Boss Katana settings
(Don't Fear) The Reaper settings for Boss Katana
Blue Öyster Cult · adapted 2 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Blue Öyster Cult "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" riff tone on a Boss Katana, set Gain 1.5, Bass 4, Mid 7.5, Treble 6, Presence 5, Reverb 1.5. Use the bridge pickup with your guitar's tone on 10 and volume on 10.
Riff settings
Adapted for a Epiphone Dave Grohl DG-335 · updated 2026-07-28
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 10 · Volume 10
Boss Katana knobs
- Gain
- 1.5
- Bass
- 4
- Mid
- 7.5
- Treble
- 6
- Presence
- 5
- Reverb
- 1.5
- Solo
- 0
- Contour
- 0
- Power control
- 3
- Cabinet resonance
- 1
Playing tips
- Focus on clean arpeggiated picking to capture the haunting jangle.
- Use a light touch to maintain clarity and avoid muddiness in the riff.
- Experiment with subtle palm muting to add dynamics to the rhythm.
Solo settings
Adapted for a Epiphone Dave Grohl DG-335 · updated 2026-07-28
- Pickup
- Neck pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 10 · Volume 10
Boss Katana knobs
- Gain
- 3.5
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 7.5
- Treble
- 6
- Presence
- 5
- Reverb
- 1.5
- Solo
- 6
- Contour
- 0
- Power control
- 3
- Cabinet resonance
- 1
Playing tips
- Use your amp's built-in delay set to a moderate level to recreate the spacious feel of the original tone.
- Ensure your playing is touch-sensitive to capture the articulate lead lines.
- Maintain a smooth attack to achieve the singing sustain characteristic.
The original rig
What Blue Öyster Cult used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Boss Katana actually has.
- Guitar
- c. 1960s Gibson ES-175
- Amp
- 1975 Music Man 410-65 combo (four 10-inch Eminence ceramic-magnet speakers)
- Gain
- 4
- Bass
- 4.5
- Mid
- 7.5
- Treble
- 6
- Presence
- 5
- Reverb
- 1.5
Different guitar or pedals? Get (Don't Fear) The Reaper adapted to your exact rig
These settings were generated for the gear named above. ToneAdapt adapts Blue Öyster Cult's tone to your own guitar, pickups, amp and pedals in seconds.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best Boss Katana settings for (Don't Fear) The Reaper?
Set Gain 1.5, Bass 4, Mid 7.5, Treble 6, Presence 5, Reverb 1.5.
Which pickup should I use for (Don't Fear) The Reaper?
Bridge pickup, with the guitar's tone at 10 and volume at 10.
What gear did Blue Öyster Cult use on (Don't Fear) The Reaper?
Guitar: c. 1960s Gibson ES-175. Amp: 1975 Music Man 410-65 combo (four 10-inch Eminence ceramic-magnet speakers).
Will these settings work with my guitar?
These settings were adapted for a Epiphone Dave Grohl DG-335. Different pickups change how much gain and treble you need. ToneAdapt adapts the tone to your exact guitar, pickups, amp and pedals.
(Don't Fear) The Reaper on other amps
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.