Boss Katana 100 Gen 3 settings
1979 settings for Boss Katana 100 Gen 3
The Smashing Pumpkins · adapted 10 times on ToneAdapt
To get the The Smashing Pumpkins "1979" riff tone on a Boss Katana 100 Gen 3, set Gain 4, Bass 5.5, Mid 6.5, Treble 6.5, Presence 3.5, Reverb 1.5. Use the neck + middle pickup with your guitar's tone on 7-8 and volume on 8-9.
Riff settings
Adapted for a Squier Stratocaster · updated 2026-10-03
- Pickup
- Neck + Middle
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7-8 · Volume 8-9
Boss Katana 100 Gen 3 knobs
- Gain
- 4
- Bass
- 5.5
- Mid
- 6.5
- Treble
- 6.5
- Presence
- 3.5
- Reverb
- 1.5
- Fx
- 0
- Bst
- 0
- Contour
- 0
- Variation
- 0
- Solo boost
- 0
- Cab resonance
- 0
- Power control
- 2
Built-in effects
- Reverb on (spring) · 2
Playing tips
- Use your amp's built-in chorus set to a moderate level for added shimmer.
- Keep your guitar volume at 8-9 for a slightly dirty edge without losing clarity.
- Engage reverb to add depth to your clean tone.
The original rig
What The Smashing Pumpkins used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Boss Katana 100 Gen 3 actually has.
- Guitar
- Fender Stratocaster (likely 1970s or early 80s, as used by Billy Corgan in studio)
- Amp
- Marshall JCM800 (modded with KT88 tubes, as used on Mellon Collie sessions)
- Gain
- 4
- Bass
- 5.5
- Mid
- 6.5
- Treble
- 6.5
- Presence
- 5.5
- Reverb
- 2.5
Different guitar or pedals? Get 1979 adapted to your exact rig
These settings were generated for the gear named above. ToneAdapt adapts The Smashing Pumpkins's tone to your own guitar, pickups, amp and pedals in seconds.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best Boss Katana 100 Gen 3 settings for 1979?
Set Gain 4, Bass 5.5, Mid 6.5, Treble 6.5, Presence 3.5, Reverb 1.5.
Which pickup should I use for 1979?
Neck + Middle, with the guitar's tone at 7-8 and volume at 8-9.
What gear did The Smashing Pumpkins use on 1979?
Guitar: Fender Stratocaster (likely 1970s or early 80s, as used by Billy Corgan in studio). Amp: Marshall JCM800 (modded with KT88 tubes, as used on Mellon Collie sessions).
Will these settings work with my guitar?
These settings were adapted for a Squier Stratocaster. Different pickups change how much gain and treble you need. ToneAdapt adapts the tone to your exact guitar, pickups, amp and pedals.
1979 on other amps
Popular songs on the Boss Katana 100 Gen 3
- Master of Puppets · Metallica
- Walk · Pantera
- Holy Wars · Megadeth
- Enter Sandman · Metallica
- Raining Blood · Slayer
- Hotel California · Eagles
- Whole Lotta Love · Led Zeppelin
- Crazy Train · Ozzy Osbourne
- Back in Black · AC/DC
- Iron Man · Black Sabbath
- Floods · Pantera
- Rooster · Alice in Chains
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.