Boss Katana settings
1979 settings for Boss Katana
The Smashing Pumpkins · adapted 119 times on ToneAdapt
To get the The Smashing Pumpkins "1979" riff tone on a Boss Katana, set Gain 4, Bass 5.5, Mid 6.5, Treble 6.5, Reverb 1.5, Fx 5. Use the neck + middle pickup with your guitar's tone on 7-8 and volume on 8-9.
Riff settings
Adapted for a Fender Stratocaster · updated 2026-11-14
- Pickup
- Neck + Middle
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7-8 · Volume 8-9
Boss Katana knobs
- Gain
- 4
- Bass
- 5.5
- Mid
- 6.5
- Treble
- 6.5
- Reverb
- 1.5
- Fx
- 5
- Bst
- 0
- Power control
- 2
Built-in effects
- Chorus on
- Reverb on (Spring) · 1.5
Playing tips
- Use your amp's built-in chorus set to a moderate level to recreate the shimmer of the original tone.
- Engage a light reverb to add depth to the clean riff.
- Consider using a compression pedal to smooth out dynamics and enhance sustain.
The original rig
What The Smashing Pumpkins used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Boss Katana 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 settings for 1979?
Set Gain 4, Bass 5.5, Mid 6.5, Treble 6.5, Reverb 1.5, Fx 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 Fender 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
More The Smashing Pumpkins on the Boss Katana
All The Smashing Pumpkins tones →Popular songs on the Boss Katana
- Master of Puppets · Metallica
- Sweet Child O' Mine · Guns N' Roses
- Walk · Pantera
- Hotel California · Eagles
- Enter Sandman · Metallica
- Holy Wars · Megadeth
- Back in Black · AC/DC
- Whole Lotta Love · Led Zeppelin
- Raining Blood · Slayer
- Crazy Train · Ozzy Osbourne
- Welcome to the Jungle · Guns N' Roses
- Smells Like Teen Spirit · Nirvana
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.