Ready to Start

The recording

Win Butler plays the rhythm parts on a 1965 Sunburst Fender Telecaster, using the bridge pickup and a percussive strumming attack that drives the song’s tight, punchy feel. The guitars were routed through a vintage 1964 Fender Twin Reverb combo and captured with a Shure SM57 close to the speaker and a room mic for ambient depth, then double‑tracked for a wider stereo image. Richard Reed Parry adds complementary lead lines that sit atop the layered rhythm tracks.

Tuning Standard (E A D G B E)

Reported gear

1965 Fender Telecaster (Sunburst)

Guitar

Win Butler used a 1965 Sunburst Fender Telecaster for the rhythm parts on 'Ready to Start', playing near the bridge to achieve a bright, cutting tone.

1964 Fender Twin Reverb (Combo)

Amp

Alternatives

Squier Classic Vibe Telecaster

Modern equivalent · for the 1965 Fender Telecaster (Sunburst)

$300 to $350

Fender '68 Twin Reverb Reissue

Reissue · for the 1964 Fender Twin Reverb (Combo)

$1,200 to $1,500

Practical playing approach

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

1. 1.Select the bridge pickup on a Telecaster and set the tone knob to full for a bright attack.
2. 2.Apply a light overdrive pedal set to low gain and medium volume to add sustain without losing clarity.
3. 3.Strum with a tight, percussive motion, emphasizing the down‑beats to lock with the song’s driving rhythm.
4. 4.Double‑track the rhythm parts and pan them left and right for a wider stereo image.
5. 5.Add a subtle quarter‑note delay set low in the mix to thicken lead lines.