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Tick Tick Boom — The Hives1 / 2
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Tick Tick Boom Riff Guitar Tone Settings — The Hives

The Hives · 2000s · punk

studio

Original Recording

Guitar
Fender Telecaster Cabronita
Pickups
TV Jones Filter'Tron-style humbucker (bridge position)
Amp
Fender Bandmaster (blackface) and 1976 Fender Vibrolux Reverb into vintage Hiwatt 4x12 cab with Celestion Heritage Greenback speakers
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup

Studio recording, 2007 (The Black and White Album). All sources agree Arson used the Telecaster Cabronita with the Bandmaster and Vibrolux amps simultaneously, both always on, into a Hiwatt cab. No evidence of live/tour substitutions for the studio version.

Amp Settings

Mids
6.5
Bass
5.5
Gain
7
Reverb
1.5
Treble
7.5
Presence
6

Effects Chain

  • Crowther Audio Prunes & Custard Harmonic Generator Intermodulator · fuzz

Fender Telecaster Cabronita (bridge pickup) → Crowther Audio Prunes & Custard fuzz → Fender Bandmaster + 1976 Fender Vibrolux Reverb (both always on) → vintage Hiwatt 4x12 cab

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Tone Character

  • gritty and aggressive
  • fuzzed-out crunch
  • tight and percussive
  • sharp attack
  • raw and immediate
  • garage-punk bite
  • abrasive yet melodic
  • punchy midrange
  • slightly scooped lows
  • bright, cutting highs

Notes & Caveats

  • ⚠️No direct amp knob settings for 'Tick Tick Boom' found; values estimated based on typical Fender Bandmaster/Vibrolux settings for garage punk/fuzz tones and era.
  • ⚠️Pickup choice inferred from genre, tone, and typical Telecaster usage for main riff; all sources show Arson using bridge pickup for aggressive riff sections.
  • ⚠️No evidence of additional effects (delay, modulation, reverb) used on the riff section; fuzz is the only confirmed effect.
  • ⚠️Settings are for studio recording (2007, The Black and White Album), not live performances.
  • ⚠️No pedal knob settings found for Prunes & Custard; settings assumed to be moderate to high drive for signature fuzz sound.
  • ⚠️Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. The Hives' 'Tick Tick Boom' riff features a crunchy, aggressive garage rock tone with pronounced mids and treble for cut, typical of British-voiced amps like Marshalls. The gain is set high enough for strong crunch but not into metal territory, with minimal reverb for a dry, punchy sound.

Sources