Tone library / Slowdive / When the Sun Hits

When the Sun Hits amp settings — Laney PL100 Twin

The Slowdive guitar tone for “When the Sun Hits”, dialed in for a Laney PL100 Twin with a Alden Mustang. Studio version, Souvlaki (1993)

Original rig

Fender Jaguar through Fender Twin Reverb, heavy use of Yamaha FX500 multi-effects (especially 'Soft Focus' patch 40), chorus, long delays, and reverb

Dreamy, washed-out clean with shimmering chorus, long delay trails, and cavernous reverb — the guitar sits in a hazy, atmospheric space rather than cutting through

Amp settings — Laney PL100 Twin

CHANNELCleanBRIGHToffBOOSToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	3
Bass	5
Mid	4
Treble	6
Presence	5
Reverb	7
Master	5

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Guitar

PICKUPneck TONE6 VOLUME9

Why these settings

The Laney PL100 Twin has a brighter, more aggressive British voicing than the original Fender Twin's scooped American clean. Dropped gain to 3 and mid to 4 to approximate the Twin's pillowy clean headroom. Without chorus and delay pedals, you'll only get partway there — the original tone is 60% effects processing. The amp's built-in reverb cranked to 7 provides some wash but cannot replicate the multi-layered ambient processing of the Yamaha FX500.

PRO TIPRoll your guitar's tone knob to 5-6 and pick lightly over the neck pickup — the shoegaze shimmer comes from letting the note bloom into the reverb rather than attacking hard. Without a chorus pedal, try subtle volume swells with your pinky on the volume knob to create movement. A basic digital delay (Boss DD-3, TC Flashback) and any chorus pedal would get you 80% of the way to this tone — RECOMMENDED additions if you pursue this sound seriously.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Laney PL100 Twin. 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.