Blackstar Core settings
Man in the Box settings for Blackstar Core
Alice in Chains · adapted 4 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Alice in Chains "Man in the Box" riff tone on a Blackstar Core, select the Lead preset, then set Gain 7.5, Bass 5, Mid 7, Treble 6, Presence 6, Reverb 0.5. Use the bridge pickup with your guitar's tone on 7-8 and volume on 8-9.
Riff settings
Adapted for a Epiphone SG Standard · updated 2026-07-20
- Preset / mode
- Lead
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7-8 · Volume 8-9
Blackstar Core knobs
- Gain
- 7.5
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 7
- Treble
- 6
- Presence
- 6
- Reverb
- 0.5
Built-in effects
- Reverb on (spring) · 2
Playing tips
- Focus on tight palm muting for chugging riffs.
- Use aggressive picking to enhance the percussive attack.
- Maintain a steady rhythm to emphasize the aggressive crunch.
The original rig
What Alice in Chains used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Blackstar Core actually has.
- Guitar
- G&L Rampage (1984, maple neck, single humbucker, Kahler tremolo)
- Amp
- Bogner-modified Marshall JCM800 (studio recording, 1990/91, 'Dirt' album era)
- Gain
- 7.5
- Bass
- 6
- Mid
- 6.5
- Treble
- 7
- Presence
- 6
- Reverb
- 1.5
Different guitar or pedals? Get Man in the Box adapted to your exact rig
These settings were generated for the gear named above. ToneAdapt adapts Alice in Chains's tone to your own guitar, pickups, amp and pedals in seconds.
Frequently asked questions
What preset should I use on the Blackstar Core for Man in the Box?
Start from the Lead preset, then set Gain 7.5, Bass 5, Mid 7, Treble 6, Presence 6, Reverb 0.5.
Which pickup should I use for Man in the Box?
Bridge pickup, with the guitar's tone at 7-8 and volume at 8-9.
What gear did Alice in Chains use on Man in the Box?
Guitar: G&L Rampage (1984, maple neck, single humbucker, Kahler tremolo). Amp: Bogner-modified Marshall JCM800 (studio recording, 1990/91, 'Dirt' album era).
Will these settings work with my guitar?
These settings were adapted for a Epiphone SG Standard. Different pickups change how much gain and treble you need. ToneAdapt adapts the tone to your exact guitar, pickups, amp and pedals.
Man in the Box on other amps
- Man in the Box on Fender Mustang LT25 · 177
- Man in the Box on Boss Katana · 110
- Man in the Box on Fender Frontman 10G · 41
- Man in the Box on Fender Champion 20 · 26
- Man in the Box on Line 6 Helix Floor / LT / Rack · 25
- Man in the Box on Line 6 Spider · 20
- Man in the Box on Fender Frontman 15G · 20
- Man in the Box on Orange Crush · 19
Popular songs on the Blackstar Core
- Master of Puppets · Metallica
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Hotel California · Eagles
- Walk · Pantera
- Back in Black · AC/DC
- Crazy Train · Ozzy Osbourne
- Smells Like Teen Spirit · Nirvana
- Raining Blood · Slayer
- Whole Lotta Love · Led Zeppelin
- Holy Wars · Megadeth
- Highway to Hell · AC/DC
- Iron Man · Black Sabbath
Settings are generated by ToneAdapt's tone adaptation for the gear named on this page and are a starting point — every amp, guitar and room is a little different.