By 1987 the Bunnymen were making records that were bigger, warmer and considerably more polished, and The Game shows it. Sergeant's playing is still recognisably his, but it sits inside a full production rather than carrying the whole record.
What makes the tone. Clean chime with more body than the early records - some low mids left in, a rounder chorus, and a reverb that is large but controlled. Layers of guitar rather than one exposed part.
The analogue recipe. Clean amp with the mids left in, a chorus set slower and shallower than on the early material, and a hall reverb. Double the part if you are recording; the width on the late records is layering.
On a Boss GT-100 / GT-1000 / GX-100. Clean model with a fuller EQ than the early Bunnymen patches, gentle chorus, hall reverb, and a light compressor. A quiet delay in time with the track adds the polish.
On a Kemper. A clean profile with the mids intact, chorus and hall reverb. If you have an early Bunnymen patch, this is that patch with the bass turned back up.
Straight to the settings. The Soulster Tonebook for fans of Echo & the Bunnymen → has the chords, capo positions and dialled-in settings, and the Will Sergeant tone guide → goes deeper into how this player gets there.
See all 80 Echo & the Bunnymen prints →
On paper, too. The "The Game" Kitchen Sink print → is the same song, printed. Also on the Practice print → and the Studio print →.
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