Blackstar Debut 50R settings
Mr. Brightside settings for Blackstar Debut 50R
The Killers · adapted 3 times on ToneAdapt
To get the The Killers "Mr. Brightside" riff tone on a Blackstar Debut 50R, set Gain 4.5, Bass 4, Mid 7, Treble 8, Reverb 5, Isf 5. Use the bridge pickup (single-coil) pickup with your guitar's tone on 8 and volume on 8-9.
Riff settings
Adapted for a Fender Stratocaster · updated 2026-07-24
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup (single-coil)
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 8 · Volume 8-9
Blackstar Debut 50R knobs
- Gain
- 4.5
- Bass
- 4
- Mid
- 7
- Treble
- 8
- Reverb
- 5
- Isf
- 5
- Power reduction
- 1
- Clean bright switch
- 1
Built-in effects
- Reverb on (spring) · 7.5
Playing tips
- Use your amp's built-in reverb set to a moderate level to recreate the spacious feel of the original tone.
- Engage the bright switch on your amp to enhance the high-end sparkle.
- Play with a clean attack to maintain clarity in the riff.
The original rig
What The Killers used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Blackstar Debut 50R actually has.
- Guitar
- Fender Stratocaster (likely American Standard, early 2000s, as used by Dave Keuning on the studio recording)
- Amp
- Fender Hot Rod DeVille (studio recording, 2003 era; Fender-style amp confirmed by multiple sources)
- Gain
- 4.5
- Bass
- 4.5
- Mid
- 7
- Treble
- 8
- Presence
- 6
- Reverb
- 5
Different guitar or pedals? Get Mr. Brightside adapted to your exact rig
These settings were generated for the gear named above. ToneAdapt adapts The Killers's tone to your own guitar, pickups, amp and pedals in seconds.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best Blackstar Debut 50R settings for Mr. Brightside?
Set Gain 4.5, Bass 4, Mid 7, Treble 8, Reverb 5, Isf 5.
Which pickup should I use for Mr. Brightside?
Bridge pickup (single-coil), with the guitar's tone at 8 and volume at 8-9.
What gear did The Killers use on Mr. Brightside?
Guitar: Fender Stratocaster (likely American Standard, early 2000s, as used by Dave Keuning on the studio recording). Amp: Fender Hot Rod DeVille (studio recording, 2003 era; Fender-style amp confirmed by multiple sources).
Will these settings work with my guitar?
These settings were adapted for a Fender Stratocaster. Different pickups change how much gain and treble you need. ToneAdapt adapts the tone to your exact guitar, pickups, amp and pedals.
Mr. Brightside on other amps
- Mr. Brightside on Fender Mustang LT25 · 202
- Mr. Brightside on Boss Katana · 94
- Mr. Brightside on Fender Frontman 10G · 88
- Mr. Brightside on Line 6 Helix Floor / LT / Rack · 52
- Mr. Brightside on Fender Champion 20 · 42
- Mr. Brightside on Neural DSP Quad Cortex · 29
- Mr. Brightside on Fender Frontman 15G · 26
- Mr. Brightside on Line 6 POD Go / POD Go Wireless · 24
Popular songs on the Blackstar Debut 50R
- Master of Puppets · Metallica
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Holy Wars · Megadeth
- Hotel California · Eagles
- Walk · Pantera
- Whole Lotta Love · Led Zeppelin
- Stairway to Heaven · Led Zeppelin
- Layla · Derek and the Dominos
- Enter Sandman · Metallica
- Iron Man · Black Sabbath
- Welcome to the Jungle · Guns N' Roses
- Back in Black · AC/DC
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.