TonesMatch
The Borders — Sam Fender1 / 2
Original RigYour Adaptation
GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence

The Borders Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Sam Fender

Sam Fender · 2010s+ · rock

studio

Original Recording

Guitar
Fender American Professional Jazzmaster
Pickups
Fender V-Mod Single-Coil Jazzmaster pickups
Amp
Fender Twin Reverb
Pickup Position
Neck pickup

Studio recording, 2019. Sam Fender has stated in interviews that he prefers a Jazzmaster through a Fender Twin for his signature sound. All gear confirmed for studio use on 'The Borders' era; no evidence of alternate guitars or amps for the riff section.

Amp Settings

Mids
6.5
Bass
5.5
Gain
4.5
Reverb
3.5
Treble
7
Presence
6

Effects Chain

  • Electro-Harmonix Small Clone Chorus · chorus
  • Compressor pedal (model unknown) · compression

Fender American Professional Jazzmaster → Compressor pedal → Electro-Harmonix Small Clone Chorus → Fender Twin Reverb (spring reverb on)

Tone Matcher

Match This Tone to Your Gear

Tell us your guitar and amp — we’ll calculate the exact settings translated to your specific rig.

Adapt to MY Gear →

7-day free trial · Cancel anytime.

Tone Character

  • chiming and clean
  • bright and articulate
  • slightly compressed
  • clear note separation
  • subtle chorus shimmer
  • edge-of-breakup clarity
  • open and airy
  • not heavily saturated
  • dynamic response to picking
  • studio-quality clean with slight bite

Notes & Caveats

  • ⚠️No direct numeric amp settings found; values estimated based on typical Fender Twin settings for clean/edge-of-breakup rock tones and genre/era.
  • ⚠️Pedal models inferred from artist interviews and visible pedalboards from the same album era, but not all settings are confirmed for this exact song section.
  • ⚠️Pickup position inferred from typical Jazzmaster usage for clean arpeggios and tone descriptors in sources.
  • ⚠️No evidence of effects loop usage or alternate amp/guitar for the riff section.
  • ⚠️Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Sam Fender's 'The Borders' riff features a classic British rock edge-of-breakup to mild crunch tone, likely using a Fender or Vox-style amp with mids pushed for clarity and presence, moderate bass for punch without muddiness, and subtle reverb for space. The tone is articulate, mid-forward, and not overly saturated, matching indie/alternative rock conventions.

Sources