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The recording
The track opens with acoustic rhythm guitars recorded live in Historic RCA Studio A, providing the song’s core strumming foundation. Stapleton layers an electric 1960s Fender Jazzmaster through a vintage 1962 Fender Princeton combo, giving the bridge and lead fills a warm, slightly overdriven character. The guitars were captured under producer Dave Cobb and engineer Vance Powell, preserving the natural dynamics of the performance.
Tuning Standard (E A D G B E)
Signal chain
Reported gear
Fender Jazzmaster (1960s)
Guitar
Stapleton’s primary electric guitar, a 1960s Fender Jazzmaster, is often paired with his vintage amp, and its warm single‑coil tone is audible in the layered guitar parts on “Starting Over.”
Fender Princeton (1962)
Amp
He recorded the guitars through a vintage 1962 Fender Princeton, a classic low‑power combo prized for its clean headroom and smooth breakup, which gives the track its intimate, slightly overdriven character.
Alternatives
Fender Player Jazzmaster
Modern equivalent · for the Fender Jazzmaster (1960s)
Fender '62 Princeton Reissue
Reissue · for the Fender Princeton (1962)
Practical playing approach
Recreation guidance, not a claim about undocumented studio control positions.
- 1.Strum the rhythm chords with a flat‑pick near the bridge for brightness.
- 2.Use the Jazzmaster’s rhythm circuit and keep the tone knob around 75% for warm cleans.
- 3.Add light fingerpicking on the verses to let the acoustic resonance breathe.
- 4.Dial the amp’s volume just enough to break up for subtle grit during the lead fills.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
What gear was used for the Starting Over guitar tone?
The available research points to Fender Jazzmaster (1960s) into Fender Princeton (1962). The full reported signal chain and evidence links are listed on this page.
Are the original Starting Over 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 Starting Over in?
The current research record lists Standard (E A D G B E). ToneTwin keeps corrections open when reliable accounts disagree.
How do I recreate the Starting Over 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.
