Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress) amp settings — Blackstar Debut 15e
The The Hollies guitar tone for “Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress)”, dialed in for a Blackstar Debut 15e with a Squier Classic vibe 60's jaguar. Studio version, Distant Light (1971) — self-produced session at AIR Studios
Fender Telecaster (bridge pickup) → Vox AC30 with natural tube breakup, minimal effects besides room reverb
| Knob | Setting (0–10) |
|---|---|
| Gain | 4 |
| Bass | 5 |
| Mid | 7 |
| Treble | 6 |
| Presence | 0 |
| Reverb | 3 |
| Master | 6 |
The Blackstar's ISF knob is your secret weapon here—set it toward the British side (2 o'clock) to approximate the AC30's chimey breakup character. Your Jaguar's bridge pickup is brighter and has less output than Clarke's Tele, so I've pulled treble back to 6 and pushed mids to 7 to capture that thick, swampy low-register growl rather than ice-pick jangle. Gain stays moderate at 4—the original tone is gritty but not saturated.
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These settings are for a Blackstar Debut 15e. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.
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