Get this tone on your rig
Tuned to the exact gear you own
The recording
Mendes plays the chordal parts on the Strat’s neck pickup, strumming with a light attack to keep the tone airy. In the chorus he switches to the bridge pickup and adds a Boss DS‑1 Distortion for a mild crunch, while the Hot Rod Deluxe’s clean channel and built‑in reverb round out the sound. The electric guitar sits front‑and‑center in the mix, double‑tracked for thickness and panned left/right for a fuller stereo image.
Tuning Standard (E A D G B E)
Signal chain
Reported gear
Fender Stratocaster
Guitar
Mendes recorded the electric rhythm and lead parts on a Fender Stratocaster, using the neck pickup for warm clean tones and the bridge for brighter bite during the chorus.
Boss DS-1 Distortion
Distortion
A Boss DS-1 Distortion was engaged for the chorus, adding a subtle overdriven edge to his Strat tone.
Fender Hot Rod Deluxe
Amp
The guitar was routed through a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe combo amp, set on the clean channel with a touch of reverb to capture a polished pop‑rock sound.
Alternatives
Squier Affinity Stratocaster
Budget alternative · for the Fender Stratocaster
Fender Blues Junior
Budget alternative · for the Fender Hot Rod Deluxe
Behringer Ultra-Distortion
Budget alternative · for the Boss DS-1 Distortion
Practical playing approach
Recreation guidance, not a claim about undocumented studio control positions.
- 1.Use the Strat’s neck pickup for warm rhythm verses.
- 2.Add slight palm‑muting to tighten the chord strums.
- 3.Switch to the bridge pickup and engage a mild overdrive for the chorus.
- 4.Set the amp’s gain low and turn on the built‑in reverb for the recorded ambience.
- 5.Double‑track the rhythm part and pan them left/right for a fuller stereo image.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
What gear was used for the Stitches guitar tone?
The available research points to Fender Stratocaster into Fender Hot Rod Deluxe. The full reported signal chain and evidence links are listed on this page.
Are the original Stitches 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 Stitches 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 Stitches 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.
