Boss Katana settings
Hot for Teacher settings for Boss Katana
Van Halen · adapted 2 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Van Halen "Hot for Teacher" riff tone on a Boss Katana, set Gain 8.5, Bass 5, Mid 7, Treble 7.5, Presence 6, Reverb 0.5. Use the bridge pickup with your guitar's tone on 7-8 and volume on 8-9.
Riff settings
Adapted for a Jackson JS Series Kelly JS32T · updated 2026-05-26
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7-8 · Volume 8-9
Boss Katana knobs
- Gain
- 8.5
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 7
- Treble
- 7.5
- Presence
- 6
- Reverb
- 0.5
- Solo
- 0
- Contour
- 0
- Power control
- 3
- Cabinet resonance
- 2
Built-in effects
- Reverb on (plate) · 4
Playing tips
- Use your amp's built-in reverb set to a low level to add space without washing out the tone.
- Engage the amp's built-in chorus for a subtle modulation effect that enhances the high-gain sound.
- Focus on tight palm muting to achieve the explosive attack characteristic of the original riff.
The original rig
What Van Halen used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Boss Katana actually has.
- Guitar
- Kramer 5150 (Frankenstrat-style, single humbucker, maple neck)
- Amp
- Marshall Super Lead 1959 (heavily modded, variac, 100W, EL34s)
- Gain
- 8.5
- Bass
- 5.5
- Mid
- 7
- Treble
- 7.5
- Presence
- 6
- Reverb
- 2.5
Different guitar or pedals? Get Hot for Teacher adapted to your exact rig
These settings were generated for the gear named above. ToneAdapt adapts Van Halen's tone to your own guitar, pickups, amp and pedals in seconds.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best Boss Katana settings for Hot for Teacher?
Set Gain 8.5, Bass 5, Mid 7, Treble 7.5, Presence 6, Reverb 0.5.
Which pickup should I use for Hot for Teacher?
Bridge pickup, with the guitar's tone at 7-8 and volume at 8-9.
What gear did Van Halen use on Hot for Teacher?
Guitar: Kramer 5150 (Frankenstrat-style, single humbucker, maple neck). Amp: Marshall Super Lead 1959 (heavily modded, variac, 100W, EL34s).
Will these settings work with my guitar?
These settings were adapted for a Jackson JS Series Kelly JS32T. Different pickups change how much gain and treble you need. ToneAdapt adapts the tone to your exact guitar, pickups, amp and pedals.
Hot for Teacher on other amps
More Van Halen on the Boss Katana
All Van Halen 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.