Boss Katana 50 Gen 3 settings
Edge of Desire settings for Boss Katana 50 Gen 3
John Mayer · adapted 2 times on ToneAdapt
To get the John Mayer "Edge of Desire" solo tone on a Boss Katana 50 Gen 3, set Gain 5, Bass 6, Mid 6, Treble 6, Reverb 5, Fx 0. Use the neck pickup with your guitar's tone on 6-7 and volume on 8-9.
Solo settings
Adapted for a Squier Stratocaster · updated 2026-10-16
- Pickup
- Neck pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 6-7 · Volume 8-9
Boss Katana 50 Gen 3 knobs
- Gain
- 5
- Bass
- 6
- Mid
- 6
- Treble
- 6
- Reverb
- 5
- Fx
- 0
- Bst
- 5
- Variation
- 0
- Power control
- 2
Built-in effects
- Delay on
- Reverb on (Spring) · 5
Playing tips
- Use your amp's built-in delay set to a moderate level to recreate the spacious feel of the original tone.
- Engage the booster section for a volume lift during the solo to help it cut through.
- Keep your playing touch-sensitive to achieve the dynamic response characteristic of Mayer's style.
Riff settings
Adapted for a Fender Player II HSS Stratocaster · updated 2026-07-18
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 6-7 · Volume 8-9
Boss Katana 50 Gen 3 knobs
- Gain
- 4
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 6
- Treble
- 6
- Reverb
- 1
- Contour
- 1
- Gain control
- 0
- Master volume
- 7
- Power control
- 3
- Volume control
- 8
- Variation button
- 0
Built-in effects
- Reverb on (spring) · 4.5
Playing tips
- Use your amp's built-in delay set to a moderate level to recreate the spacious feel of the original tone.
- Set your guitar volume to around 8-9 to maintain clarity and punch.
- Experiment with picking dynamics to achieve touch-sensitive response.
The original rig
What John Mayer used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Boss Katana 50 Gen 3 actually has.
- Guitar
- Fender Stratocaster (likely 1964 or Custom Shop, as used by Mayer in this era)
- Amp
- Two Rock Custom Reverb Signature (studio recording, 2009 era)
- Gain
- 4
- Bass
- 6
- Mid
- 6.5
- Treble
- 6.5
- Presence
- 5.5
- Reverb
- 4
Different guitar or pedals? Get Edge of Desire adapted to your exact rig
These settings were generated for the gear named above. ToneAdapt adapts John Mayer's tone to your own guitar, pickups, amp and pedals in seconds.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best Boss Katana 50 Gen 3 settings for Edge of Desire?
Set Gain 5, Bass 6, Mid 6, Treble 6, Reverb 5, Fx 0.
Which pickup should I use for Edge of Desire?
Neck pickup, with the guitar's tone at 6-7 and volume at 8-9.
What gear did John Mayer use on Edge of Desire?
Guitar: Fender Stratocaster (likely 1964 or Custom Shop, as used by Mayer in this era). Amp: Two Rock Custom Reverb Signature (studio recording, 2009 era).
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.
Edge of Desire on other amps
Popular songs on the Boss Katana 50 Gen 3
- Master of Puppets · Metallica
- Walk · Pantera
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Enter Sandman · Metallica
- Hotel California · Eagles
- Holy Wars · Megadeth
- Raining Blood · Slayer
- Sultans of Swing · Dire Straits
- Crazy Train · Ozzy Osbourne
- Smells Like Teen Spirit · Nirvana
- Stairway to Heaven · Led Zeppelin
- Welcome to the Jungle · Guns N' Roses
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.