Tone library / Prince & The Revolution / Purple Rain

Purple Rain amp settings — Davis Gt-20

The Prince & The Revolution guitar tone for “Purple Rain”, dialed in for a Davis Gt-20 with a Fender Player Stratocaster. Studio album cut (1984) / First Avenue recording — signature outro lead solo

Original rig

Hohner MadCat (tele-style single coils) / Cloud guitar into Boss SD-1, Boss DS-1, Mesa/Boogie Mark II head, Bag End D12-M cab, Boss DM-2 Delay, Boss BF-2 Flanger

Searing, vocal, mid-focused 80s singing lead with rich sustain and ambient warmth
Amp settings — Davis Gt-20
CHANNELLead / Drive (Overdrive switch engaged)BOOSTon
GAIN 7 BASS 5 MID 7 TREBLE 5 MASTER 6
KnobSetting (0–10)
Gain7
Bass5
Mid7
Treble5
Master6
Don’t have a Davis Gt-20? See this song on other amps → Match your own rig →
Guitar
PICKUPbridge TONE8 VOLUME10
Signal chain

01Boss DS-1 Distortion

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned; with this pedal, switch amp to clean and drop gain to 2

Tone 4 · Level 7 · Dist 6

02Boss BF-2 Flanger

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned; adds the iconic metallic jet-sheen

Manual 6 · Depth 5 · Rate 3 · Res 4

03Boss DM-2 Analog Delay

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned; provides ambient depth and sustain

Repeat Rate 4 · Intensity 4 · Echo 4
Why these settings

The Davis GT-20 is an entry-level practice amp without onboard modulation, delay, or presence controls, so its drive channel must carry the full lead saturation today. To counter the typical thinness of a small practice speaker and the bright single-coil bridge on your Strat, keep the mids pushed high and roll the treble down to prevent harsh fizz. Adding an external distortion and analog delay pedal will get you significantly closer to Prince's massive arena sustain.

PRO TIPRoll the Strat's bridge tone knob back to around 7 or 8 to shave off the top-end bite and induce the smooth, 'vocal' wah-like mid response Prince got from the Mark II preamp.

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These settings are for a Davis Gt-20. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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