Boss Katana settings
The Scientist settings for Boss Katana
Coldplay · adapted 4 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Coldplay "The Scientist" riff tone on a Boss Katana, set Gain 4, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 6, Reverb 0, Fx 0. Use the bridge pickup with your guitar's tone on 7-8 and volume on 8-9.
Riff settings
Adapted for a Epiphone Les Paul · updated 2026-10-29
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 7-8 · Volume 8-9
Boss Katana knobs
- Gain
- 4
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 6
- Treble
- 6
- Reverb
- 0
- Fx
- 0
- Bst
- 0
- Power control
- 2
Playing tips
- Use your amp's built-in reverb set to a moderate level to recreate the spacious feel of the original tone.
- Play with a light touch for clarity and articulation in the chords.
- Focus on dynamic strumming to achieve the subtle breakup characteristic of the original tone.
The original rig
What Coldplay used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Boss Katana actually has.
- Guitar
- Fender Telecaster (likely 1970s or 1990s reissue, maple neck, as used by Jonny Buckland in studio era)
- Amp
- Fender Hot Rod DeVille (studio, 2002 era; Buckland's main amp for Parachutes/A Rush of Blood to the Head sessions)
- Gain
- 3.5
- Bass
- 6
- Mid
- 6
- Treble
- 6.5
- Presence
- 5.5
- Reverb
- 4
Different guitar or pedals? Get The Scientist adapted to your exact rig
These settings were generated for the gear named above. ToneAdapt adapts Coldplay's tone to your own guitar, pickups, amp and pedals in seconds.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best Boss Katana settings for The Scientist?
Set Gain 4, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 6, Reverb 0, Fx 0.
Which pickup should I use for The Scientist?
Bridge pickup, with the guitar's tone at 7-8 and volume at 8-9.
What gear did Coldplay use on The Scientist?
Guitar: Fender Telecaster (likely 1970s or 1990s reissue, maple neck, as used by Jonny Buckland in studio era). Amp: Fender Hot Rod DeVille (studio, 2002 era; Buckland's main amp for Parachutes/A Rush of Blood to the Head 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.
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.