A Go Go

John Scofield

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The recording

Recorded at Avatar Studios in New York, John Scofield performed both electric and acoustic guitars on 'A Go Go' (Songtone credits). Scofield used his signature Ibanez AS200 semi‑hollow guitar routed through a Fender Reverb amp, delivering the warm, slightly overdriven tone heard on the track (Stereophile interview). A modest pedalboard—including a Dunlop Cry Baby wah, Boss DS‑2 Turbo Distortion, Boss CE‑2 Chorus and an Electro‑Harmonix Memory Man delay—shaped the signal before the amp, as detailed in his 2013 Premier Guitar rig rundown. The acoustic parts were captured with a studio condenser microphone, but the make of the acoustic guitar is not documented.

Tuning Standard E (E-A-D-G-B-E)

Signal chain

Original gear

Alternatives

Ibanez AS200 (Modern equivalent)

$900 to $1,200

Modern equivalent · for the Ibanez AS200 (Signature)

Boss DS-2

$120 to $150

Still made · for the Boss DS-2 Turbo Distortion

Martin D-28

$2,500 to $3,200

Modern equivalent · for the Acoustic guitar (model unspecified)

Boss CE-2

$100 to $130

Still made · for the Boss CE-2 Chorus

Boss TU-3

$80 to $100

Still made · for the Boss TU-3

EHX Memory Man

$200 to $250

Still made · for the Electro-Harmonix Memory Man

Dunlop Cry Baby

$100 to $150

Still made · for the Dunlop Cry Baby Wah

Fender '63 Reverb Twin Reverb Reissue

$1,500 to $2,800

Reissue · for the Fender Reverb (c. 1963)

Practical playing approach

Recreation guidance, not a claim about undocumented studio control positions.

  1. 1.Select the bridge pickup and roll the tone knob back for a brighter, cutting tone.
  2. 2.Engage the Cry Baby wah and sweep slowly to accentuate solos.
  3. 3.Set the Boss DS-2 drive to medium and the volume knob high to achieve the smooth overdrive heard on the track.
  4. 4.Add a subtle Chorus (Boss CE-2) and short delay (Memory Man) to thicken the sound without losing definition.
  5. 5.Use a light, alternating thumb‑finger picking technique to emulate Scofield’s hybrid picking style.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

What gear was used for the A Go Go guitar tone?

The available research points to Ibanez AS200 (Signature) into Fender Reverb (c. 1963). The full reported signal chain and evidence links are listed on this page.

Are the original A Go Go amp settings documented?

Exact historical knob positions are not reliably documented for most recordings. ToneTwin does not publish generated values as studio fact; it creates playable settings only for the amp and pedals a player selects.

What tuning is A Go Go in?

The current research record lists Standard E (E-A-D-G-B-E). ToneTwin keeps corrections open when reliable accounts disagree.

How do I recreate the A Go Go tone on my own gear?

Use the reported pickup, gain character, effects and signal-chain order as the target, then translate that target to your equipment. The matcher models controls for your selected rig rather than copying undocumented studio numbers.

Researched and reviewed by the ToneTwin Research Team.

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