Song
Hotel California
Eagles · Hotel California · 1976
Preview and cover from Apple Music
- Amp
- Fender Tweed Deluxe (5E3)
- Guitar
- 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard
- Tuning
- E standard
On the record, Don Felder played a 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard through a Fender Tweed Deluxe (5E3); Joe Walsh played a Fender Telecaster through a Fender Tweed Deluxe (5E3). It's in E standard.
The original rig
The iconic guitar tones on Hotel California are defined by vintage guitars plugged straight into small, cranked Fender Tweed Deluxe combo amplifiers, capturing natural power tube saturation without drive pedals. Don Felder used a 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard, while Joe Walsh played a Fender Telecaster, with ambient depth added through studio console mixing.
Don Felder · Rhythm and solo
Settings Commonly cited
- Pickup
- Bridge
Equipped with original Gibson PAF humbuckers and plugged straight into the amplifier.
Settings Commonly cited
- Tone
- 10
- Instrument Volume
- 10
A narrow-panel 1950s combo cranked high to achieve natural tube overdrive.
Original built-in combo speaker cabinet.
Settings Commonly cited
- Type
- Plate, medium
Ambience and spatial processing added during mixdown at Criteria Studios.
Joe Walsh · Solo
Settings Commonly cited
- Pickup
- Bridge
Equipped with Fender single-coil pickups for biting solo passages.
Settings Commonly cited
- Tone
- 7
- Instrument Volume
- 8
Cranked vintage 5E3 circuit delivering natural edge-of-breakup and saturation.
Original built-in combo speaker cabinet.
Settings Commonly cited
- Type
- Plate, medium
Outboard reverb and room dimension added via the mixing console.
- 1.guitarworld.com · guitarworld.com · magazine
- 2.musicradar.com · musicradar.com · magazine
- 3.tdpri.com · tdpri.com · source
Have the real gear, or another modeller? Start from these. Studio knob positions are rarely written down; these are a starting point.
Researched Oct 2026 · 3 sources · How ToneSheet researches a song
Tuning
The record is in E standard, low to high: E A D G B E. Tune your guitar the same way, or tell ToneSheet how it's tuned and your device shifts the tone to match.
Questions about the Hotel California guitar tone
What amp did the guitarists use on Hotel California?
Don Felder: a Fender Tweed Deluxe (5E3), with Instrument Volume 10, Tone 10 (settings commonly cited). Joe Walsh: a Fender Tweed Deluxe (5E3) (commonly cited), with Instrument Volume 8, Tone 7 (settings commonly cited).
What guitar did the guitarists play on Hotel California?
Don Felder: a 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard, with Pickup Bridge (settings commonly cited). Joe Walsh: a Fender Telecaster, with Pickup Bridge (settings commonly cited).
What tuning is Hotel California in?
E standard: low to high, E A D G B E.
How do I get the Hotel California guitar tone on an amp modeller?
Start from your modeller's model of the Fender Tweed Deluxe (5E3), set like the original (Instrument Volume 10, Tone 10), with a guitar like a 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard, tuned to E standard. Ready presets, with every block's settings: HOTONE Pulze Mini (1).
Presets for Hotel California
Tones players shared for their amp modellers, each with every setting, block by block.
HOTONE Pulze Mini1 version
All Pulze Mini presetsMake it for your guitar
Name your guitar and how it's tuned, and ToneSheet makes the tone for it: the pickup and knob settings, and every block on your device.
Different guitar or tuning? Make your own version (1–2 minutes)Updated