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You Don't Know What Love Is (You Just Do as You're Told) — The White Stripes1 / 2
Original RigYour Adaptation
GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence

You Don't Know What Love Is (You Just Do as You're Told) Guitar Tone Settings

The White Stripes · 2000s · rock

studio

Original Recording

Guitar
1960s Kay K6533 archtop hollowbody
Pickups
Single Kay 'cheese grater' single-coil (neck pickup only)
Amp
Mid-1960s Sears Silvertone 1485 tube head with 6x10 Silvertone speaker cab
Pickup Position
Neck pickup

Studio recording, 2007 (Icky Thump album). Guitar and amp confirmed for main riff section by multiple sources. No evidence of alternate guitars or amps for this part.

Amp Settings

Mids
6.5
Bass
5.5
Gain
6
Reverb
0.5
Treble
6.5
Presence
5.5

Effects Chain

  • Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi · fuzz

Kay K6533 archtop hollowbody (neck pickup) → Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi → Sears Silvertone 1485 amp (no reverb, no tremolo)

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Tone Character

  • fuzzy and saturated
  • raw and aggressive
  • midrange punch
  • lo-fi vintage character
  • thick, compressed sustain
  • distinct single-coil bite
  • minimal clarity, intentionally gritty
  • no ambient effects
  • percussive attack
  • garage rock edge

Notes & Caveats

  • ⚠️No direct source for exact amp knob settings for this song; settings estimated based on confirmed amp model, era, and genre, referencing published settings for similar White Stripes recordings.
  • ⚠️No evidence of additional effects (delay, reverb, modulation) in the riff section; only fuzz pedal is confirmed.
  • ⚠️Pickup choice inferred from guitar model and typical usage; all sources indicate neck pickup only.
  • ⚠️Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Jack White typically uses a crunchy, mid-forward tone with moderate gain, favoring vintage amps (like the Silvertone 1485) set to break up but not into high-gain territory. The riff is punchy and present, with strong mids and a tight low end, minimal reverb, and just enough presence for clarity without harshness.

Sources