Boss Katana settings
Whatsername settings for Boss Katana
Green Day · adapted 2 times on ToneAdapt
To get the Green Day "Whatsername" riff tone on a Boss Katana, set Gain 7.5, Bass 5.5, Mid 7.5, Treble 8, Presence 6.5, Reverb 0.5. Use the bridge pickup with your guitar's tone on 8-9 and volume on 10.
Riff settings
Adapted for a Squier Starcaster · updated 2026-08-30
- Pickup
- Bridge pickup
- Guitar knobs
- Tone 8-9 · Volume 10
Boss Katana knobs
- Gain
- 7.5
- Bass
- 5.5
- Mid
- 7.5
- Treble
- 8
- Presence
- 6.5
- Reverb
- 0.5
- Solo
- 0
- Contour
- 1
- Power control
- 3
- Cabinet resonance
- 2
Built-in effects
- Reverb on (spring) · 3
Playing tips
- Use tight palm muting for the riff to achieve a punchy sound.
- Attack the strings aggressively to enhance the percussive quality of the chords.
- Keep the rhythm consistent and driving to maintain the punk energy.
The original rig
What Green Day used on the recording, for reference. ToneAdapt translates this to the controls your Boss Katana actually has.
- Guitar
- Gibson Les Paul Junior (Billie Joe Armstrong's signature, likely 2003-2004 model)
- Amp
- Marshall JCM800 2203 (studio, borrowed from Rob Cavallo for American Idiot sessions)
- Gain
- 7.5
- Bass
- 5.5
- Mid
- 7.5
- Treble
- 8
- Presence
- 6.5
- Reverb
- 2.5
Different guitar or pedals? Get Whatsername adapted to your exact rig
These settings were generated for the gear named above. ToneAdapt adapts Green Day's tone to your own guitar, pickups, amp and pedals in seconds.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best Boss Katana settings for Whatsername?
Set Gain 7.5, Bass 5.5, Mid 7.5, Treble 8, Presence 6.5, Reverb 0.5.
Which pickup should I use for Whatsername?
Bridge pickup, with the guitar's tone at 8-9 and volume at 10.
What gear did Green Day use on Whatsername?
Guitar: Gibson Les Paul Junior (Billie Joe Armstrong's signature, likely 2003-2004 model). Amp: Marshall JCM800 2203 (studio, borrowed from Rob Cavallo for American Idiot sessions).
Will these settings work with my guitar?
These settings were adapted for a Squier Starcaster. 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.