Boss Katana Artist Gen 3 settings
Beat It settings for Boss Katana Artist Gen 3
Michael Jackson · adapted 2 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Michael Jackson "Beat It" riff tone on a Boss Katana Artist Gen 3, set Gain 6.5, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 7, Presence 6, Resonance 5. Use the bridge pickup with your guitar's tone on 7-8 and volume on 8-9.
Riff settings
Adapted for a Epiphone 1959 Les Paul Standard Outfit · updated 2026-07-25
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7-8 · Volume 8-9
Boss Katana Artist Gen 3 knobs
- Gain
- 6.5
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 6
- Treble
- 7
- Presence
- 6
- Resonance
- 5
- Reverb
- 0.5
- Contour
- 0
- Solo level
- 0
- Bloom switch
- 0
- Power control
- 3
- Variation switch
- 0
Built-in effects
- Reverb off
Playing tips
- Use tight palm muting to achieve sharp, percussive attacks on the riff.
- Maintain a controlled picking hand to ensure clear note separation.
- Experiment with picking dynamics to emphasize the rhythmic chugging.
Solo settings
Adapted for a Wylde Audio Odin Grail · updated 2026-09-01
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 10 · Volume 8-10
Boss Katana Artist Gen 3 knobs
- Gain
- 8
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 5.5
- Treble
- 7.5
- Presence
- 6.5
- Resonance
- 6
- Reverb
- 0.5
- Contour
- 0
- Solo level
- 6
- Bloom switch
- 1
- Power control
- 3
- Variation switch
- 1
Built-in effects
- Reverb on (spring) · 2
Playing tips
- Use your amp's built-in delay set to 5 for depth and sustain in your solos.
- Engage the solo level boost to ensure your solos cut through the mix.
- Set the bloom switch to enhance the amp's response for more dynamic playing.
The original rig
What Michael Jackson used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Boss Katana Artist Gen 3 actually has.
- Guitar
- Charvel 'Frankie' Strat-style (Eddie Van Halen's custom guitar, likely with Floyd Rose tremolo)
- Amp
- Marshall 1959 Super Lead 100W (Jose Arredondo modded, with Variac)
- Gain
- 8
- Bass
- 6
- Mid
- 5.5
- Treble
- 7.5
- Presence
- 6.5
- Reverb
- 1.5
Different guitar or pedals? Get Beat It adapted to your exact rig
These settings were generated for the gear named above. ToneAdapt adapts Michael Jackson's tone to your own guitar, pickups, amp and pedals in seconds.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best Boss Katana Artist Gen 3 settings for Beat It?
Set Gain 6.5, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 7, Presence 6, Resonance 5.
Which pickup should I use for Beat It?
Bridge pickup, with the guitar's tone at 7-8 and volume at 8-9.
What gear did Michael Jackson use on Beat It?
Guitar: Charvel 'Frankie' Strat-style (Eddie Van Halen's custom guitar, likely with Floyd Rose tremolo). Amp: Marshall 1959 Super Lead 100W (Jose Arredondo modded, with Variac).
Will these settings work with my guitar?
These settings were adapted for a Epiphone 1959 Les Paul Standard Outfit. Different pickups change how much gain and treble you need. ToneAdapt adapts the tone to your exact guitar, pickups, amp and pedals.
Popular songs on the Boss Katana Artist Gen 3
- Master of Puppets · Metallica
- Enter Sandman · Metallica
- Holy Wars · Megadeth
- Hotel California · Eagles
- Iron Man · Black Sabbath
- Raining Blood · Slayer
- Unholy Confessions · Avenged Sevenfold
- Crazy Train · Ozzy Osbourne
- Floods · Pantera
- Smells Like Teen Spirit · Nirvana
- Back In Black · AC/DC
- Whole Lotta Love · Led Zeppelin
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.