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The recording
King plays left‑handed upside‑down on a 1965 Gibson Flying V, using the bridge humbucking pickup for thick, sustained leads.
Tuning Eb standard (half-step down)
Signal chain
Original gear
1965 Gibson Flying V
Guitar
King recorded his iconic upside‑down lead on a 1965 Gibson Flying V, whose high‑output humbucking pickup provided the searing sustain heard on 'As the Years Go Passing By'.
Fender Super Reverb (1965)
Amp
The guitar track was captured through a Fender Super Reverb set to a clean, mid‑range tone with moderate volume, allowing King's dynamic bends to shine.
Alternatives
Practical playing approach
Recreation guidance, not a claim about undocumented studio control positions.
- 1.Flip a right‑handed guitar and play it left‑handed without restringing.
- 2.Use the bridge pickup and pull the strings with the whole hand for wide, vocal‑like bends.
- 3.Let the tube amp’s natural breakup add subtle grit—avoid heavy distortion pedals.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
What gear was used for the As the Years Go Passing By guitar tone?
The available research points to 1965 Gibson Flying V into Fender Super Reverb (1965). The full reported signal chain and evidence links are listed on this page.
Are the original As the Years Go Passing By 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 As the Years Go Passing By in?
The current research record lists Eb standard (half-step down). ToneTwin keeps corrections open when reliable accounts disagree.
How do I recreate the As the Years Go Passing By 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.
