Boss Katana MKII settings
1979 settings for Boss Katana MKII
The Smashing Pumpkins · adapted 4 times on ToneAdapt
To get the The Smashing Pumpkins "1979" riff tone on a Boss Katana MKII, set Gain 4, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 6, Reverb 1.5, Fx 0. Use the neck pickup with your guitar's tone on 7-8 and volume on 8-9.
Riff settings
Adapted for a Epiphone Les Paul · updated 2026-11-07
- Pickup
- Neck pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7-8 · Volume 8-9
Boss Katana MKII knobs
- Gain
- 4
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 6
- Treble
- 6
- Reverb
- 1.5
- Fx
- 0
- Bst
- 0
- Variation
- 1
- Power control
- 2
Built-in effects
- Chorus on
- Reverb on (Spring) · 1.5
Playing tips
- Use the amp's built-in chorus set to a moderate level for shimmer.
- Engage reverb for added depth in the clean tone.
- Play with a light touch to maintain clarity and brightness.
The original rig
What The Smashing Pumpkins used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Boss Katana MKII 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 MKII settings for 1979?
Set Gain 4, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 6, Reverb 1.5, Fx 0.
Which pickup should I use for 1979?
Neck pickup, 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 Epiphone Les Paul. 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 MKII
- Master of Puppets · Metallica
- Enter Sandman · Metallica
- Holy Wars · Megadeth
- Hotel California · Eagles
- Raining Blood · Slayer
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Crazy Train · Ozzy Osbourne
- Whole Lotta Love · Led Zeppelin
- Back in Black · AC/DC
- Rooster · Alice in Chains
- Highway to Hell · AC/DC
- Stairway to Heaven · 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.