Smiles and Smiles to Go

The recording

‘Smiles and Smiles to Go’ was written on keyboard and, according to a TrueFire interview, Carlton had never played it on guitar until the final studio session, where he recorded the lead part in a single take. The track appears on his 1978 debut album and features a warm, clean electric‑guitar voice recorded through his semi‑hollow Gibson ES‑335 and a Dumble Overdrive Special feeding a Fender Twin Reverb, giving the lead a smooth, slightly compressed tone that sits prominently in the mix.

Tuning E A D G B E

Reported gear

1978 Gibson ES-335

Guitar

According to his gear profile on Equipboard, Carlton used a 1978 Gibson ES-335 for the lead on the 1978 recording sessions that produced ‘Smiles and Smiles to Go’.

Dumble Overdrive Special (custom hand‑wired preamp)

Amp

Carlton’s 1978 studio sessions employed a Dumble Overdrive Special preamp, as listed on his Equipboard rig, feeding the clean power amp for his smooth lead tones on ‘Smiles and Smiles to Go’.

Fender Twin Reverb (1965 reissue)

Amp

The Dumble preamp was routed into a Fender Twin Reverb, the primary clean amp noted on Carlton’s rig for his 1978 recordings, providing the low‑gain, warm foundation heard on the track.

Fender 2×12 Cabinet (1965)

Cabinet

The Twin’s output was projected through a vintage Fender 2×12 cabinet, as part of Carlton’s studio setup documented on Equipboard.

Alternatives

Gibson ES-335 (2022)

Modern equivalent · for the 1978 Gibson ES-335

$2,200 to $2,500

Fender '65 Twin Reverb Reissue

Modern equivalent · for the Fender Twin Reverb (1965 reissue)

$1,400 to $1,700

Fender Hot Rod Deluxe

Budget alternative · for the Dumble Overdrive Special (custom hand‑wired preamp)

$600 to $800

Fender 2×12 Cabinet (reissue)

Budget alternative · for the Fender 2×12 Cabinet (1965)

$350 to $500

Practical playing approach

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

1. 1.Use a thumb‑over‑neck grip to warm the tone and improve string access.
2. 2.Blend the neck and middle pickups for a smooth, singing lead voice.
3. 3.Attack the strings lightly and let the amp’s natural compression shape dynamics.
4. 4.Add subtle finger vibrato on sustained notes for expressive phrasing.
5. 5.Incorporate hybrid picking when playing chord‑melody lines.