Tone library / Mac DeMarco / Freaking Out the Neighborhood

Freaking Out the Neighborhood amp settings — Vox Pathfinder 10

The Mac DeMarco guitar tone for “Freaking Out the Neighborhood”, dialed in for a Vox Pathfinder 10 with a Squire Telecaster. Studio version, 2 (2012)

Original rig

1960s Fender Vibro Champ + Alesis MicroVerb 4 (preset 44 flanger, dry signal removed) + Fender-style single-coil neck pickup

Glassy clean-to-edge-of-breakup with wobbly vibrato/flanger modulation

Amp settings — Vox Pathfinder 10

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	7
Bass	3
Treble	8
Master	6

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Guitar

PICKUPneck TONE10 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Boss VB-2 Vibrato or Chorus pedal (vibrato mode)

RECOMMENDED — not owned. Mac used Alesis MicroVerb 4 preset 44 (flanger with dry signal removed = vibrato). A vibrato pedal (Boss VB-2, EHX Nano Clone in vibrato mode, or TC Electronic Shaker Mini) replicates this. Set to medium-slow wobble with noticeable depth.

Rate 6 · Depth 7

Why these settings

The Vox Pathfinder 10 is Class A British-voiced (chime-focused, mid-forward) vs Mac's Fender Vibro Champ (scooped American clean). To compensate: bass cut to 3 (Vox has more low-mid warmth), treble pushed to 8 (Fender amps are naturally brighter), gain at 7 to hit that edge-of-breakup grit without going full crunch. The Pathfinder has no reverb control, which is correct—Mac's Vibro Champ had none either. Without the Alesis flanger/vibrato effect, you lose the signature wobble; a vibrato or chorus pedal in vibrato mode is mandatory to match the recording.

PRO TIPPick closer to the bridge than you think—Mac uses the neck pickup but picks near the bridge to retain treble attack and percussive snap, preventing the tone from getting muddy. This technique is essential on a Tele neck pickup, which can sound dull if you pick over the fretboard.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Vox Pathfinder 10. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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