ibanez TS9 / Boss DS-1, Roland SDE-3000 delay

Smooth, high-sustain singing 80s lead tone with rich midrange harmonics and lush delay/reverb
Amp settings — Victory V 40 deluxe
CHANNELSingle channel (Voice 1)BRIGHToffBOOSTon
GAIN 7 BASS 5 MID 7 TREBLE 5 REVERB 5 MASTER 6
KnobSetting (0–10)
Gain7
Bass5
Mid7
Treble5
Reverb5
Master6
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Guitar
PICKUPneck TONE7 VOLUME10
Signal chain

01Klone Centaur

Used as front-end overdrive push to achieve Gary's trademark endless singing sustain.

Gain 6 · Treble 5 · Output 7

02Digital Delay (e.g. Boss DD-3 / DD-7)

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned (run in FX loop for 80s studio ambience)

E.Level 5 · F.Back 5 · D.Time 6
Why these settings

The Victory V40 Deluxe is an American-voiced clean to edge-of-breakup platform, so the mid-range must be pushed and the onboard switchable gain/mid boost engaged to emulate a saturated British stack. Your Les Paul humbuckers provide the required thick body, while the Klone pushes the front end into singing saturation without getting muddy. Backing the guitar tone knob down to 7 warms up the top end to replicate Moore's fluid, vocal lead texture.

PRO TIPPick firmly with the fleshy side of the pick angled slightly, and apply a wide, assertive vibrato from the wrist to let sustained notes bloom into controlled feedback.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Victory V 40 deluxe. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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